AI in Non-Fiction, Immersive Storytelling, Investigative Journalism and Climate Justice to Be Debated at CPH:DOX
The conference program of Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival, a.k.a. CPH:DOX, will explore topics such as AI in non-fiction, immersive storytelling, investigative journalism and climate justice.
Speakers attending the program, running March 24-28 and held in partnership with Documentary Campus, include Christo Grozev, James Jones, Alexis Bloom, Kate Townsend, Sam Soko, Mstyslav Chernov and Nathan Grossman.
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The conference this year is curated by Mandy Chang, former head of BBC Storyville, and global documentaries at Fremantle.
Mara Gourd-Mercado, head of industry and training at CPH:DOX, said the conference “creates space to explore how documentary filmmaking shapes the world around us.” She added: “Through hands-on discussions and insights from industry leaders, the conference promises to spark fresh ideas and equip filmmakers with new tools for telling impactful stories.”
Donata von Perfall, managing director of Documentary Campus, added: “The documentary filmmaking community has an immense sense of shared responsibility and values. It is via platforms like CPH:Conference where we can come together to discuss the urgent topics in our industry, to spark new ideas and celebrate the power of great stories.”
After the kick off with the CPH:DOX Summit on March 24, from Tuesday to Thursday the conference will open each day with “A Morning With…,” hosted by Thom Powers, the voice behind the “Pure Non-Fiction” and “Documentary of the Week” podcasts. Powers will lead conversations with filmmakers Violet Du Feng (“The Dating Game”), Sam Soko (“Matabeleland”), and Mark Cousins (“The Story of Documentary Film”), discussing their latest work, their careers, and how they navigate the challenges of filmmaking.
The morning sessions conclude with “Dialogues,” conversations between filmmakers around a particular area of filmmaking. The sessions will offer insights into the creative processes, industry trends and the evolving role of documentaries in the digital age.
In “Adaptive Storytelling: Crafting Frameworks for the AI + Automation Era,” Mark Atkin, head of studies, CPH:Lab, and artist Violeta Ayala of United Notions Film will explore how AI is reshaping documentary production and storytelling; intimacy coordinator Anne Sofie Steen Sverdrup of Bedside Productions, filmmaker Laurits Flensted-Jensen (“Neon Heart”), and producer Mads Damsbo of Makropol will lead a session on crafting intimate, co-created narratives in VR, focusing on immersive storytelling and ethical creativity; Olivier Sarbil (“Viktor”) and Geeta Gandbhir (“The Perfect Neighbor”) will discuss how they transition to directing from other positions in filmmaking; while Mstyslav Chernov (“2000 Meters to Andriivka”) and Nathan Grossman (“Climate in Therapy”) will shed light on the importance of revisiting urgent subjects in a landscape saturated with stories.
The afternoons are packed with panels covering all things industry. “The Cost of Exposing Truth to Power,” featuring Christo Grozev of Der Spiegel (“The Insider”), James Jones (“Antidote”), and Jenny Raskin of Impact Partners, will explore the challenges of investigative journalism in today’s polarized world.
Meanwhile, “Producing for Success,” with Helle Faber (“Mr Nobody Against Putin”) and Rachel Leah Jones (“Co-Existence, My Ass!”), will discuss financing and safeguarding independent documentaries, and the responsibility toward the characters integral to the story.
Finally, “Collaborations and Coalitions,” with Keri Putnam of Putnam Pictures, Alexandre Marionneau of ARTE, and Erika Dilday of POV, will cover innovative distribution strategies and sustainable funding models amid shifting media landscapes.
The conference will conclude on March 28 with the “Climate Story Lab Nordic,” which will examine the role of documentaries in driving climate justice.
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