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The Main Competition of the 21st edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity comprises 12 films from around the world directed by a total of 10 female and 9 male directors. The films will compete for six awards across six festival cities, including the Grand Prix - Millennium Bank Award. The Polish fest also revealed the Jury members: Anna Hints, Murtada Elfadl and Lauren Greenfield. The upcoming MDAG runs 10–19 May in cinemas and 21 May to 3 June online.

On April 15 Visions du Réel awarded the 2024 Prix d’honneur to Chinese director Jia Zhang-Ke. French filmmaker Claire Denis, Guest of Honour at the Festival in 2020, paid tribute to him while the prize itself was awarded by Carlo Chatrian, International Feature Film Competition Jury member and former Artistic Director of the Berlinale.

Swiss Films’ Doc topper Charlotte Ducos discusses the six projects nearing completion that have been selected for the SWISS FILMS Previews showcase of April 17. Most of the projects are just about ready to be launched onto the festival circuit. “I think we have a great diversity of storytelling and of background and among the six projects we have three women directors and three women producers. That's important for us,” Ducos underlines to Business Doc Europe.

Each year, Cannes Docs partners with a number of institutions and organizations from different parts of the world to showcase curated selections of docs-in-progress at finalization stage, aiming to hit the circuit within a few weeks or months. These showcases of docs-in-progress are primarily designed for decision makers looking for fresh new titles, in particular festival programmers and sales agents.

Additionally, HBO Max, ARTE, RAI, POV and Al-Jazeera are among the funders that will participate in the Barcelona market, which will take place 6 to 10 May. "DocsBarcelona Industry wants to be a space for critical debate, safe and with an eye on the future. More than ever, we need creators and producers to bring new perspectives and contribute to the critical and artistic spirit through film," says Head of Industry, Èric Motjer.

Fourteen documentaries have been selected for the International Documentary Competition of the 64th Krakow Film Festival, including two productions from Poland. “Events you hear about in media, yet recounted from the personal perspectives of their heroines and heroes. Stories from places seldom ventured into and a fresh look on what seemed thoroughly familiar,” underlines the festival, which runs May 26 to June 2.

The 8-month dok.incubator rough-cut workshop has announced its final selection of documentary projects to be developed during 2024. “From circumstances that turn life upside down and clashes of different worlds to one's healing journey – the variety of topics to be unfolded at this year’s workshop creates a powerful and touching mosaic of today,” write organisers.

Every year Visions du Réel organises masterclasses, meetings and debates that are open to the general public and professionals alike. In addition to its three 2024 Guests – Jia Zhang-Ke, Alice Diop and John Wilson – the festival will host discussions with renowned filmmakers such as Claire Denis, Petra Costa and Anna Hints, as well as many directors whose films will be screened publicly for the first time, plus film funders from all over the world.

MetFilm Distribution has confirmed they will release David Allen’s Wilding on June 14, in cinemas across the UK and Ireland. The film is based on Isabella Tree's internationally-acclaimed book published by Picador. Tree's book, a Sunday Times bestseller with over 350,000 sales in the UK and worldwide, has been translated into 8 different languages. The doc premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2023 and later at the Hamptons International Film Festival.

A total of €938,000 has been granted to five documentary features and one doc series by the Finnish Film Foundation in its latest round of funding (March 2024). The total amount of funding was €5,745,000, with additional support granted to nine fiction features and four shorts.