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The distribution of documentary films: Reaching audiences
Forum 2005

Friday, November 18, 2005, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
NFB Cinema, 1564 Saint-Denis St., Montréal

This year—following up on Forum 2004, “Filming Reality: What Training for What Skill?”—the Documentary Network invites the film community to share ideas on the distribution of documentaries.

Television is the primary means of disseminating the documentary. But the broadcast date comes and goes, and then what? Is there life after broadcast? We will take a look at various paths to reach audiences that have been opened up by digital distribution. We will also report on the new funding programs for theatrical distribution of feature documentaries.

The results of Forum 2005 are available on the Documentary Network Web site and will contribute to keeping the community’s thinking on the issue up to date. The Documentary Network is taking part in the Advisory Group on Documentary Policy, which aims to standardize the funding agencies’ guidelines in order to facilitate efforts to fund documentaries. In 2006-2007, the Group intends to propose a comprehensive Canadian documentary assistance policy to the Department of Canadian Heritage.