Cannes Docs Diaries, Part II: deal-making, politics and premieres
Views on Cannes Docs from Sara Bernstein, Joanna Natasegara, Josh Braun, Sigrid Dyekjaer, Susan Mbogo and more. Seen & Heard at Stax premiere, Asian American Showcase and DocuMentality.
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Documentaries at Cannes
With just a few days left of the Cannes Film Festival, the screenings, scoutings, and scene-stealing sartorial moments (it's the Riviera, after all!) are in their home stretch. We've been keeping an eye on it all from our perch across the pond, and are heartened to see several documentaries premiering to encouraging reception.
Reviews of Cannes docs include Raoul Peck’s moving portrait of his subject in Ernest Cole: Lost and Found as “both a heartbreaking elegy to the photographer, and a kind of mystery” (Screen). Sergei Loznitsa's Ukraine-set L'Invasion, is lauded by The Hollywood Reporter for its "majestic, tragic sweep as it builds a portrait of a nation at war." The Falling Sky, an account of the Amazonian Yanomami people navigating life in the face of destructive neocolonialist practices, is told by Brazilian directors Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha with both a "dignified divinity and strong sense of urgency" (Variety).
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The Cannes Classics section devotes attention to films about film. Titles premiering this week include Laurent Bouzereau's Faye, a biodoc of Hollywood icon Faye Dunaway, compellingly told in her own words. Nanette Burstein's Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes achieves a similar sense of intimacy through remastered audio interviews with the late star; "Liz comes vividly alive" in this largely first-person account of the legend's unparalleled life and career, says Deadline. And as Ron Howard examines the man behind the visionary filmmaker and puppeteer in Jim Henson Idea Man, “we feel as if we know him better and we appreciate his work more,” observes Indiewire.
A total of 22 documentaries are competing for the L’Œil d’or (Golden Eye) prize, to be announced on May 24th. Following past juries led by the likes of Kirsten Johnson, Agnieszka Holland, Ezra Edelman, and Sandrine Bonnaire, this year's panel brings together an international committee including jury president Nicolas Philibert (France) along with Dyana Gaye (Sénégal), Mina Kavani (Iran), Elise Jalladeau (Greece), and Francis Legault (Canada).
And while awards and screenings tend to command much of the attention at Cannes, the acquisition of North American distribution rights by Watermelon Pictures for Palestinian filmmaker Mohamed Jabaly’s Life Is Beautiful— a documentary following Jabaly's personal story of being trapped in Norway after the closing of Gaza's borders in 2014 — serves as a bolstering reminder that the festival is a place for deal-making even for films that don’t get a coveted premiere slot.
In other non-competition news, Zipporah Films' digitization of veteran documentarian Frederick Wiseman's 45-film oeuvre was celebrated with a showing of his 1969 Law and Order— a quietly astute exploration of Kansas City's police force at work following 1968's race riots — as part of Cannes Classics last week. A retrospective featuring Wiseman's restored work will come to Paris, Los Angeles, and New York this fall; in the meantime, I invite you to tune into Thom's illuminating chat with the Titicut Follies director from 2017.
After the wonderful feedback on the Cannes dispatches in our first newsletter, we're excited to bring you even more reflections from the filmmakers and industry members on the ground at the festival this week. From new partnerships in impact storytelling to promising new avenues of distribution, the following updates demonstrate an unmistakable sense of unity and optimism about the future of documentaries amid a challenging landscape — and we love to see it. Read on for candid perspectives from producers Sara Bernstein, Joanna Natasegara, Sigrid Dyekjaer, sales agents Josh Braun, Cleo Veger, Kilian Kiefel, and others. (Anisha Jhaveri)
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Cannes Diaries: Part II
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From pipe dream to standing ovation
As a documentary producer, attending the Cannes Film Festival for the first time was an unforgettable experience. To have our film Jim Henson Idea Man celebrated by the Cannes festival and audience after two years of production was a screening the team will never forget. When we launched Imagine Documentaries six years ago, festival premieres were a pipe dream. But, over the past six years, we have been fortunate to have our documentaries screen at Toronto, Sundance, and Tribeca. Now we're on the French Riviera, the most majestic red carpet a filmmaker can ever walk.
Director Ron Howard, a Cannes veteran for sure — this time with his first documentary to premiere at the festival — was as excited as the rest of us rookies to be there. Our documentary delves into the life and legacy of the extraordinary artist and visionary, Jim Henson. The journey started with a conversation between President of Imagine Entertainment, Justin Wilkes, and Marjon Javadi at Disney Branded Television about what a magical life and career Jim Henson led and exploring if there was a chance to bring his legacy to screen. The family was understandably hesitant, but it was Ron's genuine admiration and passion for Henson that ultimately convinced them to entrust him with their father’s story. Thanks to the generosity of the Henson family, we were granted access to a wealth of archival material, including home movies, diaries, and behind-the-scenes footage, which allowed us to paint a vivid, honest portrait of Jim's remarkable journey.
The magic of Cannes only added to the premiere anticipation. I am always unbelievably anxious before a premiere screening and can usually only enjoy myself once the credits roll and the lights come up. But walking the red carpet amid industry giants, I was able to let that go and really marvel in this special moment. The premiere was a success, with a five-minute standing ovation and Ron sharing heartfelt insights into why this project meant so much to him and the team. We were joined by members of the Henson family and all our extraordinary team: Justin Wilkes, Margaret Bodde, Mark Monroe, Christopher St. John, Meredith Kaulfers, editors Paul Crowder and Sierra Neal and our wonderfully supportive partners at Disney, Marjon Javadi and Charlie Andrews. It was a magical night we will never forget.
After this indelible Cannes premiere, I am so excited to share Jim Henson Idea Man with a global audience on Disney+. This film is truly a tribute to the power of creativity and a celebration of one of the greatest storytellers of our time. It reminds us why we do what we do as filmmakers, how precious life is, and the lasting impact and enchantment the genius of Jim Henson has had on generations and will have for years to come. (Sara Bernstein)
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Finding partners for impact storytelling
No two trips to Cannes are ever the same. The festival has so many faces, so wildly different from each other, that it’s hard to think of them existing in the same place. Only the sunshine binds them. This year's visit was quick but eventful, packed with more friendly faces of doc folks than I anticipated. I happily crossed paths with filmmakers Sonja Henrici and Ben Proudfoot as well as executives Marjon Javadi, Ryan Werner, Jason Ishikawa and Josh Braun. A smiling team from Imagine was there to premiere their much anticipated Henson doc, while at coffees and parties there was plenty of talk of the health, or lack thereof, of the doc industry. My meetings were interrupted by a glorious surprise reunion with my Edge of Democracy colleagues, director Petra Costa, DP João Atala and producer Mariana Oliva of Maria Farinha Films, a social impact company in Brazil.
Mariana, her co-CEO Luana Lobo, and I had planned to be in Cannes together with one of their founders, philanthropist Ana Lucia Villela, to celebrate the announcement in Variety of our newest collaboration; Maria Farinha is acquiring a minority stake in my own company, Violet Films, and as such we are excited to continue to grow a partnership we’ve been nurturing for years.
Maria Farinha was founded by filmmakers Marcos Nisti and Estela Renner, alongside Ana Lucia, and has scored hit after hit in Brazil with impact storytelling through docs and drama. At Violet Films, we’ve always believed storytelling is a major contributor to change. Thus, the two companies are a dream pairing, working to tell intimate and important stories by unique voices, elevating international filmmakers, and pairing film with a social justice underpinning. Given the state of the world, we believe it more important than ever to ensure these stories are found and heard, and we know there are strong audiences waiting for them.
It felt nice to be in the sunshine of the doc universe at Cannes, gaining energy and inspiration from each other. This trip was a good reminder that film is ever a community game and that international filmmaking has a bright and vibrant future. (Joanna Natasegara)
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Expanding and redefining the measures of success
Chicken & Egg Pictures is finding our first visit to the Cannes Film Festival and Cannes Docs to be an incredibly worthwhile experience. While our program director Kiyoko McCrae and I have only been here a few days, we've attended showcases from different parts of the world to learn about works in progress, and held meetings with filmmakers and industry reps. We also saw one of our Research & Development grantee's completed films: A Bit of a Stranger by Svitlana Lishchynska.
I moderated a panel called "Redefining Success on Our Own Terms" with Chicken & Egg Awardees Alisa Kovalenko and Ilinca Calugareanu, who are always intrepid and inspiring! Alisa's film, Frontline, was also part of the East Doc Platform Showcase. As Kiyoko and I discussed in a recent interview with Business Doc Europe, the panel explored different measures of success, beyond just that hard-to-nab streaming deal or major film premiere. Success can look like reaching different kinds of audiences, and discovering the impact of alternative models of distribution. At Chicken & Egg Pictures, we support the many ways that filmmakers want to build their careers on their own terms.
Of course, no film festival would be complete without a fair amount of enjoyable networking opportunities and there have been plenty of those! I celebrated my birthday here, with new and old friends, culminating in an Arte gathering on a yacht. It's rare I get to many film festivals without my winter coat, so it's nice to be in the sun.
I've been impressed with the passion and energy of the Cannes Docs team here; Pierre-Alexis, Babette and Cassandra have their act together and brought more than 200 people in the doc world together: a lovely bubble inside a much bigger, more glamorous fiction film world. We certainly don't think this will be our last time here! (Jenni Wolfson)
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The limited lanes for docs at Cannes
Greetings from Cannes. It has been beautiful weather here except for the first day — a great environment to distract me from the challenging documentary marketplace. Cannes is doing its best, but can also do better. I have run into some great people from the doc world like Opal Bennett, Rob Williams, Nanette Burstein, and others, but Cannes still isn't the "must-attend" event for the doc community that it could be. It has improved vastly over the last few years with Doc Day, the great doc programs at the American Pavilion, and Cannes Docs.
The doc community rolls with the punches and will take what it can get, so we make it work. It would help if Cannes would start programming a few big and loud titles in competition (think Apollo 11 or American Factory) but the lanes available seem to be international issue films and docs honoring the Hollywood greats in the Cannes Classics section. These categories have provided wonderful and incredible films like Four Daughters, All That Breathes, and this year, Elizabeth Taylor and Faye, but without a wider lens, the perception remains that documentaries at Cannes still won't be the main event (like All the Beauty and the Bloodshed was in Venice, for example).
But Cannes is still Cannes, and although it's exhausting, it's always a lot of fun. We held private screenings for a few upcoming titles we are working on that will premiere at future festivals - like James Jones's Antidote and Julien Temple's I Am Curious Johnny, two great films that have started creating buzz as one of the tried and true strategies of launching a film in the market out of Cannes quietly to start generating awareness or start a pre-sale conversation. The upside of Cannes not being considered a doc-focused festival is that buyers are excited to discover some doc gems, like Easter eggs waiting to be found in their intentional hiding place. And even we doc folks love a great narrative; there was nothing better that I saw this year than The Substance — a twisted Cronenberg-inspired body horror nightmare where someone fainted in front of me at the premiere and had to be taken out on a stretcher. Roger Corman or William Castle couldn't have planned it better. (Josh Braun)
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Where you come to understand the global business
Some people really don’t like Cannes. The city itself isn’t my type, but from an industry point of view, I love it. It’s where I really started to understand the global side of the business, as prior to my first Cannes in 2014 I had only ever focused on honing my filmmaking skills. It showed me how much I had to learn when I couldn’t get a meeting with anyone and how little I knew about sales and distribution. I set about changing that.
Cut to 2023, where my primary objective was to take meetings with festival programmers to introduce my film The Contestant in person. Thanks to the setting of Cannes Docs, I was able to get face time with key people who would help us launch the film into the world at TIFF, setting it up to be acquired by Hulu.
For me, it’s key to not do too much and to allow for spontaneity. Cannes is great for that. I'm back in 2024 with the objective to hang out with our new partners at Mediawan and meet talent/financiers for one of our new docs. Wish me luck! (Andee Ryder)
Working with Generation Ukraine
This is my fourth consecutive year attending Cannes as a mentor for several Cannes Docs showcase delegations and spotlighted projects. When people come to Cannes for the first time, they seem surprised to discover such a vibrant and thriving space for documentaries. But Pierre-Alexis Chevit and his team at Cannes Docs have created an oasis within the market, allowing us to find each other and take part in conference programming, social events, screenings, and more.
I’ve found that being in the minority at Cannes enhances our sense of community and solidarity, and the reality of the films we’re making that reflect the state of the world keeps us grounded amid the festival’s glitz and glitter.
This year has been especially meaningful to me since the Generation Ukraine collection is highlighted and the film teams are here; I’ve been working for over a year as a consultant on this initiative launched by ARTE, who are co-producing 12 documentaries by Ukrainian filmmakers.
Despite the festival president’s wish to avoid polemical subjects, politics cannot be avoided this year between #metoo reckonings in France, actions of solidarity for Palestine, and for the future of cinema in right wing Argentina, as well as demonstrations by the festival workers themselves whose livelihoods are in jeopardy with new labor laws. (Heidi Fleisher)
Advocating for the political documentary
I am thrilled to experience the exciting developments in documentary films at the Cannes Film Festival 2024! The increased presence of documentaries, with new investors showing interest in supporting this genre, along with the emergence of new funds and potential partnerships, is truly inspiring.
I participated in a panel on political documentary films, organized by Think Film, an incredible impact-producing company. Our main focus was political documentaries and their significance, as well as strategies to reach and engage audiences. On the panel were renowned directors like Oscar winning Mstyslav Chernov (20 Days in Mariupol), Tony Gerber (War Games) and Vanessa Hope (Invisible Nation). I was on the panel presenting my newest produced film, Democracy Noir, which sheds light on Viktor Orban and Hungary through the lens of three Hungarian women, directed by the talented Connie Field. The exploration of Orban's influence and playbook, resonating globally, including with leaders like Trump, raises crucial questions about the impact of political films on our democracies and future generations.
I made a call to action for streaming platforms and broadcasters — including those in the US — to embrace political films and take responsibility for shaping societal discourse. As documentary audiences grow, especially among the youth seeking authenticity and an understanding of the world around them, the role of such films in fostering empathy and knowledge becomes increasingly vital. (Sigrid Dyekjaer)
Competing for theatrical spaces around the world
Cannes is always one of the most interesting and exciting places to come across new projects and partners. It is the most important place for us to meet with theatrical distributors for our films and position docs alongside fiction films as those competing for theatrical spaces around the world. We primarily focus on presenting our new films in the market and to discuss distribution strategies and plans with distributors around the world.
This year, Dogwoof was happy to have a world premiere in the festival with Oliver Stone's Lula, selected in Cannes Special Screenings, which received an incredible standing ovation. Alongside this we are closing more territories for our completed titles including Black Box Diaries, which premiered in Sundance, and presenting projects in production for presales such as an upcoming project about fashion designer Thom Browne. (Cleo Veger)
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Chasing an elusive “documentary high”
I vividly recall the first time my documentary-programming self got "high" in Cannes. I’ve been returning ever since, in search of that same feeling.
The year was 2010. At the time, CPH:DOX was beginning to establish its reputation as a festival for daring documentary filmmaking, and as such, we had been a bit disappointed with the official Cannes selection of documentaries year after year. Sure, there would always be a few great examples, but given the festival's status, we expected more. Then came the 2010 festival, which featured such diverse masterpieces as Andrei Ujică’s mind-blowing, three-hour long Autobiography of Nicolae Ceaușescu, Charles Ferguson's harrowing exposé on the financial crisis Inside Job, Sophie Fiennes’ Anselm Kiefer portrait Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow, and Jia-Zhang Ke’s I Wish I Knew, not to mention extraordinary new films by Frederick Wiseman, Jean-Luc Godard, Lucy Walker, Sabina Guzzanti and JR. It really was a special year, and the CPH:DOX team talked about how this would be the beginning of a new, golden era for documentaries in Cannes.
That year still stands out to me as the pinnacle of the Cannes Film Festival’s documentary programming. However, following 2012, the festival’s Marché du Film significantly developed its support for documentaries, particularly when the modest Doc Corner concept was transformed into Cannes Docs. Under the leadership of Pierre-Alexis Chevit, Cannes Docs has become an increasingly important gathering place for the documentary community, and now I always look forward to Doc Day with great expectations. However, even with exciting new films by the likes of Claire Simon, Raoul Peck, Oliver Stone, and Sergei Loznitsa, I still long for the high that the 2010 edition of Cannes gave me. Next year, I’ll be back, searching for it once again. (Niklas Engstrøm)
The balancing act of seeking documentary distribution
This is my third time heading to Cannes as a sales agent with Mediawan Rights' documentary team. Going there means entering a bubble where everything revolves around film — from the moment we get up to late at night, it's all we think, talk, and read about. If the documentary world has always struggled to find its place in the main competition, it’s nice to see that at the Marché du Film, our industry feels more vibrant than ever (thanks in part to Cannes Docs).
As sales agents, our main goal is to secure theatrical releases for our films worldwide. However, we must remain realistic about the market. This year, our strategy was to present a lineup that balances arthouse documentaries with more accessible films to attract distributors who typically don't engage with documentaries. We're thrilled to represent the Sundance-winning Soundtrack to a Coup d'État, as well as more intimate films like My Father's Diaries, which just premiered at Vision du Réel.
Our highlight is the animated documentary Flavors of Iraq, produced by Miyu, which will premiere in Annecy shortly after Cannes. We are also attending Cannes to connect with producers and directors, discover new titles, get updates on projects we're following, and celebrate the latest successes of the documentary industry! (Kilian Kiefel)
Strategizing a future where independent documentaries thrive
This being my first experience at the Cannes Film Festival, I am glad to have been part of the Doc Day organized by Cannes Docs-Marché du Film, led by the remarkable Pierre-Alexis. I was honored to be one of the speakers of this edition of the Soapbox For The Future session alongside Inti Cordera, Executive Director, DocsMX (Mexico), Shamira Raphaëla, Chair of the New Dawn Fund (the Netherlands), and Mandisa Zitha, Festival Director, Encounters (South Africa). The session was hosted by Shanida Scotland, Director and Head of Film at Doc Society, where we got to talk about and share our vision for what the future of independent documentary filmmaking looks like for us in the different contexts that we work in.
We all agreed that independent documentary filmmaking is in a dire state at the moment, facing challenges in distribution and funding, with narratives being dictated by other forces apart from filmmakers. We all agreed that as independent filmmakers, ecosystems supporting independent filmmaking, and lovers of films, we need to come together and not only visualize, but also strategize the different ways we can ensure that the ecosystem does not only survive but also thrive — whether it is finding alternative methods of distribution or non-traditional funders to support the filmmaking ecosystem, embedding diversity and inclusion in the different policies globally, or realizing the important role of filmmakers, journalists, or social movements in our society.
There is a need to recover the value of committed and transparent journalism & filmmaking by building and financing independent agencies for both. The global majority needs to unite and empower themselves, and independent documentary filmmaking has a fundamental role for this change to take place. We look forward to a time when not only are independent documentary filmmakers thriving in their craft, but are also able to make a living out of it, doing what they love and value, and having an impact on society. (Susan Mbogo)
Impressions from a Cannes first-timer
It's my first time at Cannes, and my initial impression is that I'm happy to find a deserved space for documentary films — Cannes Doc — at a festival as big, important, and long-running as this one.
I attended the Marché du Film to find old friends and meet new ones, plus connect with colleagues committed to nonfiction projects and films.
Spread the voice … #InDocsWeTrust! (Inti Cordera)
Insights from the Stax: Soulville U.S.A premiere, Kartemquin Films' Asian American Showcase, and the DocuMentality report launch
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Stax: Soulsville U.S.A Premiere | Memphis, TN
By Jamila Wignot
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A tells the story of one of the recording industry’s most influential producers of soul music, breaking acts such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Sam & Dave, and many more. It is the story of a scrappy outsider, composed of an audacious group of individuals who knew their worth and had a willingness to risk everything to make something on their own terms.
This attitude — assertive, self-determined, self-satisfied — is what I love about Stax. Thanks to Miriam Bale, Indie Memphis, Crosstown Arts, and HBO, I was able to attend a special advance screening of the first episode before the series broadcast on May 20 and 21.
Not going to lie, I was thrilled, but also nervous! The theater was packed and I knew there would be some die-hard Stax fans in the house. To my mind, this was the most important screening I could attend and I was filled with gratitude and relief that the film resonated so well with the audience there — including an Indie Memphis booster who admitted to thinking, "well, this is going to suck," in response to my intro statement in which I shared that I'd only discovered Stax music in the 90s thanks to a high school boyfriend. Memphis keeps it real.
Rounding out the joy of the evening was a panel discussion with individuals who lived the history firsthand: Doris Fredrick, whose mother Estelle Axton co-founded the label, Deanie Parker, Stax publicist and keeper of the flame via her work with the Stax Museum and Soulsville Foundation, and writer, producer, singer, legend David Porter who, along with his late musical collaborator, Isaac Hayes, is responsible for some of the best music the label laid to vinyl, like Sam & Dave's Hold On, I'm Comin and Wendy Rene's After Laughter (you may know it as After The Later Comes Tears from Wu-Tang Clan's debut single Protect Ya Neck).
Making this series was a dream come true. Sharing it with Memphians was the honor of a lifetime. (Jamila Wignot)
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Asian American Showcase | Chicago, IL
By Betsy A. Leonard
During the opening weekend of the Asian American Showcase at the Gene Siskel Film Center, Kartemquin Films hosted a preview screening and discussion with the makers of seven films supported by The Zhao-Chen Family AAPI Voices Fund: Joua Lee Grande (Spirited), Jason Rhee (EJ Lee: All American), producer Lou Wang-Holborn (Iris Chang: Power of One), Jiayan “Jenny” Shi (Untitled Scientist Project), Quyên Nguyen-Le (Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movements), Emily Strong (Tasting Heritage), and producer Kitty Hu (Chinatown Futures).
The event, dedicated to supporting the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities, celebrated the culminating work of these AAPI-identified documentary filmmakers whose work was supported by the fund at Kartemquin as a way to counter anti-Asian sentiment in the US and to center joy, community, and the rich diversity of experiences.
“The program helped me as a filmmaker because I was able to build a community across multiple cohorts [of AAPI filmmakers], and share our history and work on a panel together. It’s been really important to me and my development as a filmmaker,” said Quyên Nguyen-Le.
Attendees gathered after the panel discussion for a celebratory reception with filmmakers, industry professionals, film aficionados, and community members. Pretty Cool popsicles from the collab with Ronny Chieng were a big hit.
DocuMentality "Price of Passion" Report Launch | Virtual Event
By Marjan Safinia
It was super exciting to see over 500 people sign up for the virtual launch of the DocuMentality report: The Price of Passion: How Our Love of Documentary Filmmaking Impacts Our Mental Health last Friday. Clearly, people really care about this issue, and the response from attendees could be overwhelmingly summarized as “I feel seen."
DocuMentality came about as an initiative of The D-Word, in collaboration with Film in Mind and Malikkah Rollins. For 25 years, we’ve been listening to filmmakers’ experiences on The D-Word, and it will come as no surprise to anyone engaged in the pursuit that it takes a big mental health toll. But when our beloved D-Word community member Andrew Berends took his own life back in 2019, we realized that we needed to do something more than wring our hands and commiserate with each other over drinks. A few months after Andy’s death, we organized a special topic on mental health on The D-Word and partnered with Rebecca Day of Film in Mind to make sure the conversation took place under the caring eye of a licensed therapist who specializes in documentary. During the few short weeks the topic was initially up (it’s a permanent fixture now), another suicide had occurred, and yet another dear community member had disclosed their own suicide attempt. Despite our initial concerns about stigmatization, we were able to create a space where filmmakers felt safe to open up about the myriad impacts this work had on their well-being. It was a profound experience. Fast forward to the pandemic, and what was a brewing mental health crisis boiled over completely.
In 2021, we were able to raise some funding from American Documentary | POV, Doc Society | BFI, Film Scotland | Scottish Documentary Institute and Canada Media Fund | DOC, and in 2022 we conducted a series of intense focus groups with participants representing nearly every role in the industry, freelance and salaried, in the US, UK and Canada. What we heard from these filmmakers — about their pains and their solutions for how things might work better — form the basis for the report. Moving forward, DocuMentality is looking to raise a second round of funding to expand our research into the state of mental health for filmworkers inside our institutions, who clearly suffer their own untenable working realities, and changemakers, who regularly throw their own reputations and careers on the line to force important issues.
In the end, we hope to create a case that clearly demonstrates that our whole ecosystem (including funders and power-holders) needs to conspire and work together to find better ways of operating — ones that center care and well-being for everyone involved, that are cognizant of the trauma involved in doing this work, and that create and normalize structural changes (including funding and resources) for filmmakers as they take on this load to ensure that they can sustain the work and keep from burning out completely. This work only feels more urgent in the face of new challenges to the documentary landscape that feel full of doom. We hope that our colleagues across the field will take time to read the words of the filmmakers in the report — words they may never encounter in funding applications, pitch meetings, and social media — and start to think about how they can create change within their own practices. In the coming months, we will be launching some of our own resources, including a therapist directory, on the DocuMentality site, and continuing to hold conversations about this issue wherever folks will have us. Nobody is ever coming to save us. We need to work together to save ourselves, and this art form that we are all so passionate about.
An Oscar-winning filmmaker on struggles and success
In keeping with this week’s Cannes coverage, I went back to a 2019 Pure Nonfiction podcast episode featuring filmmaker Asif Kapadia. It felt like an especially apt listen, not only because his films Amy and Diego Maradona both had their world premieres at the festival, but also as Amy is back on critics' minds with the release of the new, fictionalized story of Amy Winehouse’s life, Back to Black. Kapadia shares his thoughts on that film (which, at the time of the episode recording, was still in the making); he also recalls the tough business lessons learned during his early days as a filmmaker, reflects on what he’s most proud of about his projects, lets us in on what festivals and awards have come to mean to him — and much more.
Hearing these reports of the many efforts to bring diverse stories to audiences around the world, it's safe to say there's much to look forward to, and my own To-Watch list has expanded considerably. I'll also be eagerly awaiting this weekend for the announcement of the L’Œil d’or winner. To send us suggestions, questions, or feedback, write in to listen@purenonfiction.net. We'd love to hear from you.
Until next time,
Anisha