Sunny Side of the Doc set for June comeback in new format
- After calling off its 2026 edition in December, the event will return to La Rochelle from 22-24 June in streamlined form and with a new partnership with Documentary Campus in place
Just weeks after announcing the cancellation of its 2026 edition owing to severe financial constraints (see the news), Sunny Side of the Doc has officially confirmed its return to La Rochelle from 22-24 June, unveiling a reconfigured, three-day market format and a strategic partnership with Documentary Campus.
The reversal follows what the organisers describe as “unprecedented community mobilisation”, and renewed backing from public and private stakeholders, including decisive support from the French CNC, which have allowed the market to stabilise its funding base and rethink its operational model.
In early December 2025, organiser Doc Services had stunned the documentary sector by calling off the event’s 37th edition, citing “the loss of the main European grant and the decrease in structural economic support as well as organisational constraints”, while warning that the future of the market could only be envisaged through a profound reorganisation. That reorganisation has now materialised.
“This partnership allows us to look ahead with clarity and ambition,” said Aurélie Reman, managing director of Sunny Side of the Doc. “Taking time to listen and reflect was essential in order to design a model that would align with the shifting demands of the documentary community. Sunny Side of the Doc is that lighthouse guiding the way, the entry point for a world of stories with power and authenticity.”
She added that the collaboration with Documentary Campus would reinforce Sunny Side’s role “as a key marketplace while creating fresh opportunities for the professionals who firmly stood up for it”.
The 2026 edition will adopt a streamlined, efficiency-driven format, centred on a compact B2B environment, and designed to respond to the sector’s ongoing industrial and editorial transitions. At the core of the overhaul is a reimagined market structure focused on linear productions and digital-first strategies, alongside a round-table pitching system replacing traditional on-stage pitches in favour of more direct, discussion-based encounters.
The programme will also feature high-level talks and professional sessions addressing the future of documentary storytelling, financing and business models.
“Documentary Campus brings long-standing expertise in designing and managing market-driven programmes that respond directly to the industry’s most urgent needs,” said Donata von Perfall, managing director of Documentary Campus. “With this new partnership, we are working together to build a market that addresses today’s challenges while driving the future of how documentaries are financed, produced and shared globally.”
For Roman Jeanneau, president of Doc Services, the 2026 return marks a crucial moment for the sector. “We are delighted to confirm that Sunny Side of the Doc will return in 2026,” he commented. “This partnership with Documentary Campus and Donata von Perfall’s commitment are a response to the needs of professionals at a pivotal moment for the industry. Under Aurélie Reman’s leadership, Sunny Side will continue to foster business, fruitful connections and meaningful reflections.”
Founded as an international marketplace dedicated to both linear and non-linear documentary, Sunny Side of the Doc has historically brought together over 2,000 professionals from more than 60 countries each June in La Rochelle, positioning itself as a central hub for international co-financing and circulation.
Following the uncertainty sparked by December’s cancellation, the 2026 confirmation sends a strong signal of resilience — and of an industry-led recalibration — at a time when public broadcasters and documentary markets across Europe are facing mounting financial and structural pressures.
Professionals from across the global documentary community are invited to reconvene in La Rochelle from 22-24 June, with organisers recommending early booking of travel and accommodation.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.
