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Doc Society
Documentary film non-profit organisation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Doc Society (formerly BRITDOC and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation[1]) is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 dedicated to supporting independent documentary filmmaking globally[2]. Beyond supporting the right to self-expression, they are focused on the right of all citizens to access media in the public interest - and building the global ecosystem that makes that possible.
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History
Doc Society was established in 2005[3] in the United Kingdom by Jess Search, Maxyne Franklin, Katie Bradford and Beadie Finzi. The non-profit Foundation launched with support from UK broadcaster Channel 4 initially to back British documentaries that were seen as outside of the scope of broadcast commissions.
Originally named the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation, then later BRITDOC Foundation, the organization rebranded as Doc Society in 2017.
Since its founding, it has expanded its focus beyond the UK to become a global organization with team members across the UK, US, Europe, Africa, Australia and Latin America to support documentary filmmakers worldwide.[4]
Today the organization is led by co-directors Sandra Whipham, Megha Agrawal Sood, Shanida Scotland, Maxyne Franklin and Beadie Finzi[5].
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Mission and Values
Doc Society's mission is to enable and support documentary films and connect them with audiences globally. As a cultural strategy organization, Doc Society believes that documentaries are a vital part of culture and democracy with a unique ability to engage and connect people, transform communities, and imagine new futures.
Key values that guide Doc Society's work include:
- Supporting independent storytelling free from government, corporate, or algorithmic control[6]
- Championing media plurality as essential to democracy and a defense against autocracy
- Promoting a decolonized and decentralized global media ecosystem
- Commitment to anti-racism, economic justice, and climate justice
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Granted Works
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Since its founding, Doc Society has supported the production of 600 films[7] from 75 countries. The organization has backed numerous award-winning and award-nominated documentaries, including:
- Citizenfour (2014) directed by Laura Poitras - Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, BAFTA Award for Best Documentary
- The Square (2013) directed by Jehane Noujaim - Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature, winner of three Emmy Awards including Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
- Dirty Wars (2013) directed by Richard Rowley - Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature
- Virunga (2014) directed by Orlando von Einsiedel - Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature
- Afghan Star (2009) directed by Havana Marking - Winner of the Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Audience Award and Directing Award, Grierson Award for Best Documentary
- Hell and Back Again (2011) by Danfung Dennis - Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Winner, Academy Award nominee
- Nothing Compares (2022) directed by Kathryn Ferguson - BIFA Award winner
- Rebellion (2021) directed by Elena Sánchez Bellot and Maia Kenworthy - BAFTA nominee
- While We Watched (2022) by Vinay Shukla
- We Are Together by Paul Taylor and Teddy Leifer - Winner of multiple festival audience awards
- Return to Homs (2013) directed by Talal Derki - Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner
- The Yes Men Fix the World (2009) by Mike Bonanno, Andy Bichlbaum & Kurt Engfehr
- Moving to Mars (2009) by Mat Whitecross and Karen Katz
- Sounds Like Teen Spirit: A Popumentary (2008) by Jamie Jay Johnson
- The Black Cop (2021) - BAFTA Film Award, British Short Film [[8]]
- Nikki Giovanni: Going to Mars (2024) by Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson - Emmy Winner: Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking
- The Territory (2023) 2023 Winner Primetime Emmy Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking
- The End of the Line (2009) by Rupert Murray - Sundance Film Festival selection and influential environmental documentary
- The Solitary Life of Cranes (2008) by Eva Weber
- Undercover: Exposing the Far Right (2024) - BAFTA Nominated
- A Bunch of Amateurs (2022) - Sheffield International Documentary Festival Audience Award winner
- The Bengali Detective (2011) by Philip Cox - Sundance Film Festival selection
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Awards
Doc Society films have won Peabody Awards, received Academy nominations, BAFTA awards and BIFA awards.
Programs[9]
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BFI Doc Society Fund
Since 2018, Doc Society has served as the British Film Institute's official documentary partner, administering National Lottery funding to support UK documentary filmmaking. The BFI Doc Society Fund[10] provides financial support and development opportunities for UK filmmakers through several programs:
- BFI Doc Society Features Fund: Provides grants of up to £150,000[11] for documentary features at any stage of production
- Made of Truth: Supports short-form documentary projects with grants up to £25,000[12][13]
- Research & Development (RAD) Fund: Supports the early development stage of documentary projects[14]
In 2023, the BFI renewed its partnership with Doc Society, investing £6 million over three years to support UK documentary filmmaking.[15]
Climate Story Unit[16]
The Climate Story Unit[17] supports transformative storytelling aimed at advancing a climate-just and biodiverse future. Key components include:
- Climate Story Fund: Provides grants up to $125,000[18] to support the production and impact campaigns of climate-related documentary projects[19]
- Climate Story Labs: Convenes filmmakers, activists, and experts to develop climate storytelling strategies in their regional contexts
- Climate Story Kitchen: Experiments with innovative approaches to distribution of climate stories
From 2021 to 2025, the Climate Story Fund has awarded over $4 million to more than 50 projects from around the world.
Democracy Story Unit[20]
The Democracy Story Unit[21] is a cultural strategy initiative supporting storytelling that advances more just and inclusive societies[22]. The unit:
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References
External links
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