Panel of Directors

A panel of prominent filmmakers and professionals exchange thoughts on this year’s theme: “Looking Back – The power of the archive”.

This years theme is more relevant than ever, looking at the release of highly successful music documentaries such as “Summer of Soul” and “Moonage Daydream” – films based on the use of archival material – that are not only popular with the main audience but also with critics and festivals.

How can you use copyrighted archival material and how does this material influence storytelling, specifically for music documentaries?
Artists who are no longer alive are depicted through the material they leave behind. “Never before seen footage” of artists who became famous long before the era of social media appear on YouTube. At the same time, there is more copyright control than ever, along with a rise in licensing fees, making it harder to access and use this specific material. There is a lot to discuss about today’s archive use from different perspectives.

The filmmakers and professionals in the panel share their personal experiences with these difficulties and how it has influenced their creative process and final product. During this conversation, the panel guests not only answer questions, but also have a discussion with each other and the audience.