Continuing our first of what will hopefully be an annual look at the world's top 25 film festivals for documentary films. For numbers 1-10, go here. As always, rankings are based on our research as well as the anonymous thoughts of numerous filmmakers and industry figures.
11. Berlin
Our take:
Berlin screens a limited selection of documentaries each year, so those that do get in have a unique spotlight on them. Still, the same issues at play in Toronto count here as well. The focus tends to be elsewhere. One of the best organized festivals in the world and surprisingly easy to navigate, plus a huge industry presence from around the world. But one wonders what the Berlinale's POV on docs is. This year, for the first time, a doc screened in competition (granted it was Errol Morris) and a doc screened as the opening night film (granted it was Martin Scorsese), so maybe things are changing. But it's criminally easy to premiere at Berlin and have no one stateside take much notice.
12. BritDoc
Our take:
A kind of English cousin to True/False, BritDoc is often compared to its American relative in terms of fun, intimacy and opportunities for connecting with others. Plus, it has a pitching forum, although bear in mind that it is exclusively reserved for Brit filmmakers. Only 10 international films are screened, but worth attending even if you don't have a film in the festival as the pitching forum draws a stellar line-up of major international doc players and there's none of the crush that greets them in Amsterdam. Plus, there's the summer camp vibe - staying in the Oxford dorms, eating in the Harry Potter dining hall and drinking late into the morning at the on campus bar. Working out some funding issues and newcomer kinks (this will be its 3rd year), but hard to beat on lots of levels.
Others:
Filmmaker:
"Great films, a tight little program of unusually high quality stuff. Great parties. Fantastic atmosphere and they really take care of all their filmmakers. Has all of the above plus it’s a bit more serious about being an industry event too (which is good if that’s what you’re wanting). Great networking, also great atmosphere and a lot of fun."
Industry:
"The most fun of any doc fest i've been too - they make it so open and inviting, and the pitch panel is the best going. Plus i love the open mic punk rock karaoke."
Filmmaker:
"My favorite is BritDoc, am so proud of what they've achieved and think they are just awesome on the doc-only front."
Filmmaker:
"I love great settings and if this is not the greatest.... Imagine spending a couple of days at the Harry Potter Castle. This is it! This is a great oppotunity to meet other filmmakers, but what this festival lacks compared to True/False is audience. Not the most visited screenings I have been to. Parties are great especially do not miss the "live" karaoke."
Filmmaker:
"The Harry Potter-esque setting is a little strange, and the emphasis is definitely not on the films being screened. It felt like a television pitch session with films and panels arranged around it. I've heard that this year's event will be improved on that front. I hate pitch sessions... I just don't like to see artists begging for money, I guess. But the social interaction here is great. Brit Doc attracts the cream of the British film and TV brass, and the punk rock karaoke is top notch!"
13. Telluride
Our take:
The prestigious fall fest in the Colorado mountains only screens a handful of documentaries each year and those that do are often on their way to Toronto. Yet for those that do get in, it's a spotlight like none other. You will get reviewed by nearly every major outlet just by virtue of your presence here. But warning, it's invitation only, so maybe you should know someone who knows someone to get them to make an inquiry. Tough to beat the setting and the warm, intimate environment.
Others:
Filmmaker:
"All around best fest"
14. Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival
Our take:
Despite the presence of its legendary sister festival in the fall, Thessaloniki Documentary is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best documentary festivals in Europe. Less of an industry fest and more focused on connecting with other filmmakers. Supportive audiences, easy to navigate, extremely social and a focus on films from oft-neglected regions of the world. The latter can lead to some spotty programming choices but also some gems that may never have a presence outside the Balkans.
Others:
Filmmaker:
"A great fest for the visiting international filmmaker. Though the programming isn't uniformly great, there are a lot of gems to be discovered, and their retrospectives are both surprising and very strong. Audience turnout tends to be good (not great) and Q&A's can be lively.
Their hospitality is superb. You can look forward to nightly dinners at a rotating group of great Greek restaurants, beautiful views of theharbor, and the occasional late night adventure to a smoky disco. The
dinners (and their famous Ouzo lunch) are as good as any fest, and the intimacy of them (most will involve 8 - 16 people) makes for great, and relaxed, conversation.
Screening rooms are relatively close together, films are almost always subtitled in English, and their discussions, which delve much deeper into social issues than most fest panels, come with headphones and a translator."
Filmmaker:
"Great films, great guests, all very easy to have a good time at."
Industry:
"Great because they're getting regional perspectves--European, Balkan, Chinese, Middle Eastern--and grouping thematically--in a way that's unlike north American curating/grouping."
Filmmaker:
"The Thessaloniki Film Festival I am told, attracts A-list stars and directing talent from across the international spectrum of filmmaking and hundreds of film journalists, executives and fans for the biggest film fest in the Balkan Peninsula. The Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival (held in mid-March) attracts....documentarians! And hallelujah for that. Freed from the blinding glitz and glam of major film festival, with no red-carpets to navigate and no VIP hierarchy to worry about, Thessaloniki Doc Fest gathers some of the best international docs and an impressive roster of filmmaker guests for an intimate celebration of the form. The market arm is pretty low-key as well, but it does exist, yet it's not a high-pressure sales & pitch forum like HotDocs or IDFA. Thessaloniki is about discussions & dialogues - whether over some of the most sumptuous lunches & dinners I have ever encountered on the fest circuit or at moderated panels & workshops. And it gave me a chance to meet some other filmmakers in a very relaxed and nurturing setting - and they bring in some real stellar documentary talent; both legends and newcomers. The city isn't much to look at, it was mostly gray and wet, but the students were on strike, so screenings were heaving and the hospitality was top-notch. If you can make it a stop on your tour - it's a pretty busy time on the fest calendar (we went from there to Copenhagen for NatFilm Festivalen) - I'd highly recommend it."
Our take:
Good luck getting in, but if you do land a spot as one of the only documentaries in what is arguably the biggest festival in the world, be prepared to fight for attention like nowhere else. There are just too many anticipated films to see, and critics and buyers put first priority on those in competition for the Palme d'Or. Further, it can be by far the most expensive festival to screen at - it is the French Riviera after all. Still, if lucky, you can get attention and the prestige of having played on La Croisette.
16. AFI Fest
Our take:
Usually has an extremely strong competition line-up (treated on par with narrative) and other nonfiction titles are sprinkled throughout the festival. Great venue in the Arclight Cinema complex, with amazing sound and picture. Treat filmmakers exceptionally well with lots of parties and chances for interaction. Industry presence in LA is huge - HOWEVER, most stay in Santa Monica for the concurrent AFM market and are not willing to trudge over to Hollywood for screenings. The fest has attempted to bridge the gap between the festival and the market but hasn't yet come up with a winning combination. If you go with no expectations (i.e. sales), you'll have a great time.
Others:
Filmmaker:
"Hats off to anybody who can figure out how the hell to have a great, dynamic festival in the middle of the city that has no middle. By the sheer genius of co-opting the ArcLight theaters and having just ONE center for all activities, AFI Fest rocks. It's also staffed by total film-loving AFI types who are very helpful and kind. Just a fun vibe overall, and you absolutely can't beat the quality of the projection. What other festival schedules a specific appointment for you to meet with the projectionist a half-day before your screening, where he will allow you up to a half-hour to tweak and listen and adjust the details of your screening? I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. AFI Fest is better than the other LA Festival. And even though AFI plays the celeb card and bring out the stars for their gala events, the docs do not get buried there. They play in the same theaters as everyone else (and do just as well)."
17. San Francisco International Film Festival
Our take:
The venerable Northern California fest has long put a big spotlight on its nonfiction line-up and provides an excellent introduction to the well-established bay area documentary community. Tends to lean toward serious, social issue topics (as does the community) and you might find a warmer reception if that's your bent. A screening here often disqualifies you from playing at LAFF.
Others:
Filmmaker:
"Very nice hotel and great shopping, but I felt very alone there. The festival was not very good at "putting" filmmakers together, and that is often important for the impression of the festival. I used a lot of time on transportation and it was not a very "festive" festival even though I had a lot of expectiontions from this city I have heard so much about."
18. Seattle International Film Festival
Our take:
The biggest (in terms of length alone) of all North American festivals, Seattle's month long cinema pilgrimage is also screens more docs than nearly any other fest. But the length and size can also be a detriment. Filmmakers are often only in town for a couple days, making it difficult to connect with others (despite the presence of a fully furnished hospitality lounge inside the host W Hotel). Audiences are notoriously superb, with many screenings selling out within hours of going on sale. The size and sheer logistical issues can tend to daunt the staff, leading filmmakers to sometimes feel on their own.
Others:
Filmmaker:
"Always has great response to docs but it's huge."
Filmmaker:
"Those people are absolutely fanatical about movies (and books, and music of course). They definitely win the contest for "Most People Willing To Stand in the Cold and the Rain to see your Film". And again -- they're an incredibly smart audience. The festival really makes the filmmakers feel special and throw great parties too (also a nice bonus)."
Filmmaker:
"Great for locals, but too long, too unfocussed and not a good festival for "working" your doc (unless you're premiering on opening weekend, or have a locally-produced film). The press is erratic (well, it's a 100% guarantee that the Seattle Weekly will fucking hate your movie and tell the whole city before you arrive), the technology in the theaters is subpar. This is a filmgoer's festival, not a filmmakers festival. Go there to watch."
Our take:
While BritDoc is the UK's documentary summer camp, Sheffield is quickly becoming the UK's rival to IDFA, complete with market, pitch sessions and lots of opportunities to connect with European commissioning editors. Schedule-wise, it's not always convenient for Americans, coming as it does just a couple weeks before IDFA, but it's reputation is growing quickly as an important place to premiere and screen nonfiction work on the continent.
Others:
Filmmaker:
There weren't that many US filmmakers there, but it's the center of the UK doc scene & the UK doc scene is really fascinating & diverse (in style & content) & the programming is fascinating & there are good panels, and a great pitch market (the 'meet market' - one on one meetings with commissioners). Good audiences, everything very close together & easy to manage, good events, well organized... I'm a big fan. It's a great way for US people to meet European funders & filmmakers, smaller & more manageable than Amsterdam. One of my favorite fests.
Filmmaker:
Sheffield is all about the networking and meetings and they have some pretty good films too. Not very generous to filmmakers. The parties and decent I suppose.
Our take:
One of the best regional film festivals in the US, with audience support that almost rivals Seattle and filmmaker hospitality that is second to none - flights, hotels, food, drinks, more drinks are all on the house. Certainly one of the best social festivals - you will get ample, ample time to meet and mingle with other filmmakers and make new friends - it has a surprising strong and curated line-up of documentaries. Its placement late in the year means that it can sometimes serve as a summary of the year's best - from Sundance all the way through Toronto and is often a champion of films that might otherwise go unnoticed, like this year's Spirit Award nominee RUNNING STUMBLED. Not heavy on industry, but recent efforts to draw more press were largely successful in the 2007 edition.
Others:
Filmmaker:
"It was really intimate. It felt like a family atmosphere."
Filmmaker:
"Meaningless in terms of visibility, but just a fantastic, well-organized festival where you feel appreciated and have fun."
Filmmaker:
"Like the secret bar for filmmakers that's open until 4am every night-- that's smart. Denver felt like a smaller festival, and it is, but the audiences were good, the theaters were good, and the staff was attentive to filmmaker needs."
Next up: Numbers 21-25 plus thoughts on some other fests of note.
Thanks for the nice comments about Telluride FF but I want to clarify that any film that has not played anywhere in the US is eligible to enter the TFF. Our program IS NOT by invitation only and is open to all who qualify.
Jim Bedford
Director of Operations
Posted by: Jim Bedford | May 19, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Just wanted to add a note about San Francisco International. Beginning about three years ago, the festival began a campaign to increase prize money for competition films (Golden Gate Awards) and in 2009 offers some $60,000 for docs as follows: Doc fest winner, $20,000; investigative doc award, $25,000; and top Bay Area doc, $15,000. Money is also nice recognition!
Posted by: Gail Silva | March 21, 2009 at 09:32 AM