Public forum

An initiative of the association, Les Amis du Cinéma du réel

The Public Forum event offers opportunities to discuss the issues and demands specific to documentary cinema. Institutions, professional organisations and the French documentary industry at large, as well as their international partners and counterparts come together to share their experiences and thoughts in order to find solutions and reflect on the future of documentary filmmaking.

These discussions are structured around a theme chosen by the Friends of the Cinéma du réel association, which then ensures that the discussions run smoothly thanks to a working group set up specifically for this purpose. The aim of the Public Forum is to highlight the concerns faced by professionals in the sector in France and the issues involved in documentary production.

The Public Forum for this 46th edition of the Cinéma du réel festival is based on the following question:

Documentary creation: territories to defend

Documentary has always been a space for invention and renewal of forms. Its history, from the birth of cinema to the present day, reminds us of the great inventiveness shown by those who have defended it, from its writing to its direction, production and distribution. It has never ceased to make its way, taking different forms, from direct cinema to films that combine elements of reality and fiction in their staging. From cinemas to new distribution media and television, it remains a territory of experimentation.

How can we defend the creative freedom that is necessary for all kinds of daring in the face of possible market injunctions? How can we preserve a creative space supported by public policy while guaranteeing independence?