Overzicht programma | DOCVILLE - Documentary Film Festival Leuven, Belgium

DOCVILLE 2021 - Program

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1st Step

Follow the legendary footsteps of the Apollo astronauts on a breathtaking journey to the moon. A meticulous, technically very advanced reconstruction of the launch, landing, moonwalk and return to Earth.

virtual-reality
2040

What will the world look like in 2040? No apocalyptic climate disasters, but an inspiring and hopeful picture of the future, as well as the way to achieve this goal. "2040" is a motivational chain of very practical solutions that already exist and can save the world if we really commit ourselves. An inspiring "yes we can" film with a focus on the power of innovation and creativity.

spectrum
A Machine to Live In

A non-narrative, visual adventure with the search for the utopian, ideal city as its common thread. A city designed as a perfect machine. In 1960, the completely artificial city of Brasilia became the new capital of Brazil. The city became a symbol of the modernist belief that ultra-rational urban design would produce rational citizens. But what about the country's mystical past and the deep human urge for spirituality?

brave-new-docs
outside-the-dox
African Apocalypse

British poet Femi Nylander is following in the footsteps of an extremely brutal mass murderer who barely appears in the annals of history: the colonial captain Paul Voulet, who left a trail of death and destruction in West Africa in 1899. It was the period when Joseph Conrad published his famous novel Heart of Darkness, a contemporary look at colonialism, and the book that Barack Obama said helped him understand where the fear of blacks comes from. Nylander's road trip is a poignant confrontation with the brutal legacy of colonialism, a legacy that continues to this day. His personal journey reveals a hidden, shared history that cannot be ignored.

international-selection
All Light, Everywhere

Surveillance cameras, electronic supervision and automated checks... More and more, various forms of "surveillance" are becoming commonplace in our daily lives. But all of these techniques are based on the assumption of an "objective look," despite the biases inherent in both human perception and that of a camera lens. A provocative reflection on the close links between cameras, weapons, police and justice.

outside-the-dox
American Utopia

How do you make a sequel to what is widely regarded as one of the very best concert films ever made? In 1984 Stop Making Sense brought a thrilling immersion into the quirky musical universe of Talking Heads at the height of their fame. 35 years later, frontman David Byrne engaged none other than Spike Lee to direct a new, fantastically choreographed concert film. A concert that you should not only hear, but mostly see, preferably on a big screen and in the best conditions. An unmissable rollercoaster of visual and musical delights.

spectrum
Arica

Ten years ago, two young documentary makers exposed a staggering pollution scandal in their graduation film Toxic Playground. A Swedish company that was meant to safely handle toxic material dumped it - unprocessed - in the desolate desert town of Arica. For years, the inhabitants developed all kinds of cancers and babies were born with abnormalities. The film marked the start of a legal battle between the residents of the North Chilean city and a Swedish mining company. Now the creators return to Arica with a shocking look at the disturbing reality of the pollution.

conscience
Assholes: A Theory

Why are there so many assholes out there? And why - or so it seems - are they often so successful? Does success turn you into an asshole? Or do you have to be an asshole to make it in this world? Take for example Donald Trump's appalling behavior that was actually a plus for many of his supporters. Inspired by philosopher Aaron James' bestselling book Assholes: A Theory, director John Walker sets out to investigate. With excellent appearances from John Cleese, among others, the film reaches surprisingly fascinating conclusions about the success of jerks - and what we can do about it.

spectrum
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets

In an intoxicating mix of documentary and fiction, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets plunges into the fascinating universe of an old-fashioned pub in Las Vegas. A gripping glimpse into a tragicomic retreat for lost souls, where a drink offers them a rewarding distraction or pushes them further off the rails. This compelling portrait of a world full of colorful characters was tipped by Rolling Stone as one of the top 10 Sundance films.

outside-the-dox
Boos

Some children seem to lose their temper quite often. To such an extent that the situation at home or in school is out of control. They are often called naughty or rebellious, but is that the reality? We meet these children in the psychiatry department of the children's hospital. Through a collage of conversations, pictures and images we discover why they are here, why they are so angry, and how they feel about it themselves.

ket-amp-amp-doc
Buck Fever

In Texas (USA) Emily, a talented eight-year-old cheerleader, faces a great challenge. She is the youngest in a family of full-blooded hunters, the only one that does not yet have a deer’s head in their living room. Determined to fill the empty spot on the wall, Emily goes hunting for the first time.

ket-amp-amp-doc
Bulletproof

The solution for the umpteenth school shooting? More weapons, of course. Arm teachers, give shooting lessons to school management and provide bulletproof blackboards. This documentary shows the disconcerting reality behind this bold choice. A school as a battleground is not only a mind-boggling concept, but bitterly also the linchpin behind a chilling industry.

international-selection
Canvas Selects

As a reliable partner, Canvas traditionally presents its own program at the festival. This year the Canvas evening includes an exclusive preview of the brand new Scheldepeleton. It is a six-part cycling documentary by Lieven Van Gils about the dramatic events surrounding five young cyclists pursuing a career as a professional cyclist. Based on the book De Val by Matthias M.R. Declercq

guest-screenings
Chasing Childhood

From which age would you let your child play on the street without supervision, take the bus or cycle to school alone? What if your child turns the neighborhood upside down playing ding-dong ditch or climbs a tall tree without protective gear? As parents, we have become increasingly concerned for our offspring: we have to protect them from murderous traffic and pedophiles. Playing is only allowed in a controlled, safe environment and mischievous pranks have become illegal. But is this really helping our children? Stress and anxiety disorders are increasingly common in young children. Chasing Childhood looks for solutions and is a necessary plea for a less curated childhood.

conscience
Closer Than We Think

A wonderful voyage of discovery through the life and work of the forgotten illustrator Arthur Radebaugh. He caused a furore in the mid-1950s with his beautiful illustrations of a utopian future full of technology. As a matter of fact, his work inspired the festival poster of DOCVILLE. Through interviews and archive footage we search for the man who always had his eye on the future but - paradoxically - fell behind. His tragic journey from progressive spirit to relic of a distant past says something about the fragility of any form of Futurism.

brave-new-docs
Coup 53

Briton Norman Darbyshire worked at MI6, the British secret service, in the early 1950s. He was responsible for the coup that the CIA and MI6 carried out in utmost secrecy against the progressive Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh. Actor Ralph Fiennes voices the recovered testimony of Darbyshire in which the hallucinatory story of the coup is revealed.

reconstructing-history
Dark Rider

A race through Australia's seemingly endless salt flats. Ben Felten (51) heads to the finish line at more than 300 km/h. He wants to be the fastest. Only… he is blind. As a teenager, he was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease, which left him completely blind by his mid-thirties. Still, Ben is determined to pursue his childhood dream and will become the fastest blind motorcyclist in the world.

belgian-selection
Day of the Doc

The Day of the Doc is the yearly 'congres' for the documentary filmprofessionals of Flanders. During this Day of the Doc we keep up-to-date with the documentary filmproduction in Flanders.

docville-academy
Decolonisation of Museums

How do we ensure that the exploitation of African art benefits the African population? The problem can often be traced back to the original wrongful appropriation of art, but it is much more layered. For example, many prestigious art institutions are sponsored by semi-colonial multinationals. Despite the generous image of those companies, the flow of money still continues to flow only to the west. And Africa earns nothing from its own art.

docville-plus
Downstream to Kinshasa

Even if they have lost an arm or a leg, the forgotten victims of the conflict in Kisangani (Congo) are demanding to be heard. They do so quite literally, in a musical theater performance in which they testify about the violence and about forgotten promises of financial compensation. When they continue to be ignored, they take it a step further: they travel by boat to the capital Kinshasa. The journey downstream and the intense scenes on stage make up an unforgettable plea for justice and dignity.

spectrum
ESA Space Exploration Pitch

docville-academy
ESA Space Exploration Pitch: Submit your idea

docville-academy
Fadma: Even Ants Have Wings

It is summertime in a small village in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. While the men take a nap or play cards, the women, with or without a child on their backs, lug water up the hills and take care of the household. It has always been this way and it will remain so ... until Fadma makes her entrance. A wonderfully small and often very funny story about the struggle for more equality between men and women.

belgian-selection
For Sama

Cute baby Sama looks straight into the camera when we hear a loud bang in the background. She is the daughter of a young journalist who records their daily life in Syria for five years, a life threatened by the bitter reality of war. For Sama shows the Syrian tragedy from within. A radically empathetic film, in which love beats the devastating power of war. Searing, unforgettable and intensely moving. Nominated for an Oscar and rightly so.

spectrum
Futureshock - The aftershock

The speed at which moral rules have evolved in recent years is remarkable. There are heated social debates around themes such as gender, climate and race. Activists are running ahead, others are pushing the brakes indignantly. Strongly stimulated by social media, the polarization is taking on unprecedented forms. What's going on here? And how do we quickly achieve the necessary progress in this tense situation?

docville-plus
Gunda

Gunda lives in paradise, for pigs anyway. She spends her days in a cozy shed full of hay, quietly looking outside. The only ones disturbing the peace are her many boisterous piglets. And the occasional one-legged chicken. Acclaimed Russian director Victor Kossakovsky has made an utterly enchanting film. He filmed in black and white, without a voiceover, at eye level of the piglets, offering a wonderfully moving and intimate view of the life of these animals.

outside-the-dox
Helicopter Children

From what age can your child play on the street without supervision, take the bus or cycle to school alone? What if your child turns the neighborhood upside down by playing silly games or climbs a tall tree without protection? As parents, we have become increasingly concerned for our offspring: we have to protect them from murderous traffic and pedophiles. Playing should only be possible in a controlled, safe environment and pranks have become illegal. But is all of that really helping our children?

docville-plus
Holgut

As the permafrost recedes faster and faster on the Siberian ice plains, the remnants of the mythical animal from a distant past emerge. At the same time, the wild reindeer, threatened with extinction, are the myths of our time. Two brothers and a scientist are connected in a quest between past and present. Holgut seamlessly connects fiction with documentary, legend with science and reality with poetry.

belgian-selection
In Event of Moon Disaster

The successful moon landing on July 20, 1969 was a milestone. But it could have turned out differently. A speech was prepared in advance in case of a fatal outcome. It was obviously never delivered by President Nixon - until now.

reconstructing-history
In Silico

Fifteen years ago, director Noah Hutton became fascinated by the bold project of a visionary neuroscientist. Goal: to recreate a human brain in all its complexity on supercomputers. The daring and very expensive project succeeded in convincing the European Union and received more than a billion (!) Euro subsidy. But as the years and the euros ticked away, the gap between excessive ambition and objective results widened.

conscience
Jules & ik

Roos has a sister named Jules who used to be her brother. Sometimes that feels strange, but she will never say that aloud. At home a lot of attention goes to Jules and Roos does not always like that. Still, she notices that Jules’ life is not easy and she tries to be a good sister. It can be complicated to grow up in a world where nothing is certain or straight-forward. Jules & ik describes how crazy, lonely and also enriching a familial change can be.

ket-amp-amp-doc
Ket & Doc

In bite-sized chunks of 15 minutes each, we see an extraordinary piece of the world through the eyes of a child. Not only interesting for the young target group (children between the ages of 9 and 12), but for everyone in the pedagogical field who likes to work on a certain theme.

ket-amp-amp-doc
Kinshasa Now

The colorful streets of Kinshasa are home to tens of thousands of street children. Experience for yourself what their reality is: looking out for yourself in an unknown neighborhood, getting to know the unwritten rules of each street, finding enough to eat and a safe place to sleep ...

virtual-reality
La Mesure des Choses

If anything will bring mankind down, it’s pride. That is the moral behind the legend of reckless Icarus who, despite warnings, flew too close to the sun and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. Even today, the Mediterranean is the setting of man's unbridled urge for more. A crossroads of immense cruise ships, drowning refugees, commercial fishing and worried climate researchers. We try to control the planet more and more, but aren’t we also burning our wings?

belgian-selection
Life in a day 2020

What were you doing on July 25, 2020? More than 320,000 people around the world recorded their day in a video diary. Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald transformed this immense wealth of visual material into a mosaic tale of a day in the life on earth. Different vignettes about daily life, funny, sad, banal or exceptional. A film about ordinary things, but also about lockdowns, inequality and poverty. About love and loss. About life itself.

spectrum
Lourdes

A rosary that is meticulously prayed, a face of hope against better judgment when lighting a gigantic 9-day candle, a cave pregnant with muttering, praying people. Lourdes is the place of pilgrimage par excellence, with millions of visitors every year. Through authentic stories, the film takes a respectful and poignant look at the pilgrimage experience and its mysterious impact on people. A visual gem about a special universe of hope

international-selection
L’Ecole de l’impossible

Jérôme is the director of the College of Saint-Martin, the school of the last chance for young people who have nowhere else to go. Together with his teaching staff, he tries to break the cycle of poverty and social isolation. A film full of humor and tenderness that demands attention and understanding for young people who may be searching, but are not lost.

belgian-selection
Mayor

The sidewalk is in bad shape, someone needs a permit for the reconstruction of his front garden and due to the stricter Israeli security measures, the residents can no longer leave the city. Like any good mayor, Musa Hadid lives for his city. However, he is not the mayor of an average town, but of the Palestinian Ramallah. In a film with an unexpected amount of humor and a lot of tension, we follow a man who is fully committed to his inhabitants. A completely new, often surprising insight into the reality of the longest conflict in the Middle East.

spectrum
Meat the Future

Surprisingly, the driving force behind an innovative company that wants to market "cultured meat" is not a climate or animal rights activist, but a cardiologist. In 2015, Dr. Uma Valeti gave up his job and started focusing entirely on growing meat for the food industry, without any involvement of animals. Is cultured meat the holy grail that can help eradicate global problems such as climate change and hunger?

brave-new-docs
Meet the Censors

Much has been written about censorship: what and who can or should be censored ... Håvard Fossum flips it around and goes in search of the censors, the people who delete and rewrite. What is their motivation? What criteria do they use? Meet the Censors reveals the secret lives of those who determine what can be said or written on a daily basis, from China to Europe, from Africa to Iran.

conscience
Misha and the Wolves

In order to escape the Nazis, 7-year-old Jewish Misha goes into hiding in Belgium. Because her foster family treats her badly, she flees. Between the ages of 7 and 11 she survives in the woods, together with a pack of wolves. In 1989 she came out with her exceptional story that has gotten worldwide publicity. Like a puzzle, this documentary reveals a bizarre true story that reads like a movie script.

international-selection
reconstructing-history
MLK/FBI

Martin Luther King is known as the charismatic and pacifist advocate of the African American civil rights movement. But he was not seen that way by the very powerful FBI at the time. To them, King was a threat. Recently released tapes reveal the staggering and vengeful picture of the FBI's stance toward the civil rights activist. A reminder that institutional oppression is timeless.

spectrum
Notturno

Oscar-nominated director Gianfranco Rosi created a visually stunning sequel to his award-winning documentary Fuocoammare, with this beautiful, deeply human portrait of people in the war-torn Middle East. Filmed over a period of three years, Rosi follows ordinary people in an unusual situation. He shows them not so much as victims, but as people of flesh and blood, with their own character and different forms of resilience. Intensely moving and bittersweet.

spectrum
Oeconomia

How is money created? And where does profit come from? These seemingly simple questions reveal the often astonishing qualities of our economic system. For example, it turns out that money is created by borrowing and that economic growth generally goes hand in hand with an increase in debts and the widening gap between rich and poor. Director Carmen Losmann gets to the heart of the capitalist system by digging deeper - layer by layer - and exposing the most blatant aspects of the capitalist economy. A film that changes your worldview forever.

conscience
Openingsfilm: Sabaya

Zes jaar geleden viel IS de Jezidi dorpen rond de berg Sinjar in Noord-Irak binnen, vermoordde de mannen en ontvoerde de vrouwen. Zo’n 7000 vrouwen worden nog steeds gevangen gehouden als ‘sabaya’ (seksslaaf) in het IS-gevangenkamp van Al-Hol in Syrië. Mahmud, Ziyad en de andere vrijwilligers van het Jezidi Home Center zijn hun enige kans op ontsnapping uit de hel. Een nagelbijtende thriller met een ongeziene toegang tot het dramatische lot van de Jezidi gemeenschap.

international-selection
Penggantian (Replacements)

An average street in Jakarta has been home to an Indonesian family for 40 years. This beautiful animation film lets you experience the many changes a street in the middle of a big city undergoes between 1980 and 2020. Experience the urban, ecological and cultural transformations of an Eastern metropolis.

virtual-reality
President

A few years ago, Camilla Nielsson won an award at DOCVILLE with Democrats, a staggering documentary about the political struggle in Zimbabwe. In this controversial sequel, she provides a special insight into a crucial period in the recent history of Zimbabwe with an intimate portrait of presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa. Chamisa who, averse to all opposition and even open threats, continues to campaign, in the (vain?) hope for a fair election.

conscience
Reset

De zomer van sessiemuzikant Thomas Renard was goed gevuld met optredens op prestigieuze festivals in binnen- en buitenland tot een welbekend virus alles plat legde. Nu staat hij winkelwagentjes te ontsmetten op de parking van de Carrefour. Reset vertelt het verhaal van zeven artiesten die vechten om de coronacrisis te overleven. Cultuur in tijden van corona is een bitter verhaal van opgeborgen dromen en gefnuikte ambitie, maar gelukkig ook van creativiteit en verbondenheid.

belgian-selection
Sabam Selects

Authors Union SABAM supports audiovisual authors in different ways. They keep an eye on young new talent, but also on filmmakers who have already earned their place.

guest-screenings
Sabaya

Six years ago ISIS invaded the Yazidi villages around Mount Sinjar in Northern Iraq, murdered the men and kidnapped the women. Some 7,000 women are still being held as "sabaya" (sex slaves) in Al-Hol, an IS detention camp in Syria. Mahmud, Ziyad and the other volunteers from the Yazidi Home Center are their only chance for an escape from hell. A nail-biting thriller with an unprecedented access to the dramatic fate of the Yazidi community.

international-selection
Saint Nicolas est socialiste

In the Liège municipality of Saint Nicolas, the PS has been firmly in control for almost a century. Opposition members Filippo Zito and Roger Boeckx are the thorn in the side of the majority. With the prospect of municipal elections, they dream aloud of a political upheaval. This fly-on-the-wall portrait of Walloon village politics, as surprising as it is funny, rightly won the audience award at the Brussels Film Festival.

belgian-selection
Silence of the Tides

De Wadden, erkend als internationaal werelderfgoed, zijn als één groot, levend, ademend organisme. In dit grote intergetijdengebied is de ademhaling van eb en vloed vitaal voor flora, fauna en de mens. Een hypnotiserende blik op de eeuwige cycli en contrasten van de seizoenen: leven en dood, storm en stilte, de massa en het individu. Een cinematografisch gedicht dat het besef van zuurstof bijna tastbaar maakt.

international-selection
Sisters With Transistors

The remarkable, little known story of the female pioneers of electronic music. Using mostly archive footage, this documentary is a joyful ode to those women. A wonderful audiovisual tasting that takes a look at the fascinating history of a special music genre and of the underlying struggle for emancipation of women in the history of music.

spectrum
Slotfilm: A Glitch in the Matrix

What if we took the premise of the Matrix seriously? Is it possible that the world as we know it is not real, but a computer simulation in which we are all unconsciously trapped? This is less absurd than it seems: according to the laws of logic, the probability is more than real. Director Rodney Ascher delves into the wonderful thoughts this question raises, from scientific and philosophical considerations to baseless conspiracy theories.

spectrum
Some Kind of Heaven

Disneyland for retirees, that's what The Villages in Florida are also called. 130,000 seniors live together in a closed community, where everything revolves around their target group. They live in a very expensive dream full of neat front gardens, morning gymnastics and hours of golf fun. A visually powerful film that - tenderly, sometimes hilariously, at times painfully sharp - shows that for some, life really does begin at 60.

international-selection
Spaceship Earth

In 1991, eight people locked themselves up in Biosphere 2, a gigantic glass dome that recreated Earth's ecosystem, for two years. Nothing was allowed to come in, nothing went out. All food, water and oxygen had to be produced on site. Just as would be the case if humans would one day colonize other planets. A dive into one of the most fascinating experiments ever devised.

brave-new-docs
Stop Making Sense

1983. An empty stage. David Byrne, the enigmatic Talking Heads frontman, appears for an intense version of Psycho Killer. This is the start of one of the best concert films ever made. Director Jonathan Demme, who later won an Oscar for Silence of the Lambs, found the perfect balance between a classical concert recording and immersive performance art. Following Spike Lee’s new concert film about David Byrne, Docville is happy to bring Stop Making Sense back to the big screen.

spectrum
Taming the Garden

Final scene: A huge, century old tree is bobbing on a ship in the middle of the sea. The giant is on its way from its ancient base on the coast of Georgia to the private island of millionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. In a megalomaniac project, towering trees are dug out and transported to his villa. The immense giants are the silent witnesses of a world where everything can be bought with money and nothing turns out to be impossible.

international-selection
The Campaign against the Climate

In 1988 the world basically agreed: climate change is a big problem. That year, Republican presidential candidate George H.W. Bush stated loud and clear that as president he would address the issue. But not long after that, everything came to a standstill and climate deniers became more vocal. This staggering investigative documentary shows that this was no accident, but the result of a well-orchestrated campaign funded by major oil companies behind the scenes.

spectrum
The central test - A pest?

The Flemish government has decided that from 2023 on, there will be central tests in primary and secondary education. This - for some highly controversial - decision would lead to a higher and above all measurable level of education. Opponents point to the inevitable (?) consequence that lessons will be given in function of the test and the emergence of “good” and “bad” schools and pupils.

docville-plus
The Dissident

October 2, 2018. Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi enters Saudi Arabia's consulate in Turkey to formalize his divorce so he can marry his fiancé Hatice. She's waiting for him outside. But Khashoggi does not come out. Ever again. The journalist, known for his critical attitude towards Saudi Arabia, has disappeared. Oscar winner Bryan Fogel amazingly reconstructs the facts in a nail-biting tale of power and deceit.

international-selection
reconstructing-history
The Future of Work and Death

Working and dying… Two things people try to avoid as much as possible. It is no coincidence that most of our technological progress has focused on these basic aspects for decades. Progress as a never-ending effort to simplify work and delay death. But what do we do if no one has to work anymore? And do we want to live in a world where work and (premature) death have been completely sidelined?

brave-new-docs
The Future Talks

Thinking about the future, believing in progress… it sounds timeless, but it is a fairly new idea that only became acceptable in the course of the 18th century. 6 short lectures cover 6 different aspects of future thinking. From the emergence of the 'improvable human being' via concrete applications with Artificial Intelligence for the management of traffic infrastructure and architecture to ethical questions about robotics. And what can we learn from science fiction?

docville-plus
The Hidden Life of Trees

Something strange happens in forests: trees communicate and take care of each other. They look after their own descendants, but also after their old or sick neighbors. It sounds like the beginning of a fairytale, but these are the astonishing findings of scientists after decades of research. Inspired by the bestseller of the same name, this irresistible declaration of love to the forest takes you deep into an unprecedented world full of unexpected and incredible skills of trees. A walk through the forest will never be the same again.

spectrum
The Human Factor

Peace in the Middle East. It has not only been the dream of the people living there for many years, but also of Western diplomats and world leaders. Whoever can bring about peace there, will have a unique place in history. Many American presidents have hoped that the seemingly impossible would be realized during their term in office. Sometimes negotiators got very close to a historic breakthrough. But time and again things went wrong. What happened behind the scenes and who played a role? A fascinating look at the human factor that plays a surprisingly large role in historical events.

spectrum
The Jump

In 1970, in the middle of the Cold War, an American patrol boat and a Russian fishing vessel crossed each other. Aboard the Russian ship is Simas Kudirka, a Lithuanian sailor who literally and figuratively takes a leap of faith. The start of an incredible story full of plot twists and unexpected decisions, in perhaps the greatest political turmoil of the Cold War.

reconstructing-history
The Lost Sons

When 10-year-old Paul Fronczak goes looking for hidden Christmas presents, he finds something completely different: newspaper clippings from his parents showing that their son had been abducted just after birth and found again as a toddler two years later. Now an adult, Paul investigates to see if he really is who he thinks he is. An amazing real-life thriller.

reconstructing-history
The Mole Agent

At the age of 83, Sergio finds a fantastic job: he is hired as a private investigator to go undercover in a retirement home. His client? A concerned daughter who suspects her mother is being treated badly in the home. Equipped with technical espionage gadgets, gentle Sergio tries to gather information behind the scenes in an inventive way. This heartwarming, dryly funny detective story is a tender and subtle testimony to friendship and loneliness in old age.

spectrum
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper

The story of one of the most daring robberies in the world reads like a movie script. Shortly after a plane has taken off, one of the passengers, a man named Dan Cooper, reports that he has a bomb. He demands - and receives - heaps of money and four parachutes and runs off. Over the course of 50 years, dozens of suspects are investigated by the FBI. Testimonials, archive footage and re-enactment bring their stories to life and the pressing question remains: where is D.B Cooper?

reconstructing-history
The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo

What is the deal with pink flamingos? They pop up everywhere as the ultimate symbol of happy kitsch. In this playful mockumentary, determined sound engineer Rigo Pex explores the deeper meaning of this iconic symbol, in a film as colorful and quirky as the flamboyant pink bird itself.

outside-the-dox
The Test & The Art of Thinking

In 2023, central tests will be introduced in Flanders for all pupils in all schools. In countries such as the Netherlands and certainly the United States, this has been the case for many years. But are standardized tests useful? Isn't education reduced to what can be tested? A student is only defined as good based on correctly colored dots, not on his or her real progress. And a "good school" becomes only a school with a high average. This surprising documentary examines the sense and nonsense of the famous SAT tests in the United States, an ideal case that raises many questions.

spectrum
This Is Not a Movie

Rudi Vranckx has called him his journalistic beacon. The recently deceased Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk was an icon. He witnessed the Iranian revolution, the Lebanese civil war, the Gulf wars, the intifadas, the war on terror, the Arab revolutions… all from the front row. A portrait of a wayward correspondent who cherished an independent spirit.

spectrum
Thom en Stoffel

Thom’s best friend is Stoffel, an old Shetland pony. Everywhere Thom goes, Stoffel shuffingly follows him. Thom’s father provides therapy with horses for children who are different. Thom is also a bit different. He is almost 10 years old and is growing fast. Stoffel is already 25 years old and has stopped growing. Will Thom still be able to ride Stoffel, now his legs have grown so long? Or does he need to choose a bigger horse?

ket-amp-amp-doc
Tussen Ons

Three poignant testimonials from parents and children whose relationships are marked by the parent's or child's addiction. Whether it's alcohol, medication or drugs, a mother neglecting her children or a son lying to his parents, addiction wreaks havoc in a family. How unconditional is love when addiction beckons?

belgian-selection
VR Docs

Virtual Reality (VR) is a rewarding medium for documentary makers: it offers an unparalleled experience that welcomes the viewer into an unprecedented reality. This year, DOCVILLE selected three short documentaries that focus on reconstructions of people’s actual experiences, from astronauts and street children to an Indonesian family.

virtual-reality
What Makes Us Boys

Growing up is difficult. There is so much more to it than a bit of discomfort and some acne. It takes courage to become who you really are. Daan is very close to his younger brother Sam. But when Daan starts high school, their relationship changes. An intimate portrait of growing up in the digital age, which can be wonderfully rich and terribly lonely at the same time.

belgian-selection
What to do NOW for a better LATER?

Hope is central in the documentary 2040. Many solutions are cited that can lead to a better world. Concrete proposals on how to tackle climate change, restore oceans and produce renewable energy locally. But also how agriculture, education and transport can set other priorities. A panel of experts from various fields analyze a number of the proposed solutions for their feasibility.

docville-plus
White cube

The Western cultural sector likes to see itself as the guardian of our moral conscience, but prestigious art institutions are often financed by semi-colonial multinationals. Director and artist Renzo Martens - who previously caused controversy with his documentary Enjoy Poverty - comes up with an unorthodox plan to change the direction of the wealth flow.

conscience
White Noise

Mensen scanderen met opgeheven arm “Hail Our People!”. Geen beeldfragment uit WO II, maar een onthutsend tafereel kort na de Amerikaanse verkiezingen in 2016, toen Trump aan de macht kwam. Extreem-rechtse partijen en groeperingen zijn bezig aan een heuse opmars. Daniel Lombroso zoomt in op enkele gekende alt-right figuren en richt zijn schijnwerper op de mensen achter de - vaak hallucinante - slogans en retoriek. Een noodzakelijke ontmoeting die te belangrijk is om uit te weg te gaan.

conscience
Yab Yum

What happened behind the closed doors of Yab Yum, the most notorious luxury brothel in Amsterdam for many years? Celebrities came and went in this iconic house of ill fame, where the nights were legendary and the days non-existent. Ten years ago, it fell into the hands of shady criminals and finally it had to close its doors. Insiders look back, sharing juicy stories full of nostalgia about legendary moments in the famous establishment. An unabashed glimpse into an iconic brothel, which was one of the most famous in the world.

international-selection
Yaren en de zon

It’s summer and the ten-year-old Yaren leaves for camp. She is a bit nervous, because this is not a regular camp… she is going to a camp for children who have lost an important person in their life. Yaren’s mother passed away four years ago and she still struggles with it. During camp, she meets the enthusiastic daredevil Kato. This is the beginning of an extraordinary summer and an equally special friendship…

ket-amp-amp-doc
Zappa

The ultimate portrait of musical hero Frank Zappa (1940-1993), made with an astonishing amount of unseen archive material. A fascinating insight into the private life and work of the enigmatic and socially critical rock star, who left a unique legacy with his 60 albums and social commitment.

spectrum

DOCVILLE 2021 - Program

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1st Step

2040

A Machine to Live In

African Apocalypse

All Light, Everywhere

American Utopia

Arica

Assholes: A Theory

Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets

Boos

Buck Fever

Bulletproof

Canvas Selects

Chasing Childhood

Closer Than We Think

Coup 53

Dark Rider

Day of the Doc

Decolonisation of Museums

Downstream to Kinshasa

ESA Space Exploration Pitch

ESA Space Exploration Pitch: Submit your idea

Fadma: Even Ants Have Wings

For Sama

Futureshock - The aftershock

Gunda

Helicopter Children

Holgut

In Event of Moon Disaster

In Silico

Jules & ik

Ket & Doc

Kinshasa Now

La Mesure des Choses

Life in a day 2020

Lourdes

L’Ecole de l’impossible

Mayor

Meat the Future

Meet the Censors

Misha and the Wolves

MLK/FBI

Notturno

Oeconomia

Openingsfilm: Sabaya

Penggantian (Replacements)

President

Reset

Sabam Selects

Sabaya

Saint Nicolas est socialiste

Silence of the Tides

Sisters With Transistors

Slotfilm: A Glitch in the Matrix

Some Kind of Heaven

Spaceship Earth

Stop Making Sense

Taming the Garden

The Campaign against the Climate

The central test - A pest?

The Dissident

The Future of Work and Death

The Future Talks

The Hidden Life of Trees

The Human Factor

The Jump

The Lost Sons

The Mole Agent

The Mystery of D.B. Cooper

The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo

The Test & The Art of Thinking

This Is Not a Movie

Thom en Stoffel

Tussen Ons

VR Docs

What Makes Us Boys

What to do NOW for a better LATER?