Story of the Month
Sunny Side of the Doc 2021 Highlights
Delegates
  • Industry professionals: 1,500
  • Decision Makers: 380
  • Women: 58.5%
  • Countries: 58

Companies
  • Companies registered: 891
  • International: 68%
  • Exhibitors: 310
  • Contacts made: 1,025

Platform
  • Visits: 57,000
  • Projects/Programs: 475
  • One-to-one meetings: +1,000
  • Messages exchanged: 16,360
Audience
  • Hours of industry sessions: 53
  • Total sessions viewers: 6,126
  • Sessions average note: 4.3/5
  • SSD Guides views: 1,740

Social Media
  • Twitter followers: 8,444 (+371)
  • Facebook likes: 7,500 (+342)
  • Instagram followers: 1,700 (+550)

Most Viewed Session
Read the full French and International press coverage of Sunny Side 2021 HERE
Mayor of La Rochelle trying out the Lady Sapiens virtual reality attraction at PiXii Festival
Jeanne Machalot, director of StoryLab XR at France Télévisions, presents the Lady Sapiens experience
©Jean-François Augé - STUDIO OUEST
INCLUSION STANDARDS & DEBATE
CBC Canada commits to diversity in creative roles // C21Media
Hollywood A-listers work with Los Angeles high school to make the industry more inclusive // LA Times
Investment in a more diverse consumer population is critical // Beet.TV
Diversity in the media: Pubcasters have a role to play // Meta Media (FR)
The benefits of inclusive storytelling in animation: a panel at Cannes // CineEuropa
With Drawn Arms revisits the most famed Olympic protest of all // Washington Post
Americans Tommie Smith, center, and John Carlos raise their gloved fists in 1968. Australian 200M silver medalist Peter Norman joined their stand on the podium -- and also paid the price. (AP).
PROGRAMS & FORMATS
There’s a shift from documentary series to shorter formats // Variety
The True Crime documentary boom rolls on... and raises ethical issues // The Ringer
BBC and Apple team up for 9/11 anniversary special // Realscreen
High impact climate storytelling: lessons from Norway's NRK
Discovery+ commissions 3-part docuseries about the Hillsong Church // RealScreen
Fan obsession: YouTube's Blue Therapy reality show focuses on Black couples // Guardian
Netflix commissions two seasons of Sexy Beast, a reality dating show // Realscreen
Erika Dilday talks about POV’s new season & PBS's Ken Burns controversy // Variety
Most in Demand Documentary Sub-genres // Ringer (see chart below)

STREAMERS & PLATFORMS
Comcast Will Spend Billions on Peacock. Now It Needs a Strategy. // Bloomberg
Streamers prepare for cancellations as lockdown ends // The Age
Too many services causing consumers' "streaming fatigue" // Rapid TV News
Channel 4 launches True Crime platform // Guardian
Streaming platforms experience technical difficulties, who's to blame? // THR
SPAIN: Investment from US streamers has transformed the production landscape // Screen Daily
FRANCE: Netflix, Amazon must invest 20-25% of revs in local content // Variety
UK: Global streamers will be subject to regulation // C21Media
PEOPLE & BUSINESS
Attenborough denounces privatization of pubcasters // The Guardian
ARTE documentary commissioner Mark Edwards joins Netflix // RealScreen
BBC Docs hires Naomi Benson as new head of development // C21Media
Nakul Legha of Netflix Australia reveals priorities // C21Media
Off The Fence CEO Bo Stehmeier promotes Allison Bean in creative reorg // Realscreen
Rupert Murdoch launches Fox Weather, a new streaming channel // NYT
WORTH READING!!
Caroline Fraser describes how the True Crime genre has evolved to place female victims at center of the storytelling // New York Review of Books
Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’ Debuts With Dazzling $80 Million in Theaters, $60 Million on Disney+. A Post-Pandemic record! // Variety
Hours viewed of UK TV & film content much more than rest of Europe // The Guardian
Peter Hamilton's Documentary Business and Sunny Side of the Doc are publishing partners, providing our colleagues throughout the year with valuable industry analysis and context. Thanks for your feedback, and for sending us stories with links that you feel our readers will appreciate... at news@sunnysideofthedoc.com.
Editorial Assistant: Becca Wallance