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The Budapest, Biarritz and Bologna-based events “share an interest in contemporary European creative documentary films and are committed to managing their activities transparently, and in supporting each other in producing sustainable and diverse international film festival events,” they write in a statement released during the Verzió International Human Rights FF, running 9-14 November.

The 2021 festival includes more than 120 feature-length documentaries, including 32 world premieres and 34 US premieres. Opening Night film is Penny Lane's Listening to Kenny G, Closing Night is Matthew Heineman’s The First Wave. Centerpiece docs are Sam Pollard and Rex Miller's Citizen Ashe and Dave Wooley and David Heilbroner's Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over.

European Film Academy announced Nov 19 the European Documentary nominations (among other categories) for the 34th European Film Awards. The 4,100+ EFA members will now vote for the winners who will be presented during the awards ceremony 11 December (Berlin). Flee also named in European Animated Feature category. My Uncle Tudor and In Flow of Words nominated in European Short category.

Directed by Swedish Lars Edman and William Johansson Kalén, the multi award-winning doc follows the struggle of people in the Chilean town of Arica as they fight for justice against a multinational Swedish company that exported 20,000 tonnes of highly toxic mining waste there in the 1980s. Sales are handled by Swiss-based Lightdox.

The Nordic Council Film Prize 2021 was awarded November 2 to Flee by director/screenwriter Jonas Poher Rasmussen, screenwriter Amin and producers Monica Hellström, Charlotte de la Gournerie and Signe Byrge Sørensen. The award was announced during the Nordic Council’s Autumn Session in Copenhagen.

DOC FORWARD is a project-driven co-production talent workshop for emerging Nordic documentary producers and directors. The focus is on new talent and nationally established directors with ambitions to go into international partnership with both new and established producers. Application deadline of November 22.

IDFA's Artistic Director Orwa Nyrabia also revealed selections for the main competitive sections; International and Envision Competitions, and IDFA DocLab Competitions for Immersive Non-Fiction and Digital Storytelling. Also cross section awards and 10 projects selected for the non-competitive IDFA DocLab Spotlight. The festival line-up comprises 264 titles.

Top international prize awarded to Lines by Barbora Sliepková. Best Czech doc is Brotherhood by Francesco Montagner. Testimonies award How to Kill a Cloud by Finnish Tuija Halttunen. Contribution to World Cinema award was granted to director Jana Ševčíková. Silver Eye Award 2021 for the Best Feature Film of the East Silver Market awarded to Sasha Kulak for Mara. All awards.

Arantza Santesteban’s 918 Nights wins Best International Film while Aline Lata and Helena Wolfenson’s The Safest Place in the World wins International Jury Award. Best Portuguese Film named as Distopia by Tiago Afonso. Portuguese Comp Jury Award to Half a Light-Year by Leonardo Mouramateus. In Cross-Sectional Competition, Sebastian Mihăilescu’s You Are Ceausescu to Me wins Best First Feature.

Golden Dove in German Competition goes to A Sound of My Own (pictured). Audience jury awards Dida. The Silver Dove for the best long documentary by an emerging director in International Competition is awarded to Karol Pałka for his first feature-length film Bucolic.