Docs in Orbit

Featuring a conversation with Alexander Abaturov about his film Paradise (2022), which premiered at IDFA in the International Competition section.The film is set in the small village of Shologon in Northern Siberia, documenting the local inhabitants battling severe and extreme wildfires during the summer months.Alexander Abaturov is a filmmaker based in Paris. He was born in Siberia. Paradise (2022) is his second feature documentary film. His first film, The Son (2018), premiered at the Berli...

Notes from Eremocene (Berlinale Forum, 2023) by Viera Čákanyová is an experimental documentary that delves into the future possibilities of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence. Through a captivating blend of analog footage and 3D scanner images, Čákanyová captures the clash between traditional and digital elements of contemporary society.This is her third feature, concluding a trilogy that began with her debut work, FREM (2019), followed by the documentary White on White (2020)....

We are joined by Cristina Nord, the Artistic Director of the Berlinale Forum, an independently curated section of the Berlinale with a focus on diverse cinematic forms and narrative approaches. I invited Cristina to speak about the rich history of the Forum and what has shaped her curatorial eye. We also discuss some of the non-fiction films included in this years collection, which will be the 53rd edition of the program. Moderated by Christina ZachariadesFor show notes, visit docsinorbi...

As we put the final touches on our first batch of episodes, we wanted to just pop on to say hi, we appreciate you tuning in, and we are excited to discover new films together! - Christina ZachariadesFor show notes, visit docsinorbit.com and be sure to follow us on social media @docsinorbit

Nnenna Onuoha speaks with Alain Gomis about his latest film REWIND & PLAY (2022), which she encountered last month at the New York Film Festival. REWIND & PLAY follows American jazz pianist Thelonius Monk on a 1969 trip to Paris. Monk is in town to perform at the Salle Pleyel, and along the way becomes the subject of a French television program. Rewind & Play unfolds exclusively from the recovered rushes of this recording. And from this single event the film unravels complex ...

Last week brought the close of the 35th edition of IDFA and this year’s edition felt monumental. Not only for the sheer number of films on display (277) but also for the necessary and thought provoking panel discussions that were platformed - including an examination of the growing prosecution and incarceration of filmmakers around the world, the emergence of co-creation as a practice grounded in equity and justice, and a bold, critical examination of the power dynamics inherent in film festi...

With such an overwhelming number of films on offer at IDFA, we invited Wouter Jansen to help curate a watch list of films that will be on display. Wouter is the founder of Square Eyes, a sales and distribution company based in Vienna specializing in bold, author driven features and shorts. This year, he will be at IDFA with two titles, ANHEIL 69 by Theo Montoya and EUROPE by Philip Scheffner. In this episode, we go through each section of the program at IDFA and take turns selecting tit...

It is night in America. A young anteater is found dead by the side of a road in Brasilia, a boa constrictor wanders into the suburbs, and a maned wolf is found on a farm. The question is: are animals invading our cities, or rather are we occupying their habitat?IT IS NIGHT IN AMERICA (2022) by Ana Vaz is a spellbinding film that comes to the Camden International Film Festival wielding a strong energetic power that, no doubt, will transfix spectators and provoke reflection on the visible and s...

Fall is upon us, and what better way to begin this new season than in the cozy atmosphere at the Camden International Film Festival in mid-coast Maine - a major documentary event in the United States. In anticipation for this year's festival, I caught up with Milton Guillén, Senior Programmer at CIFF to provide texture around this year's stellar line-up and how the program came together. We also discuss some of the talks and panels that will be on offer.The festival will take place from ...

Our first episode of a series covering the 28th Sarajevo Film Festival. We are joined by Rada Šešić, who leads the selection of films in the Documentary Competition. Rada SESIC (Croatia) is a critic, film maker, lecturer and a programmer. She is specialized in South Asian and Eastern European cinema. She also organizes the DocuRough Cut Boutique which we discuss in our conversation as well as the origins of the Sarajevo Film Festival which is rooted in cultural protest during the Siege of Sar...