Making documentary films and nurturing an ecosystem is not easy for most filmmakers, but in Belarus and Georgia, filmmakers encounter hurdles outside of the usual production/funding/distribution challenges.
Both countries have a growing documentary filmmaking communities and a mostly self-made industry infrastructure. Challenging political situations on the ground and increasingly restricted arts environments have closed screening venues, discouraged the use of public spaces and limited support to only «approved» topics.
As is often the case in countries facing challenges with freedom of expression, filmmakers are moved to make films about political and social issues. But the same society and environment they’re exploring makes it increasingly difficult to create and show those films. Both Belarus and Georgia are struggling with the tightening of civil society, diminishing funding, and straining democracy (along with protests in response). As countries on the periphery of the EU (and with Georgia on the EU accession path), issues of democracy are front and centre.
In this context, CPH:DOX piloted the DOX:EXCHANGE programme to foster conversations and share knowledge between film organisations in the two countries – CinéDOC-Tbilisi (Georgia) and Northern Lights Nordic-Baltic Film Festival (Belarus) – and the Danish festival. Funded by the New Democracy Fund, the programme was intended to strengthen the landscape of civil society participation and facilitate democratic dialogue through film.
Both countries have growing documentary filmmaking communities and a mostly self-made industry infrastructure.
CPH has already worked with emerging filmmakers in Eastern European countries through the CHANGE programme, with partners European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) and International Media Support (IMS). (The CHANGE programme continued, and delegates from Belarus and Georgia were also hosted.) DOX:EXCHANGE was born as an offset of that collaboration. As Mara Gourd-Mercado, CPH Head of Industry and Training, explains, «We were already working with Eastern European countries but wanted to really have an exchange. Bringing them to CPH:DOX, but also us getting information and exchanging expertise on how they do their work.»
Both programmes see documentary as a way of sharing stories that need to be told, catalyzing change and promoting dialogue, and they support delegates with trainings and meetings to prepare them for the international market. But where CHANGE focuses on defining the content, core and goals of individuals’ film projects, the EXCHANGE also made space to circulate ideas and build relationships among filmmakers and organisations.
More than just festivals, both CinéDOC and Northern Lights have been instrumental in the progress of a documentary ecosystem in their countries.
CinéDOC launched as a festival back in 2013 and supports filmmakers with mentorship and workshops to guide them through production and funding processes. During the pandemic, the work shifted online and then to a hybrid model. The current political climate has made them less active in the exhibition sphere, but there is another important side to their work. For years, they have been nurturing documentaries for young people through production support for youth films, satellite festivals, an online viewing programme, and training for teachers to use documentaries in educational settings.
«We trained teachers and created an online video library with various documentaries suitable for teenagers and children. Teachers have access and they come to our new class,» explains Elena Stanculescu, coordinator of CinéDOC, alongside director Artchil Khetagouri. «So, yes, we reach a lot of kids with documentaries.»
She notes that young people are very educated when it comes to analysing films. Post-screening discussions generate many opinions, from subject matter to filming style. And it is all building the next generation of storytellers.
Northern Lights started by showing Nordic documentaries to audiences in Belarus in 2015. It expanded into Baltic docs and then a wider geographical range. Like CinéDOC, they were growing a documentary film, «family.»
«When we started, we were bringing a Nordic and Baltic vision of what human rights is,» explains Volia Chajkouskaya, founder and co-director of Northern Lights. «Now, it’s broader, but still with the understanding that the common goal is to actually make a better change in the world.”
With COVID, protests and political pressure, they tried different options for continuing their offline work, like partnering with the Black Nights Festival in Tallinn. As the political climate grew more difficult, filmmakers and cultural workers went abroad. Northern Lights went online with a video-on-demand platform to move under the radar, hosting a festival «in exile» for people still in Belarus and those in exile across Europe.
Over the years, Northern Lights has also organised other film partnerships and initiatives to support local filmmakers. «Our philosophy has always been to contribute to the development of the industry [in Belarus], which is very, very weak—we don’t have a proper funding system or proper festival infrastructure,» Volia explains.
issues of democracy are front and centre.
The two organisations were a natural fit for this first DOX:EXCHANGE collaboration, not only because they have significantly contributed to building infrastructure and community in their countries but also because CPH:DOX also has a VOD platform and a sister children’s film festival. «It’s not just us trying to build capacity but also trying to have a real conversation festival to festival. We’re getting just as much out of it as they are,” Mara says.
The EXCHANGE agenda mixed networking, project mentoring and discussions around topics of freedom of speech/exhibition, production support and, of course, funding.
Unfortunately, an increasing community of makers in Georgia coincides with shrinking public funding, which is now being boycotted by the independent documentary community. There is no state funding in Belarus, and access to some European grants and opportunities is restricted for those living in exile.
But traditional financing methods are also drying up in major markets; people are being creative with their funding solutions. Part of the exchange was about finding workarounds and creating unusual financial structures to overcome the countries’ hurdles.
Ileana reflects on both countries’ concerns: «We have to convince donors to support now when there is no state funding because otherwise all these talented young people and their voices will be lost.»
Filmmakers in the delegation did not have films at the festival, but they shared work-in-progress material. Pre-festival consultations with experienced Danish producers helped frame their ideas and project packages and advised which industry members would align with their projects. Delegates then spent time meeting those representatives to generate interest. It was a great chance to integrate into a network – while the film community is growing in Georgia, especially after the launch of DOCA (the independent Documentary Association Georgia), in Belarus, the majority of filmmakers are now living in exile, and the few left in-country aren’t gathering freely.
«We have to convince donors to support now when there is no state funding because otherwise all these talented young people and their voices will be lost.»
For Belarussian and Georgian filmmakers and fosterers who struggle with the lack of infrastructure, freedom of speech challenges and other difficult conditions for a thriving ecosystem, meeting, connecting and exchanging is an inspirational opportunity. This was networking on another level, with full days of back-to-back meetings, roundtables and presentations, and access to different decision makers from media outlets, streamers and funds; at times overwhelming, but rewarding in the end.
The CinéDOC delegation also had an exchange with Danish schools to share experiences of screening and discussing films with young people and incorporating films into classrooms.
The collaboration will hopefully continue throughout the year, exchanging Belarussian and Danish films on the VOD platforms and building a partnership between the CinéDOC and CPH:DOX children’s film festivals. «In the future, we want to be more connected with institutions in Georgia and build these relationships to support one another,» I hope Yuliya Samailouskikh, North Lights Coordinator, and Volia. «We have a lot in common.»
