The crisis of documentary distribution shows that traditional models, as well as some formats that were only recently hailed as saviors, are crumbling or deciding to go into a financially safer but creatively limited direction. In most territories, cinemas are showing only a handful of creative documentaries, public broadcasters are increasingly losing their editorial independence, and streamers are populating their libraries with in-house true crime and celebrity fare.

This talk proposes stepping back from the broken system, taking a look at a place for documentary films from the audiences' perspective and the nature of cinema as a communal experience. Community cinemas and adjacent models do not only show films, they organize thematic programs and talks with filmmakers and scholars, and they are gathering places where audiences stay after a screening to share impressions and ideas over food and drinks, with curators eager to hear their reactions and input. At the end of the day, this is what creative documentary cinema is about: growing through art and exchanging opinions, ideas and emotions. 

Moderator: Rohan Berry Crickmar (Lightdox/Cork International Film Festival)

Speakers: Nada Bakr (Network of Alternative Arab Screens), Abby Sun (IDA/Distribution Advocates), Can Sungu (Sinema Transtopia)  

Closed caption service for people who are deaf or hard of hearing is available for this session. Please ask our staff for QR codes to scan on your phone.