Flemish production house Harald House arrives in La Rochelle with a diverse slate of documentary projects, ranging from The Consciousness of David Lynch (by Marco Spagnoli and Rüdiger Sturm, in development), which will take audiences on a journey into the mind of the late, great auteur, to Gaza Sunbirds (by Flavia Cappellini, in post-production), a feature doc about team of para-cyclists who chase their dream of competing on the world stage, even as bombs descend on their home city of Gaza.
“We look for projects that we think are important, interesting, and valuable in some way,” CEO Kristian Van der Heyden tells Business Doc Europe. “We don’t really distinguish between genres. Looking back at our slate, we do notice a recurring attraction to people resisting the homogenisation of society: artists, activists, journalists, outsiders, and devoted underdogs with a mission.”
“The David Lynch project is an example of that,” he adds. “Lynch is one of the most influential filmmakers of the last fifty years, but beyond the icon there is a fascinating artistic philosophy and body of work that continues to influence generations of filmmakers. The project combines a subject with a built-in international audience and strong cultural relevance.”
“Gaza Sunbirds is very different on the surface, but driven by similar values,” Van der Heyden continues. “The film follows a group of para-athletes in Gaza who refuse to be defined by circumstance. It is a story about dignity, resilience and determination under extraordinary conditions. The project already has significant international visibility and access, and we believe it has the potential to reach audiences far beyond the documentary community.”
Other films on the herald House Slate include the Belgium/Estonia/Taiwan/Italy/Indonesia co-pro Slave Island, which world premiered at Movies That Matter 2025, in which Activist Jeremy Kewuan faces the invisible power of ideology and faith as he combats traditions of present-day slavery on a remote Indonesian island.
In Supernatural (Spain/Belgium/France), which premiered at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2025, André Malby, a famous shaman believed to have healed many, is reviewed by his distant son, a medical doctor who turned away from his father’s path, and a devoted believer convinced he saved her life.
Meanwhile, the IFFR 2025 title Storm Alerts (Denmark/Iceland), which asks if the world is yet ready for the likes of Marteinn Helgi Sigurðsson, who defies the label of ‘bipolar disorder’ to give us a glimpse into his shaman-like wisdom
“From a business perspective, we are always looking for projects that can travel internationally. We rarely develop films solely for our domestic market. Whenever possible, we aim for a theatrical release in the Benelux, which remains challenging for documentaries but helps us maintain a strong focus on audience engagement and long-term exploitation,” Van der Heyden explains in modus operandi.
“Internationally, being present [at festivals] is essential,” he adds. “Documentary remains a relationship-driven business. The market is still active, but I think the golden era of documentary has passed. Broadcasters and public funds have become more selective, budgets have decreased, and the volume of submissions has increased substantially. In some funding schemes, applications have nearly doubled since the pandemic.”
“We certainly feel the increased competition. At the same time, there remains strong demand for distinctive stories, ambitious filmmaking and projects with international potential. The market is tougher, but not unhealthy.”
Van der Heyden tells BDE that his primary objective for SSD is to find a strong co-production partner for the David Lynch project “who can help maximise the film’s international reach and assist with some of the more challenging financing components, particularly archive-related costs.” He further hopes to strengthen existing relationships, identify new collaborators “and, ideally, discover another project that fits our slate,” he adds.
Beyond La Rochelle, Harald House will start shooting a fiction feature on Federico García Lorca in Spain together with La Terraza Films. “It is an ambitious period biopic and one of our main production focuses for the remainder of the year,” says Van der Heyden.
From a doc perspective, he is continuing to develop Trona, the new film by Emanuele Mengotti, and which is shot entirely on VHS. The film portrays the residents of the depressed mining town of Trona, California, “through a cinematic language that feels suspended between memory and reality,” he says.
“During production, our main protagonist tragically took her own life despite her enthusiastic participation in the project,” Van der Heyden reveals. “The film is now evolving into something unexpected, with her voice and presence remaining as a kind of ghost narrator throughout the story. It is a delicate project, but one that I believe Emanuele is uniquely equipped to handle with both sensitivity and visual beauty. His previous film, Red Sky at Night, demonstrated an extraordinary ability to portray overlooked communities with empathy and dignity.”
“Gaza Sunbirds remains one of our most ambitious documentary projects,” the producer continues. “With more than 400 hours of footage already shot, it is a substantial editorial undertaking and unlikely to reach rough-cut stage this year. Nevertheless, the project already has a strong international following and significant momentum. Our hope is that the film contributes to a more human understanding of life in Gaza and reminds audiences that beyond politics and headlines are people seeking dignity, opportunity and the chance to live ordinary lives.”
