Documentary filmmaker John Wilson, creator of the cult series How To with John Wilson (HBO Max), will conclude his stay in Europe with a master class at DocsBarcelona 2024 on 7 May. The North American filmmaker joins Catalan director Albert Serra as one of the leading names presented during the festival’s Industry section that will be held May 6 to 10.
Head of Industry, Èric Motjer, stresses that this year’s programme “is a window onto the world we are, and the world to come”. He also added that “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.”
Documentary projects in the Market
The DocsBarcelona market offers three pitch sessions for projects at development or editing phase, during which film teams will have the opportunity to present to 40 decision makers from 21 countries. Confirmed experts and decision makers hail from platforms such as HBO Max, public and private broadcasters such as ARTE, RAI and Aljazeera, and sales agents, festival programmers and leading distributors from around the world.
The Public Pitch will host twelve projects in development and Rough Cut Pitch presents four non-fiction projects at edit phase. New Tech Pitch, organised in collaboration with the Sónar+D festival and Metacampus, will present four non-fiction projects that embrace emerging technologies (AI models, AI-powered tools, VR, XR, AR, web3, blockchain or metaverse). At the Industry awards ceremony on Thursday 9 May, a full list of prizes valued at more than €10,000 will be awarded.
The market also aims to generate new co-production links and promote internationalisation. On 8 May, at the DocsBarcelona Industry Lounge, the Producers Meetup will offer a meeting space specially designed for production companies and documentary projects from the Catalan-speaking territories to meet their international counterparts.
The secrets behind John Wilson’s “unique look”
The deconstruction of the humanist and humour-filled work of John Wilson, one of the most outstanding, unique and refreshing voices in the documentary world, will be the subject of a masterclass on 7 May aimed at DocsBarcelona Industry professionals. The filmmaker will share his working method and creative process behind the series How To with John Wilson (HBO Max), “which has captivated audiences around the world with its original, relatable perspective and unique ability to move and make people laugh through scenes from everyday life,’” write organisers.
Afternoons of solitude, the first documentary by Albert Serra
Acclaimed Catalan director Albert Serra, considered one of the most outstanding contemporary international filmmakers, will discuss Tardes de soledad, his first documentary after a successful career in the world of fiction. His May 8 case study at DocsBarcelona Industry will be given alongside Artur Tort, the director of photography with whom he has been working for years. Together they will explain the development and production process that made this new film possible.
Other notable docmakers at DocsBarcelona Industry will be Estephan Wagner, director of the Berlinale award-winning documentary Les Sauteurs, who will give a masterclass on editing, and director Efthyima Zymvragaki & dok.incubator’s Andrea Prenghyová who will, on May 7, explore the triumphs and difficulties behind the production of Light Falls Vertical, from the initial idea to its IDFA premiere.
Artificial intelligence: the limits of truth
“Artificial intelligence, embedded in our society and determining perceptions, beliefs and the very notion of truth,” will be under examination during two events during DocsBarcelona Industry. The conference AI: Nobody Cares About The Truth, presented in collaboration with Sónar+D, will explore the philosophical and sociological impacts of AI, questioning how algorithms intertwine with human conceptions of truth, ethics and reality. In the case study About a Hero: Herzog in AI, filmmaker Piotr Winiewicz will talk about the production process and present the first scenes of About a Hero, a film in which an AI trained on Herzog’s works combines fictional narrative with a series of “real” interviews with artists, philosophers and scientists, reflecting on the notion of originality, authenticity, immortality and soul.
