Interviews

The Dutch doc feature project Here Be Dragons (Terra Incógnita), about an alien landscape in southern Spain where astrobiologists ‘dig the soil to fuel the technological revolution and to search for life in the Universe’, was pitched as part of the Nebulae RAW programme of DocLisboa 2020.

“He’s a guy who is dirty on his skin but is very pure in his heart,” says director Jindřich Andrš of his lead character, former miner Tomas. “I didn't say this when raising money for the film. Maybe if I had, I would have raised more...”

Ada Ushpiz’s 'Children' has its world premiere in DOK Leipzig having already received huge praise from the festival’s director, Christoph Terhechte, who called it “heart-breaking.” In the film, sold by Cinephil, Israeli director Ushpiz follows kids in Palestine who’ve been drawn into the insurgency against the occupying Israeli forces.

Four films from Ket & Doc, the bold new programme for kids’ documentaries initiated by the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) in 2018, have been chosen for the Kids DOK section at DOK Leipzig - a strong endorsement of the success of the venture.

Ahead of its October 27 kick-off, Ji.hlava IDFF director Marek Hovorka talks to Business Doc Europe about the decision to go online in 2020, the need to showcase African documentary and the ongoing essential role played by experimental film, as underlined within the festival programme.

Ahead of the 63rd edition of his festival, Dok Leipzig artistic director Christoph Terhechte talks to Business Doc Europe about a streamlined programme in 2020, and how we should prepare for an equally streamlined doc industry looking forward.

In recent years the lives of footballing geniuses Cruyff, Ibrahimović and Maradona have been given the full cinematic treatment, courtesy of leading European auteurs. Now it is the turn of Italian Francesco Totti, the one-team World Cup-winning neo-god from the Eternal City where, appropriately, Alex Infascelli’s new film word-premiered this week.

At Cinekid 2020, Youtuber Quinty Misiedjan premiered her documentary Marked for Life, made in collaboration with the NGO War Child for whom she is an ambassador. The film explores the lives of refugee children, and seeks to find out how they can retain any sense of joy, resolve or passion against a backdrop of uncertainty, fear and violence.

Marc Isaacs’ feature The Filmmaker’s House, which world premieres October 17 at Sheffield Doc Fest, is labelled as “documentary.” Some doc purists, though, may be startled by the director’s freewheeling approach toward a project which was indeed shot in his own house. Business Doc Europe spoke to the director back in June 2020.

Producer Maarten Schmidt may not have a project at the Flemish showcase this year, but is nevertheless a very active participant within the Belgian doc scene (and in European with DAE), specialising in films for youth. He talks to Business Doc Europe.