Mandy Chang: Last News

Lise Pedersen The Cannes Docs sidebar of the Cannes Film Market has announced the lineup of its annual Doc Day, which takes place on May 24. The day will open with a morning session dedicated to ACID Cannes 2022 title “Polaris,” described by organizers as “a creative and human journey interwoven with uncompromising, gentle and bold filmmaking by a woman filmmaker, set against the backdrop of the Arctic.” Entitled “A Producing Journey,” the session will bring together Marion Schmidt, the co-founder of Cannes Docs partner DAE (Documentary Association of Europe), director Ainara Vera and producers Clara Vuillermoz (Point du Jour – Les Films du Balibari) and Emile Hertling Péronard (Ánorâk Film).

Christopher Vourlias Fremantle’s global head of documentaries Mandy Chang insisted on Thursday that “the golden age of documentary is a cliché” and urged filmmakers to avoid “a two-tier system of haves and have nots,” where independent documentaries are crowded out by splashier commercial projects bankrolled by streaming platforms.“Mainstream docs are popular, but not all documentaries are popular or given prominence,” Chang said to an audience in Copenhagen. “And success for me is a golden age not just for the mainstream, but for a plethora of smaller, less expensive, but still important and powerful films made by…a much more diverse group of filmmakers.”The Fremantle executive was speaking during the four-day conference program at the Copenhagen Intl.

Naman Ramachandran BBC Content has advertised for the high powered role of commissioning director, BBC Film and Storyville, a position formerly held by Rose Garnett under the title director of BBC Film.BBC Film is the feature film-making arm of the BBC, co-producing some 15 films a year. Recent successes include the BAFTA and Critics Choice awards winning “The Power of the Dog” and “The Souvenir” and “The Souvenir: Part II.”Storyville is the broadcaster’s flagship feature documentary strand and showcases films from around the world including “Welcome to Chechnya” and “Collective.” It moved under the remit of BBC Film in 2020.