Events round-up: Edinburgh TV Festival plans climate summit; Sheffield DocFest details announced; Conecta Fiction announces Spanish showcase

Charlotte Moore

Edinburgh TV Festival plans climate summit

The Edinburgh TV Festival is launching its first-ever Climate Content Summit, a new event to take place on 7 June at Barbican Centre that will examine the industry’s response to climate change.

The summit will explore how experts, producers, execs, talent, commissioners, development teams, writers, directors can respond with work that engages audiences on the topic.

As part of the event, BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore will have a sit-down conversation with director and filmmaker Kevin Macdonald, and Sky director of original drama, Meghan Lyvers, will join an industry debate with other platforms and broadcasters about their response to the climate crisis.

Other highlights of the festival include a conversation with broadcaster and meteorologist Laura Tobin, and a masterclass with Richie Mehta, director of Apple TV+ series Extrapolations.

Sheffield DocFest details announced

Sheffield DocFest, the UK documentary festival taking place next month, has revealed its full films programme, alternate realities exhibit and public talks.

Key Broadcaster talks include the BBC Interview: with actor, director, author and activist David Harewood to discuss his documentary work; the ITV Interview: with presenter Laura Whitmore to talk about her series Laura Whitmore Investigates; and the already announced Munya Chawawa talk, discussing his unique approach to integrating satire in documentary, as seen in How To Survive a Dictator on Channel 4

The film programme will total 122 films (86 features and 36 shorts), drawn from just under 2,500 entries, including 37 World Premieres, 20 International Premieres, 10 European Premieres, 47 UK Premieres and 8 retrospective films, from 52 countries of production.

More than half – 54% – of the films in the programme are directed by women. Titles screen in three competition sections – International Competition, International First Feature Competition and International Short Film Competition. In special programmes, and in six strand sections: Rhythms, Debates, People & Community, Memories, Rebellions and Journeys.

Meanwhile, the Alternate Realities exhibition includes a five-part VR series with acclaimed filmmakers Abel Ferrara, Tsai Ming-Liang, Catherine Hardwicke, Lee Myung-Se and Naomi Kawase.

Conecta Fiction

Conecta Fiction announces Spanish showcase

Next month’s Conecta Fiction event will include a Spain Content Showcase, it has been announced.

The showcase, will be made up of several activities specially designed to give Spanish content the greatest relevance and exposure. Wednesday, 28 June will feature a session dedicated to the most successful and original series and TV formats from Spain, while on Thursday, 29 June, Spanish sales agents will present their most recent and exportable content.

To complement the showcase, several exclusive networking activities are planned where international buyers, and Spanish distributors will be able to strengthen personal and commercial ties.

Meanwhile, the fourth edition of Conecta Think Tank is now open for registration. The event will take place on Monday, 26 June in Guadamur Castle, 20 kilometers from Toledo city. Throughout the day, participants will be able to get to know each other, exchange impressions, share data and highlight the experience of each participant on topics of  interest and relevance.

Conecta Fiction is taking place in Toledo in Spain from 26-29 June.