Doc Distro Lit Review: Film Festivals

A compilation of five images, from the films: “Four Daughters,” “Bobi Wine: The People’s President,” “To Kill a Tiger,” “The Eternal Memory,” and “20 Days in Mariupol.”

Doc World Is Reeling from Oscar Nominations and What They Might Mean for the Struggling Sector: “There Is This Resentment Towards Certain Kinds of Success”

  • February 3, 2024
The 2024 Oscar documentary nominations, dominated by international filmmakers and with little major streamer-backed films, have sparked discourse on potential resentment in the documentary branch, a preference for social-issue documentaries, and considerations for altering the voting system.
Documentary Magazine logo

With Sundance Boost, Even Original Documentaries Could Make a Comeback in 2024

  • February 1, 2024
Writer Anthony Kaufman reports on the optimism felt for documentary film sales at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Distribution Advocates Presents logo with the message, Episode 1: Sales Agents

The Truth about Sales Agents

  • January 31, 2024
Hosted by producer, filmmaker, and Distribution Advocates co-founder Avril Speaks, this episode of the Distribution Advocates Presents podcast features conversations with industry leaders Pat Murphy, Orly Ravid, Alece Oxendine, Set Hernandez, Abby Sun, Efuru Flowers, and Kaila Sarah Hier, on the role of sales agents in rights deals.
Image of person wearing a Superman costume and flying in the sky

Sundance Offers a Glimmer of Hope for the Struggling Documentary Market: “We’re No Longer in a DOA Situation”

  • January 26, 2024
Writer Addie Morfoot details reports of strong interest in independently-made documentaries at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, which offered hope to sales agents about the trajectory of distribution for these projects.

Filmmaker Magazine Editor’s Letter – Sundance and Saving Indie Film

  • January 2024
Filmmaker Magazine's editor-in-chief, Scott Macaulay, reports on the industry climate surrounding the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, discussing an episode of Matthew Beloni's The Town podcast, where Beloni interviews Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente, discussing the role of the festival in "saving" independent film.
Photograph of people dancing in the street in front of the Egyptian Theatre at the Sundance Film Festival

At Sundance, Indie Film Struggles to Find a Working Business Model

  • January 24, 2024
Founder, CEO, and Editor in Chief of TheWrap, Sharon Waxman reports on perceptions of the faltering independent film business model at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. *Please note: This article is behind a paywall.

Sundance Reinvented

  • January 24, 2024
Producers Megan Gilbride and Rebecca Green suggest transforming the Sundance Film Festival into a year-round, multi-city roadshow called "Sundance Reinvented" to address financial, accessibility, and relevance issues in the independent film ecosystem.
Compilation of six film stills featuring people or objects in various positions

Will This Year’s Sundance Save Documentary Distribution?

  • January 11, 2024
Exploring the potential impact of the Sundance Film Festival on the documentary genre, journalist Anthony Kaufman delves into the festival's lineup, industry trends, and the challenges and opportunities faced by documentary filmmakers in the evolving landscape.
Photograph of a person looking to the side with their arms raised midway

Inside DOC NYC: Power, Profit, and Community at America’s “Largest” Doc Fest

  • December 29, 2023
Considered the largest US documentary film festival, DOC NYC offers filmmakers opportunities for exposure and networking, though industry insiders offer mixed sentiments, conveying concerns over the festival's breadth and money-making initiatives.
Photograph of a person leaning on bicycle handlebars

Hits & Misses: How Six Sundance 2023 Titles Performed in Distribution

  • December 15, 2023
Journalist Anthony Kaufman provides case studies and insights into various films from the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, shedding light on the festival's notable occurrences and trends in the industry.
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The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is a Harvard Kennedy School research center dedicated to exploring and illuminating the intersection of press, politics and public policy in theory and practice. The Center strives to bridge the gap between journalists and scholars, and between them and the public.

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