DocsBarcelona 25

A New Yorker with an astonishing voice and the most vagabond of creative sensibilities, 82-year old Meredith Monk is the genius that few people have ever heard of. Unless, of course, you’re David Byrne or Björk, or Philip Glass for whom “she, among all of us, was – and still is – the uniquely gifted one.” “I've talked to people who've had a whole career producing music documentaries, and the first question they ask is, ‘is she related to Thelonious?” director tells BDE of his inimitable but largely unknown subject.

Andres Veiel’s new documentary makes a damning case against notorious director Leni Riefensthal, whose patron was Adolf Hitler. The film comes at a time when Germany is seeing a highly alarming wave of right-wing extremism. “[It] is a warning not to accept this new nationalism and celebration of the strong. That is what’s Riefenstahl’s ideology is. We are really experiencing a renaissance of it,” says Veiel, who is joined in interview by producer Sandra Maischberger.

The 28th edition of the Catalan fest launches May 8, heralding 11 days of frenetic professional and public-facing doc activity, the whole thing kicking off with Andres Veiel’s Riefenstahl, which offers a reminder of the dark role that cinema played 80 years ago, before the Allies’ liberation of Europe. “It felt important to revisit Riefenstahl’s legacy — not to glorify it, but to interrogate it,” says incoming co-director Maria Colomer. “Her images shaped a totalitarian vision, and the film asks us to confront how beauty can be weaponized.”

Opening with Andres Veiel’s Riefenstahl, this year's program “delves into the continent's past to consider its present and future with a section dedicated to archive, where documentary filmmakers explore the dark folds of the 20th century with found footage,” organisers write of the festival running March 8 to 18. Elsewhere, the new Visions competition section showcases daring films that explore the limits of non-fiction from unusual angles, and 13 Catalan-produced documentaries reaffirm the festival's commitment to the country's talent.

DocsBarcelona Industry will take place from May 12 to 16. One of the leading non-fiction markets in Southern Europe, more than 800 accredited professionals from the European, Latin American, and international documentary community will have the opportunity to connect, co-produce, and collaborate on these 33 new and advanced projects. The selected participants will take part in various Forum activities: Public Pitch (14/05), Rough Cut Pitch (15/05), New Tech Pitch (13/05) and Speed Meetings.

The screening of Andres Veiel’s film, about arguably the 20th Century’s most controversial filmmaker, coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. “The documentary reminds us of the seductive power of images and narratives, while posing a crucial question: what is the artist's responsibility?” says DocsBarcelona Artistic Director Maria Colomer. The festival, which runs May 8 to 18, will feature Germany as its guest country and pay tribute to German producer and distributor Heino Deckert.