September is adventure month at DocsBarcelona. It's when we open our call for entries for the next edition of the festival and it's an exciting time, because we're eagerly awaiting what has happened over the last year, what themes have caught the attention of creators from all over the world and to which formal options the best documentaries of this season will move.
It is also a time when we meet again with Sales Agents and Distributors in order to learn about their selection, the new titles they have been involved with and discover the trends in the documentary film market. One of the essential appointments in Europe for this reunion is the Nordisk Panorama, a festival that takes place in Malmö (Sweden) and where you can see the powerful documentaries produced in northern Europe while learning about the projects that are already underway for the coming seasons. And this is the life of a festival programmer: always on the lookout for finished films and, at the same time, with an eye on upcoming films, to track them, accompany them and, often with unexpected surprises and twists, be a unique witness to its evolution and radical transformation. I'm deeply fascinated by the creative process of documentary filmmaking in this sense: one idea can turn into a completely different one during the production process as creative teams work with the changing and unpredictable nature of reality.
I take advantage of these lines to encourage filmmakers and production companies to register their documentaries for the next edition of DocsBarcelona which will be held in May 2025. We are looking for unique and inspiring stories, told from a creatively and risky formal options and with the desire to touch the hearts of our audiences. Last edition, DocsBarcelona received 60% more spectators compared to the previous year. This year we want to do it again.