As major film festivals struggle to grapple with complex political issues amid global turmoil, CPH:DOX is working to get to the root of delicate conversations about politics, censorship, and how rapidly evolving technologies such as AI are changing our concept of truth.
Last year, Denmark’s prestigious festival expanded its industry offering with CPH:DOX SUMMIT, a lecture program that invites global thinkers, politicians, decision-makers, researchers and medical experts to discuss future issues. This year’s event further strengthens that proposition, with a summit titled “Sovereignty: Rethinking, Envisioning, Redefining” taking place on the first day of CPH:CONFERENCE. Bruno Patinot, Chairman of ARTE France, will give this year’s opening speech.
Ahead of the next CPH:INDUSTRY, which will be held from March 16 to 19, Mara Gourdo Mercado, head of industry and training at CPH:DOX, said that last year’s festival “added a lot of value” by bringing together a wide range of professionals.
“Documentaries are in a very difficult situation right now, and so is independent media in general,” she added. “If you look at the summit program, we look at people who have gone through similar things before the documentary industry, mainly in journalism, where sources of funding and support from the state and public media have diminished or disappeared completely. What can we learn from their experiences to build structures that allow us to survive?”
For Gould-Mercado, combining documentary filmmaking and journalism was a “natural thing.” Especially considering this connection has always been part of the festival’s DNA. “I understand that there is a big difference between reportage and documentary, but they influence each other. If you look at the film program, there are a lot of documentaries that are collaborations between journalists and filmmakers.”
Over the past two years, there have been several conversations at prominent documentary festivals about the industry’s over-reliance on streamers and the importance of fostering the public broadcasting ecosystem that has allowed European documentaries to flourish. When asked about how the relationships between major American streamers and traditional media outlets (such as Jeff Bezos’ stake in both Prime Video and the Washington Post) will influence the discussions that will take place at this year’s festival, Gourd-Mercado brought up the ever-changing concept of “safe spaces.”
“Samir Padania, a journalist and researcher who works closely with the BBC, says it is important to look at how algorithms and AI are impacting the accessibility of documentaries and independent media,” she continues. “What kind of structures will we need in order for us to continue to have access? This is a safe haven we’re talking about, and it can exist both physically and digitally. What does it mean to have a space that’s not necessarily controlled by the government or by Jeff Bezos?”
Speaking of safe spaces, Gourd-Mercado praises the “very specific and special” circumstances of holding the festival in Denmark. “Denmark has a long history of supporting democratic debate. There is not only a tradition of calling things by name, but also a space for debate and dialogue, where we may not agree with each other but are willing to come in and have a discussion,” she continues. “I think this context allows CPH:DOX to be bold, transparent and political.”
When asked in what sense he felt the industry’s activities at the festival were political, Gourd Mercado replied: “We do not hesitate to talk about the political situation in different countries and regions.” “I see my colleagues in Georgia, Hungary, the United States, India, for example, having to hold space to have these conversations, and it’s an honor to be able to do that. We are truly privileged and lucky.”
Courtesy of CPH:DOX
IFFR Pro Director Maarten Labarz recently told Variety that more American filmmakers are visiting European film festivals seeking support they can no longer get in their home countries due to the current political climate. Gourd-Mercado says this is also a trend for CPH:DOX. “I think a lot of American industry is thinking about how to work specifically with Europe and how to co-produce. We’ve always had a reputation for bridging the gap between Europe and the United States, or North America in general, and now that’s more true than ever.”
“This is not always easy because we are talking about two systems that previously were used to working in parallel, and now we have to figure out how to combine the two lending systems,” she added. “But we’re going to see it more and more.”
As the world faces increasing instability and documentary filmmakers take on increasingly timely subject matter, how do Gourd-Mercado and the CPH:FORUM team decide which projects to include on the festival’s pitch platform? With over 900 submissions, up from around 800 last year, this task is no easy feat.
“I think it will be interesting to find projects that have a geographic spread and footprint, but can still talk to each other,” says the industry director. “Another thing we keep in mind when looking at forums is project viability. We make sure to only bring in projects that we think we can do something with. Even if we like a project, that doesn’t mean it’s the right platform for us to do it.”
At the end of the day, Gourd-Mercado said, each division of CPH:INDUSTRY has a hand in serving “the industry and the community.” “Activities need to be interconnected. Activities need to be meaningful and a place where we can participate, from people just starting their careers to experienced producers and filmmakers. DOX:ACADEMY also supports filmmaking and documentary We’re starting to spark interest in the technology, which is very important. Hopefully, some of those participants will come back through activities like the forum and eventually get programmed into our main film program.”
