23/02/2024 - Running from 13-24 March in Copenhagen, the high-profile documentary event will include 84 world premieres, a series of thematic strands and a number of acclaimed guests

CPH:DOX 2024 presents a diverse programme, featuring over 200 new movies from global filmmakers, including 84 world, 32 international and nine European premieres. The festival, running from 13-24 March, has introduced thematic sections addressing contemporary issues like geopolitics and body politics (see the news). Highlights include documentaries on Apollo 13, gender and Gaza, alongside international premieres of Sundance hits. Notable guests will enrich the event with their presence in Copenhagen.

The film programme (see the news) will unfold across cinemas in Copenhagen and 42 municipalities in Denmark, embracing nationwide distribution. Among the 84 world premieres, 57 are feature-length films, marking a record number for the festival. Six competition categories, including the new HUMAN:RIGHTS Award, will be adjudicated by an international jury. Additionally, from 22-31 March, a curated selection of films will be available for online streaming on the festival's PARA:DOX platform. The 21st edition of CPH:DOX emphasises the role of art in fostering dialogue and promoting introspection, as we arrive at a critical juncture where such engagement is essential. As audiences explore this year's competitive line-up, they will experience cinema's power to provoke thought and conversation.

Niklas Engstrøm, artistic director of CPH:DOX, says: “For CPH:DOX, our primary focus is on tackling the most crucial and pressing contemporary issues. In a world increasingly marked by polarisation, we must be willing to challenge our own established truths and engage in meaningful dialogues with those holding different opinions and perspectives. Director Max Kestner exemplifies this open and inquisitive spirit in the festival's opening film, Life and Other Problems [+see also:
film review
film profile], where he embarks on a quest to unravel the meaning and value of life, inspired by the global media scandal surrounding the euthanasia of a giraffe in a Danish Zoo exactly a decade ago. This same ethos of openness and curiosity guides us at CPH:DOX as we navigate the complexities of the world – even during such tumultuous times as we are experiencing at the moment.”

Since 7 October 2023, the enduring Israeli-Palestinian conflict has dominated headlines, sparking intense debate. This year's festival spotlights this urgent issue, with seven films delving into different aspects of the conflict, including three world premieres. Tal Barda’s I Shall Not Hate, in the HUMAN:RIGHTS Competition, follows Palestinian author Izzeldin Abuelaish, a Nobel Prize nominee who perseveres in striving for peace, despite losing his daughters in a Gaza attack. Other films like Larissa Sansour and Søren Lind's Familiar Phantoms and Jonathan Schaller and Philipp Schaeffer's Silent Night explore nuanced perspectives. Additionally, new releases such as No Other Land [+see also:
film review
interview: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
film profile], Bye Bye Tiberias [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lina Soualem
film profile] and There Was Nothing Here Before offer fresh insights. Erin Axelman and Sam Eilertsen's controversial Israelism also adds depth to the discourse.

The "Conflicted" festival theme delves into global conflicts touching upon culture, identity and territorial disputes. Alongside Israel-Palestine, it examines Russia's war on Ukraine, Chinese-Taiwanese tensions and Armenia-Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh issue. While recognising their uniqueness, the festival underscores their common themes of identity and territorial discord, acknowledging the absence of any easy solutions. Notably, progress in the Northern Irish conflict is highlighted in The Flats. Moreover, a new HUMAN:RIGHTS Award is being introduced in collaboration with the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Ten films are vying for this prize, featuring five world, one European and four international premieres, thus amplifying the festival's commitment to exploring pressing global issues.

CPH:DOX presents a star-studded events line-up alongside its thought-provoking film programme. Peter Doherty: Stranger in My Own Skin [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Katia de Vidas – who became Pete Doherty's wife – offers a candid discussion on his struggles with substance abuse, followed by an intimate acoustic performance by the singer. Canadian electroclash superstar Peaches will discuss Teaches of Peaches [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Philipp Fussenegger, Judy L…
film profile], affording a glimpse into her electrifying persona. The festival also showcases recent Sundance hits like Lana Wilson’s Look into My Eyes, Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw’s Gaucho Gaucho, Carla Gutierrez’s Frida, Yance Ford’s Power, and Gary Hustwit’s Eno, the definitive documentary about Brian Eno, one of the world's pioneers of electronic music. Other music stars portrayed in the programme include Lil Nas X, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon and many others. Award-winning directors such as Alex Gibney (In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon) and James Marsh (Dance First [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) will present their latest works, as will Shiori Ito (Black Box Diaries [+see also:
film review
film profile]), Cannes winner Asmae El Moudir (The Mother of All Lies) and emerging talent Zia Anger, who is premiering the film version of her groundbreaking documentary live performance entitled My First Film. Noteworthy world premieres include those of Peter Middleton’s Apollo Thirteen: Survival, Ciaran Cassidy’s Housewife of the Year and The Stimming Pool, made by a collective of filmmakers, The Neurocultures Collective, in collaboration with Steven Eastwood.

You can check out the full 2024 programme here.