Themed on “Sharing Culture, Shared Future”, BJIFF DOC 2023 to Kick off Soon!
The Beijing International Film Festival Documentary Sector (BJIFF DOC), first launched in 2014, is an independent section of the BJIFF, organized by NEO MEDIA and the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel. An independent section held parallel to the BJIFF, it has evolved into an important platform for documentary filmmakers to exchange and display works.
Frontier Exploration, Crossover Fusion
Motto of the BJIFF DOC
Following the motto “frontier exploration, crossover fusion”, the BJIFF DOC aims to offer a platform for filmmakers and documentary film lovers from all over the world to observe, discuss, learn from each other, and exchange, turning on the charm of documentaries while bolstering the status and influence of the BJIFF in the field.
Since the establishment of the BJIFF DOC, a number of outstanding documentary films from home and abroad have been screened in theaters during the event every year. And these submissions won awards at the following film festivals: the Festival de Cannes, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Venice International Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, the Academy Awards, Cinéma du Réel (Cinema of the Real), the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). There were several sharing and exchange sessions between outstanding documentary filmmakers and industry professionals, which brought together documentary directors, producers, streaming platform representatives, industry managers, and market enablers from all over the world, hence advancing the development and integration of the documentary industry.
Development and Exploration
Retrospective of the BJIFF DOC
Since it was first established in 2014, the BJIFF DOC has been held for seven sessions. Upholding the principles of “frontier exploration, crossover fusion”, it works tirelessly to break new grounds and seek breakthroughs in the space of documentary, and sets up a grand stage for documentary creators to share views and explore and fuel the development of China’s documentary content, industry, and market.
Scene of a previous BJIFF DOC session
Themes of Previous BJIFF DOC Sessions
2014
Take-off: International Forum for Documentary Operation Modes
2015
Exploring the Crossover Integration of Documentary Industry with a Focus on the Relationship Between Documentary and Film
2016
The Power of DOC
2017
Exploring the Factual Frontier
2018
New Era, New Mission
2019
Era of Integrated Media and Documentary Films
2021
Cross Integration, International Communication
Scene of a previous BJIFF DOC session
Section Programming
What the BJIFF DOC is Doing
The Documentary Sector consists of five sections: Review and Recommendation, Masterpiece Panorama, Forum, Salon, and Proposal Market. It is held parallel to the BJIFF in the middle and end of April every year.
I. Review and Recommendation
The Review and Recommendation section is central to the Documentary Sector. The submission is open to excellent documentary works globally, which will be selected by industry authorities. Outstanding documentaries and documentary films will be recommended and released at the Documentary Sector. The Review section aims to call for the submissions of excellent works from multiple countries, and expand the vision of art and increase the production value of Chinese documentary films. The Documentary Sector features relevant awards, and certificates will be issued to the selected works and the winners. Since its inception, there has been a total of 2,313 entries, including 1,833 international works.
II. Masterpiece Panorama
The Masterpiece Panorama section is dominated by screenings in theatres, online, offline, and at salons, subject to the situation of call for submissions. The purpose of this section is to let the audience see more excellent works, and to explore and summarize the industrialization of the documentary entering theaters. Since its inception, 55 documentary films—with more than 200 showings—have been screened in theaters.
III. Forum
With the convenience of Beijing as an international communication center and international exchanges in the field of documentary communication and production at the heart, the Forum section maximizes the advantages of talents and policies at home and abroad, and explores the road of reform and development of the documentary industry.
Scene of a previous BJIFF DOC session
IV. Salon
The Salon section is initiated by professionals or professional institutions and civil organizations in the field of documentary and literary and artistic periphery, with the main focus on creation and content exchange.
V. Proposal Market
The Proposal Market section aims to venture into the crossover integration of the documentary industry, support projects, and facilitate industrial development.
Seeking the market-oriented expression of mainstream values is the artistic pursuit of the BJIFF DOC. As a key independent section of the BJIFF, the Documentary Sector provides a platform to enable the further integration of documentary content and the market. Now into its eighth year, it has seen an ever-changing documentary industry in China.
In 2023, the Documentary Sector of the 13th BJIFF will return under the theme of “Sharing Culture, Shared Future”, and is looking forward to witnessing China in cameras and exploring the future development of documentary together with everyone.
Stay tuned