News

Together with Central and Eastern Europe partners, IDF will present the region’s doc industries at Sunny Side plus a catalogue of 40+ projects. Additionally, it will publish results of a survey of CEE representation at key doc events, and will showcase new projects in development and production. Sunny Side also hosts the Ex Oriente workshop.

The Finland showcase at this year's Sunny Side features seven new doc projects in development. “We want to reflect upon #storytellingmatters by sharing interesting stories by Finnish documentarists that highlight how important themes resonate across the globe,” says Vera Ruokonen, Audiovisual Producers Finland project manager.

The Chilean offer at Sunny Side of the Doc includes the Chile-Canada miniseries Extreme of the Americas, about climate change, which is selected for the market’s Wildlife & Conservation pitch section, as well as four other new doc projects to be presented June 21 during the market’s Chilean presentation.

The gongs were handed out June 18 at the end of the 13th edition of FIDLab (June 14-18). Out of more than 500 international applications, 16 projects representing 15 production countries formed the 2021 selection. 285 one-to-one meetings were held during the 4-day event. FIDLab is the international co-production platform of FIDMarseille.

Seven documentaries receive support, one of them a minority co-production. In total, 20 new films received production support totalling €4.5 million, including eight features, four of which are international co-productions with a minority Finnish share.

The ever-prolific Mark Cousins emerges from pandemic lockdown with the engagingly insightful The Story of Looking (which closes Sheffield DocFest), a film that touches on territory he has delved into before but also comes with a personal spin that makes it all the more appealing.

Best Film in International Competition was 'Nũhũ Yãg Mũ Yõg Hãm: This Land Is Our Land!' while the Special Jury Award went to Equatorial Constellations. In UK Competition, 'Ali and His Miracle Sheep' won Best Film as 'Portrait of Kaye' (Ben Reed, UK) won the Special Jury Award. Audience Award to Charm Circle.

Mike Downey, the London/Dublin-based film producer who is the current Chairman of the Board of the European Film Academy (EFA) has been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, officially published today in the London Gazette.

“Finally back in theatres,” is the joyful cry of Fipadoc director Christine Camdessus as she prepares for this Saturday’s very live presentation of her Biarritz-based docfest, the public part of which was postponed from January 2021. She enthuses even more with Business Doc Europe.

After a full programme presented in selected Leipzig cinemas 25-31 October, DOK Stream will offer a selection of festival films accessible online by the German public during the first two weeks of November. Film professionals to meet again in Leipzig during DOK Industry, with online participation still an option.