Astra Film Doc Tank
This year, eight film projects have been selected to be developed within the DocTank program at Astra Film Festival, dedicated to the documentary film industry. The selected films, currently in various stages of development or production, will benefit from both the expertise and guidance of industry specialists, as well as financial support to complete the projects. The DocTank program has been implemented at AFF since 2016 and aims to encourage the development of the Romanian and European documentary film industry.
Astra DocTank 2024 Awards. At the end of the program, four awards will be presented. The program also includes individual mentorship sessions with three international experts from the documentary film industry: director Jorge Léon from Belgium (Directing tutor), producer Olivier Sertić from Croatia (Production tutor), and Dimitra Kouzi, communication consultant and producer from Greece (Marketing tutor). For more information on the list of selected films and the full DocTank2024 program, visit: https://www.astrafilm.ro/program-doctank.
- Astra DocTank Emerging Voices Award presented by VOYO. The award for the most promising Romanian project, offered by VOYO, includes a development deal and a €5,000 cash prize.
- Chainsaw Europe Studio Award. This award includes post-production services for color grading and DCP mastering, valued at €5,000.
- Raina Festival Consultancy Award. This award offers consultancy and analysis regarding entry into film festivals.
- East Silver Market Award by the Institute of Documentary Film. This award includes selection for the 2025 East Silver Market and two accreditations for the team.
DocTank Jury. The DocTank jury consists of: Gabriela Iacob (Head of Scripted Content Development, PRO TV Romania), Viorel Chesaru (Managing Director, Chainsaw Europe), Inka Achté (Acquisitions Director at Raina Films and Program Director at DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival, Finland) and Veronika Dvořáčková (East Silver Manager at the Institute of Documentary Film, Czech Republic).
Focus Trinh T. Minh-ha: Intervals of Resistance
This year, Astra Film Festival dedicates a special program to an extraordinary filmmaker, artist, and theorist, Trinh T. Minh-ha, the guest of honor at this edition. AFF2024 audiences will be able to watch three of her films, Reassemblage (1982), Shoot for the Contents (1991), and What About China? (2022), and will have the chance to attend a Q&A session and a masterclass titled "Focus Trinh T. Minh-ha: Intervals of Resistance"—both designed to highlight her radical approach to documentary filmmaking.
Born in Hanoi and emigrating to the USA in 1970, Trinh has redefined how we understand concepts of identity, representation, and power since the early 1980s, especially in the context of marginalized collective female voices from the Global South. Her most renowned works, such as the book *Woman, Native, Other* (1989), have played key roles in the history of feminism and post-colonial studies, offering nuanced critiques of gaze and totalitarian perspectives.
DocStudent Hub
Astra Film Festival offers a training program exclusively for film students from Romania and Europe. They will have the opportunity to participate in workshops, masterclasses, and hands-on activities in documentary filmmaking, production, and distribution. Students and professors from five prestigious universities in Prague, Zagreb, Vilnius, Bratislava, Zlin, and Romania’s Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj will also attend. Additionally, they will participate as observers in the pitching sessions of film projects within the DocTank industry program. Presented for the first time, the DocStudent Hub program is developed by the National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" in Bucharest and Astra Film Festival.
About Astra Film Festival
Founded in 1993, Astra Film Festival, the most important Romanian documentary cinema event, and one of the most important in the East & Central Europe. Launched as an innovative project, Astra Film Festival operates under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and is organized by Astra Film, CNM Astra, and the Astra Film Foundation. In addition to the documentaries presented in premier in the four competition sections, the festival includes thematic film and debate program, portrait of a master, a rich industry program called Astra Film Doc Tank, a New Media Full Dome program, and Astra Film Junior - dedicated to pupils (6/18 years old) documentary film education program.
Strategic Partner: Ministry of Culture
With support from the Sibiu County Council, the National Center of Cinematography, the Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Sibiu, the Filmmakers’ Union, the Romanian Cultural Institute, and AFCN. The project is co-financed by the Sibiu Local Council through the Sibiu City Hall.
Sponsors
ING Bank, Groupama, Mecatronics, Artesana, Luthelo, Decathlon, TheRefresh
DocTank Sponsors
PRO TV, VOYO, Chainsaw Europe Studio, Raina Film Festival Distribution, Institute of Documentary Film
Recommended by: Europa FM
Main Media Partner: PRO TV, VOYO
Cultural Partner: TVR, TVR Cultural
Media Partners: TV5 Monde, Euronews Romania, Radio Romania Cultural, News.ro, G4media, Hotnews, Spotmedia, Vorbitorincii.ro, Tribuna, Turnul Sfatului, Sibiu 100%, Mesagerul de Sibiu, Ora de Sibiu, Sibiu Independent, Sibiul Azi, Hermannstädter Zeitung, Nine O’Clock, Edupedu, Observator Cultural, MovieNews, Cinefan, Cinefilia, Revista FILM, Cineuropa, Film New Europe
Monitoring Partner: MediaTrust
