Documenta Pro

Reflection, words and encounters are back again at Documenta Madrid to determine what paths to take for strengthening the documentary film industry.  

The documentary film genre is gaining traction in the Spanish film world, and we now have the opportunity to open up doors that for decades have remained closed. At Documenta Madrid, off the Dialogue Forum promoted in previous years, we carry on in our desire to create new spaces for dialogue and analyze what stands in the way of sustainable growth for this genre. This is the reason behind Documenta Pro, a meeting point for the documentary film industry in order to lead the search for finding solutions that will maintain the viability of documentary films and the careers of their creators.  

As part of the 20th edition of the festival, Documenta Pro offers itself as a space where prominent creators, producers, distributors, exhibitors, VOD platforms, associations, institutions and other industry plays will discuss three main themes: Focus on Europe, New Paths and Regions for Creation.  

The primary goal is to make Documenta Pro a space where a variety of industry players can talk and work in favor of the documentary genre. 

Conference program curated by DOCMA.  
With collaboration from: Madrid Film Office. 

> If you are interested in attending any of the tables, please register HERE before Wednesday April 26th

SCHEDULE

10:00am/ FOCUS ON EUROPE
Documentary film in neighboring countries. France and Portugal

France and Portugal are often held up as role models when it comes to policies that support documentary filmmaking, in addition to being pioneers in initiatives to support this kind of cinema in all regards: distribution, audience outreach, production, festivals, creation, etc. The fact that France has officially declared 2023 to be "the year of the documentary" is paradigmatic of how relevant documentary film is to its audiovisual sector. With its prolific and renowned documentary film industry, Portugal is also frequently cited as a reference in terms of public creation and support for the sector. We are happy to be hosting representatives of documentary institutions from both countries to learn first-hand how they deal with documentary film support in the light of their respective situations.

Speakers: 
Rémi Lainé – President of SCAM (France)
Miguel Ribeiro – Doclisboa Codirector and member of APPORDOC (Portugal)
Peter Andermatt – Director of Media Desk (Spain)

Moderator: Sandra Ruesga – President of DOCMA (Spain)

12:30pm/ VISIONS
Documentary cinema’s diversity: A look at various production models

Documentary film is, first and foremost, cinema. If there’s one thing that characterizes this genre, it is the richness and diversity of its films. Documentary cinema approaches reality by taking a variety of perspectives, narratives and formal languages; it invites us to reflect on the world around us, helps us situate ourselves and rethink who we are, while also adding unparalleled cultural value to our film and cultural heritage. Both the more classical and informative documentaries as well as the more creative, personal and experimental approaches share certain specificities. Their source material is reality, one that is shifting and often unpredictable with the passing of time. The filmmaker's decisions on how to approach their filmmaking, however, imply major differences both in the development and production processes, as well as in how to take on its subsequent distribution.

Speakers:
Carolina Astudillo – Filmmaker and Producer at Isolda Films (Spain)
Álvaro Longoria – Producer and founder of Morena Films (Spain)
Robert Bahar – Producer and filmmaker, founder of Semilla Verde Productions (USA)

Moderator: Samuel Alarcón – Cineasta, periodista y socio de DOCMA (Spain)

5:00pm/ REGIONS FOR CREATION
Panel of experts: Documentary film in Spain. What is being done right in Spain and what else might be done?

Documentary film in Spain is experiencing a period of growth, as can be seen in the national and international recognition of its films and authors, and its increasing presence in movie theaters, TV, and online platforms, not to mention the increased interest and attendance among the public at large. The documentary sector undoubtedly benefits in some way from the numerous initiatives and growing interest that European and Spanish institutions have in supporting the audiovisual sector. However, the particular way the Spanish state is organized makes it so the issue gets dealt with differently by regional governments, who manage significant powers on cultural and film-related matters and in some cases, have managed to achieve a real boost in local production. And even though the national co-productions in the sector are a source of funding that gets used very often, the initiatives tend to be one-off events and not the result of a common policy.

Speakers:
Carles Brugueras – Polar Star Films
Gervasio Iglesias – LZ Producciones
Silvia Venegas – Making Doc
Ainhoa Andraka – Doxa Producciones
Miguel Eek – Mosaic Producciones
Adán Aliaga – Jaibo Films
Pablo de la Chica – Salon Indien Films
David Baute – Tinglado Films

Moderator: Mercedes Moncada – Filmmaker and vicepresident of DOCMA (Spain)