News

Between 16-25 September, festival to present 16-25 September 40 docs on the current state of global human rights. This year’s focus is on stories of people whose rights are being brutally violated and who are fighting for change as activists. Films to be screened online in Germany and offline in selected Berlin cinemas. Ten films to compete for Willy Brandt Documentary Film Award.

An astute and gently insightful observational film that edges into anthropological examination at times, Tea Lukač’s Roots (Koreni), screening in the East of the West Competition at Karlovy Vary, cleverly presents a layered and at times provocative look at contemporary Serbia, all shot from the back seat of a moving car.

Marta Popivoda’s Landscapes of Resistance picked up the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Doc (valued at €3000) during the 2021 Sarajevo Film Festival closing ceremony (August 19). Special Jury Award (€2500) went to Stefan Pavlović’s Looking for Horses. Vlad Petri’s The Same Dream received a Special Mention while Ahmet Necdet Çupur’s Les Enfants terribles won the Human Rights Award (€3000).

Factory to the Workers (Tvornice Radnicima) is an engrossing fly-on-the-wall documentary about the struggles of a collectively owned Croatian machine tools factory trying to deal with new economic realities within a changing world.

The Russian project Freedom Squared, directed by Anastasia Zverkova and set on the coldest point on the planet, deals with the theme of isolation. “The subject connects universal matters with extremely timely issues of humanity, spirituality and science,” said the jury on handing over the €5000 award. Plus six Docu Rough Cut Boutique prizes awarded.

Sheffield Doc Fest announced August 19 that Cíntia Gil has resigned from her position as Festival Director “as a result of artistic differences over the present and future direction of the Festival with the Board of Trustees.” Director of Partnerships Sylvia Bednarz will act as Interim Managing Director with immediate effect.

IDFA has announced first details of its 2021 edition, delivering acclaimed filmmakers Hito Steyerl and Artavazd Pelechian to Amsterdam alongside programs celebrating their work. The festival will also pay homage to renowned Dutch filmmaker Johan van der Keuken, marking the 25th anniversary of his masterly Amsterdam Global Village.

Nebulae, Doclisboa's industry space, will present its third edition 21-31 October 2021, for the first time in hybrid format. Film professionals from all over the world will meet again in Lisbon 21-25 of October, when on-site activities will take place. To ensure participation for all, online activities will run to October 31.

Organised by the Ji.hlava Int’l Documentary Film Festival, this week’s Docu Talents from the East programme presents eight feature-length creative doc projects from Central and Eastern Europe in production or post-production stage to industry toppers with the aim of assisting project completion and enhancing the distribution possibilities.

Following on from Philippa Kowarsky’s appointment as Commissioning Editor of BBC Storyville, Cinephil is teaming up with UK-based WestEnd Films. Olivier Tournaud (pictured) will take over as Cinephil Managing Director, while Harry Vaughn is joining from Sundance as Head of Acquisitions and US Sales.