In Focus: Diverse Documentary Forms and Events

The Berlin International Film Festival has long been committed to documentaries in their diverse forms. This is reflected in the programmes of the Berlinale’s different sections and initiatives, as well as in the European Film Market (EFM) and Berlinale Talents.

In 2016, a total of 77 documentaries will be screening in a variety of forms. In addition, discussion of a wide range of different aspects related to documentaries will be intensified – at workshops, panels and presentations.

Here is a list of the films and events in 2016:

European Film Market (EFM) - “Meet the Docs”

The EFM documentary networking platform “Meet the Docs” will take place for the eighth time in 2016. The initiative, in collaboration with the European Documentary Network (EDN), promotes exchange among the international documentary industry, who can meet and mingle at the “Meet the Docs” stand in the Martin-Gropius-Bau. Accredited Festival and Market visitors can participate in the enhanced panel series programme and one-on-one meeting format “Meet the Festivals” with programmers of international documentary film festivals and benefit from a documentary film project consulting by EDN.

Films in the “Docs Spotlight” series

Under the roof of “Meet the Docs”, the “Docs Spotlights” series by CPH:DOX, IDFA and DOK Leipzig present a selection of the previous documentary festival programmes.

A Good American
Friedrich Moser | Slingshot Films

Becoming Zlatan
Fredrik Gertten, Magnus Gertten | Autlook Filmsales

Between Fences
Avi Mograbi | Doc & Film International

 

Cinema, mon amour
Alexandru Belc | Romanian Film Center 

Democracy
David Bernet | Doc & Film International

Francofonia
Alexander Sokurov | Films Boutique 

Homo Sapiens
Nikolaus Geyrhalter | NGF Nikolaus Geyrhalter

Human
Yann Arthus-Bertrand | Kinovista 

Man Falling
Anne Wivel | Wide House 

Nice People
Anders Helgeson, Karin af Klintberg | First Hand Films

Shadow World
Johan Grimonprez | Wide House 

Snow Monkey
George Gittoes | Cinephil 

Song of Lahore
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Andy Schocken | Autlook Filmsales

The Swedish Theory of Love
Erik Gandini | First Hand Films 

Thru You Princess
Ido Haar | Go2Films

“Meet the Docs” Panel Programme

Meet the Docs: Distributors

February 13 - 16, 2.00 – 3.00 pm, EFM Producers Hub

International leading documentary distributors will briefly introduce themselves, their company profiles and what kind of documentaries they are looking for.

Meet the Docs: Festivals

February 12 - 16, 11.00 am – 12.00 pm at the Meet the Docs stand (MGB 2nd floor)

This session series introduces documentary film festivals, which will share their insights and insides and answer questions in one-on-one meetings.

Meet the Docs: Talks

February 13 - 16, 5.30 – 6.00 pm at the “Meet the Docs”/ American Independents in Berlin stands (MGB 2nd floor): a joint panel series focussing on current documentary topics being discussed from a European as well as US perspective. In collaboration with IFP & the Sundance Institute.

Talks 2016

Documentary Training & Markets               

Documentary VOD              

Documentary Formats                     

Documentary Series

Meet the Docs: Conversations

Conversations focusing on current doc industry topics, co-hosted by our doc festival partners: CPH:DOX, DOK Leipzig, IDFA, Vision du reel and Hot Docs.

New this year: IMCINE – Instituto Méxicano Cinematografía is an official host at Meet the Docs – presenting a panel as well as the EFM Doc Industry Lunch

Friday, February 12, 4-5pm at the EFM Producers Hub

Campaigns around documentaries – Busting the Myths!

In collaboration with DOK Leipzig

More and more producers and distributors experiment with outreach campaigns that engage audiences in new ways, build non-profit partnerships, or aim to make the world a better place. Interrogated by DOK Leipzig’s Brigid O’Shea, Ben Kempas (Filmmaker, Campaigner) will be on a mission to counter 12 of the most common misconceptions around outreach work.

February 13, 4-5pm at the EFM Producers Hub

Truth and dare: The art and politics of contemporary documentary practice

In collaboration with CPH:DOX

In an era where social impact is on the agenda of documentary filmmaking, where does this leave the artistic thinking? Meet festival director Tine Fischer (CPH:DOX) and London-based curator and producer Jacqui Davies along with two prominent artists and filmmakers  for a discussion of the relation between art, political thinking and documentary film.

Sunday, February 14, 4-5pm at the EFM Producers Hub

Different Roads and Radical Approaches: Three Exciting Dutch Filmmakers

In collaboration with IDFA

Three up-and-coming Dutch directors talk about their cinematic approaches, which were rewarded with IDFA Awards in 2015, and the roads they've taken to reach the Berlinale. Featuring Niki Padidar (Ninnoc – selected for Generation Kplus), Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan (Strike a Pose – selected for Panorama Dokumente).

Monday, February 15, 4-5pm at the EFM Producers Hub:

Hybrid Cinema: California City, a Contemporary Case Study

In collaboration with Vision du réel

Conversation between Bastian Günther, German filmmaker and Sonia Otto, producer at Indi Film, Germany, moderated by Luciano Barisone, Director of Visions du réel.

Tue, Feb 16, 4-5pm at the EFM Producers Hub:

Documentary Storytelling in Mexico: a Transnational_Transnarrative Approach

Hosted by IMCINE – Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía

The stories and practices documentary filmmakers do that engages them with Mexico, the U.S. and Central America. Panelists representing Mexico/ Central America: Tatiana Huezo (director; Tempestad selected for Forum), Adriana Trujillo (Doc Station at Berlinale Talents 2016), Kyzza Terrazas (filmmaker, writer) as well as Charlotte Uzu (Les Films d’Ici).

Berlinale Talents

Doc Station 2016

Ten documentarists from five continents receive a week of assistance in developing their next project. In cooperation with German Federal Film Board (FFA), Sources 2 and ZDF/ARTE

Doc Station Directors in 2015: 10 projects, 5 continents
Mila Turajlic, The Labudovic Files, Serbia / Algeria
Jennifer Rainsford, Stories From The Debris, Sweden
Madsen Minax, At The River, USA
Adam Bizanski, The Badir Brothers, Israel
Adriana Trujillo, 1821: The Era Of Good Feelings, Mexico / France
Marko Sipka, The Land, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mich’ael Zupraner, Abu Naim, Israel
Afsaneh Salari, The Silhouettes, Iran
Nele Wohlatz, The Perfect Future, Argentina
Gabrielle Brady, No Man Is an Island, Australia / Germany 

For more information on the 10 selected projects, please go to www.berlinale-talents.de/bt/find/both  

The Doc Station project presentation will take place on Wednesday February 17, 2016 from 10.30 am - 12.00 noon at the Gropius Mirror Restaurant across the European Film Market.

Doc Station Mentors in 2016:
Kathrin Brinkmann, ZDF/ARTE, Germany
Don Edkins, AfriDocs, South Africa
Jakob Kirstein Høgel, Meta Film, Denmark
Merle Kröger, pong, Germany
Meike Martens, Blinker Filmproduktion, Germany
Ulla Simonen, Made Film (Finland) und Sources 2 (Germany)  

 

Events with a focus on documentary film

To the Dark Side: Investigative Documentary
Thursday, February 18, 5-6pm at HAU1
With Alex Gibney

No Time to Remember: Film on the Move
Sunday, February 14, 11.30 am-1.30 pm at HAU3

Connected Stories II: Immersing, Integrating, Involving
Sunday, February 14 following Connected Stories I: Prototyping, Participation and Personalisation (2.30-6.00 pm) at HAU3
In cooperation with Medienboard and Creative Skillset

An additional screening of Panorama-film Uncle Howard will be held at Berlinale Talents.

Competition (2)

Fuocoammare (Fire at Sea) - Italy / France
By Gianfranco Rosi
World premiere

Zero Days - USA
By Alex Gibney
World premiere

Berlinale Special (4)

National Bird - USA
By Sonia Kennebeck
World premiere

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble - USA
By Morgan Neville
European premiere

The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger - United Kingdom
By Colin MacCabe, Christopher Roth, Bartek Dziadosz, Tilda Swinton
World premiere

Where To Invade Next - USA
By Michael Moore
European premiere

Panorama (17)

Brüder der Nacht (Brothers of the Night) - Austria 
By Patric Chiha
World premiere

Curumim - Brazil
By Marcos Prado
World premiere

Der Ost-Komplex (The GDR Complex) - Germany
By Jochen Hick
World premiere

Don't Blink - Robert Frank - USA / France
By Laura Israel
International premiere

Europe, She Loves - Switzerland / Germany
By Jan Gassmann
World premiere

Hotel Dallas - Romania / USA
By Livia Ungur, Sherng-Lee Huang
World premiere

Inside the Chinese Closet - Netherlands
By Sophia Luvarà
International premiere

Kiki - Schweden / USA
By Sara Jordenö
European premiere

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures - USA / Germany
By Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato
With Edward Mapplethorpe, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, Brooke Shields
International premiere

Mariupolis - Lithuania / France / Germany / Ukraine
By Mantas Kvedaravicius
World premiere

Strike a Pose - Netherlands
By Ester Gould, Reijer Zwaan
With Thomas den Drijver
World premiere

The Lovers and the Despot - United Kingdom
By Rob Cannan
European premiere

Uncle Howard - United Kingdom / USA
By Aaron Brookner
With Jim Jarmusch, Sara Driver, Tom DiCillo, Brad Gooch, Frederic Withterand
European premiere

WEEKENDS – Republic of Korea (South Korea)
By Lee Dong-ha
World premiere

Who's Gonna Love Me Now? - Israel
By Tomer Heymann, Barak Heymann
World premiere

Wu Tu (My Land) - People’s Republic of China
By Jian Fan
European premiere

Zona Norte - Germany
By Monika Treut
World premiere

Forum (19)

A Magical Substance Flows into Me - Palestine / Germany / United Kingdom
By Jumana Manna
World premiere

And-Ek Ghes... - Germany
By Philip Scheffner und Colorado Velcu
World premiere

Bein gderot (Between Fences) - 
Israel / France
By Avi Mograbi
World premiere

Dubina dva (Depth Two) - Serbia / France
By Ognjen Glavonić
World premiere

Eldorado XXI - Portugal / France
By Salomé Lamas
World premiere

Fei cui zhi cheng (City of Jade) - Taiwan / Myanmar
By Midi Z
World premiere

Die Geträumten (The Dreamed Ones) - Austria
By Ruth Beckermann
World premiere

Havarie - Germany
By Philip Scheffner
World premiere

Homo sapiens - Austria
By Nikolaus Geyrhalter
World premiere

Kate Plays Christine - USA
By Robert Greene
International premiere

Landstück (Piece of Land) - Germany
By Volker Koepp
World premiere

Makhdoumin (A Maid for Each)
 - Lebanon / France / Norway / United Arab Emirates
By Maher Abi Samra
World premiere

Manazil bela abwab (Houses without Doors) – Syria / Lebanon
By Avo Kaprealian
World premiere

P.S. Jerusalem - Canada
By Danae Elon
European premiere

The Revolution Won’t Be Televised - Senegal
By Rama Thiaw
World premiere

Rio Corgo - Switzerland / Portugal
By Maya Kosa und Sergio da Costa
International premiere

Les Sauteurs (Those Who Jump) - Denmark
By Moritz Siebert, Estephan Wagner und Abou Bakar Sidibé
World premiere

Ta’ang – Hong Kong, China / France
By Wang Bing
World premiere

Tempestad - Mexico
By Tatiana Huezo
World premiere

Generation (7)

Aurelia y Pedro (Aurelia and Pedro) - Mexico
By Omar Robles, José Permar
World premiere

Genç Pehlivanlar (Young Wrestlers) - Turkey / Netherlands
By Mete Gümürhan
World premiere

Life on the Border - Syria / Iraq
By Hazem Khodeideh, Basmeh Soleiman, Sami Hossein, Rounahi Ezadin, Diar Omar, Delovan Kekha, Mahmod Ahmad, Zohur Saeid
European premiere

Neiwa - Mexico
By Abraham Cruz Herrera, Javier Vázquez Cervantes
World premiere 

Ninnoc - Netherlands
By Niki Padidar
International premiere

Royahaye Dame Sobh (Starless Dreams) - Iran
By Mehrdad Oskouei
World premiere 

Skatekeet - Netherlands
By Edward Cook
International premiere

Berlinale Shorts (8)

Oustaz - Chad
By Bentley Brown
World premiere

A Man Returned - United Kingdom / Netherlands / Denmark
By Mahdi Fleifel
International premiere

Hopptornet (Ten Meter Tower) - Sweden
By Maximilien Van Aertryck & Axel Danielson
International premiere

He Who Eats Children - USA
By Ben Russell
World premiere - documentary / experimental film

El Buzo (The Diver) - Mexico
By Esteban Arrangoiz
International premiere

Das águas que passam (Running Waters) - Brazil
By Diego Zon
World premiere

Balada de um Batráquio (Batrachian's Ballad) - Portugal
By Leonor Teles
World premiere - documentary / experimental film

Los murmullos (Murmurings) - Mexico
By Rubén Gámez

Perspektive Deutsches Kino (6)

Hinter dem Schneesturm (Beyond the Snowstorm) - Germany
By Levin Peter

Pallasseum - Unsichtbare Stadt (Pallasseum - Invisible City) -Germany
By Manuel Inacker
World premiere

Die Prüfung (The Audition) - Germany
By Till Harms
World premiere

Research Refugees: Meinungsaustausch (Research Refugees: Doulogue) - Germany
By Sophia Bösch, Sophie Linnenbaum
World premiere

Valentina - Germany
By Maximilian Feldmann
World premiere

Wer ist Oda Jaune? (Who is Oda Jaune?) - Germany
By Kamilla Pfeffer
World premiere

 

Culinary Cinema (14)

Ants on a Shrimp - Netherlands 
By Maurice Dekkers
World premiere

Café Nagler - Israel 
By Mor Kaplansky
International premiere

Campo a través. Mugaritz, intuyendo un camino (Off-Road. Mugaritz, Feeling a Way.) - Spain 
By Pep Gatell
International premiere

Cooked - Air - USA 
By Ryan Miller
World premiere

Cooked - Fire - USA
By Alex Gibney
World premiere

How to Build an Igloo - Canada 
By Douglas Wilkinson

In Defense of Food - USA 
By Michael Schwarz
German premiere

Kivalina - USA 
By Gina Abatemarco
World premiere

Vleesverlangen (Need for Meat) - Netherlands 
By Marijn Frank
International premiere

Noma – My Perfect Storm - United Kingdom 
By Pierre Deschamps
German premiere

Portret van een tuin (Portrait of a Garden) - Netherlands 
By Rosie Stapel
International premiere

Schwarzbunt Märchen - Germany 
By Detlev Buck

The Singhampton Project - Canada 
By Jonathan Staav
European premiere

Wanton Mee - Singapore 
By Eric Khoo
German premiere