October 2021
Story of the Month
Climate Change Breaking Through?
The COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference opens in Glasgow on October 31, bringing urgency to the race to save our planet.

Documentary decision-makers are responding with lots of new orders.

Does global warming have the urgent audience appeal of programs that address hot button issues like true crime, gender, and social & racial equity?

Read more in this month's News Roundup...
Documentaries explore our planet on thin ice
ITV, BBC unveil climate commitments, education ahead of COP26 // Realscreen
YouTube: Sustainability-themed series highlights expanding originals slate // Realscreen
Netflix: Together for our Planet: une nouvelle collection Netflix de programmes axés sur l’environnement: // Netflix (ENG/FR)
«Une fois que tu sais»: Emmanuel Cappellin s’attaque aux changements climatiques // Le Blog Documentaire (FR)
PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS
Sabaya, a film by Hogir Hirori
Sabaya and consent in documentary about Yazidi women held as sex slaves by ISIS “He said, she said, she said” // Modern Times
Discovery+ and Oprah’s OWN dine on Soul Food / C21
Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar-winning Goop mega-millionaire to launch sex and sexuality series for Netflix // The Age
Discovery’s True Crime slate announced // Realscreen
Netflix orders Bernie Madoff doc series from Joe Berlinger // Realscreen
Wildlife film making in Uganda: Allison Carden Hanes in the spotlight // Documentary
Seal-mounted camera recovered after 3 years on Nova Scotia ocean floor yields hours of video | CBC News
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
The benefita of the shift to Connected TV
Ofcom alert: Broadcasters facing diverse talent drain // RapidTV
Amazon Studios links with Howard University // Deadline
LGBTQ documentaries take a deeper look at coming out // IDA
Netflix, UNESCO Launch Competition to Find Next Generation of African Filmmakers // Variety
Egyptian filmmaker Sara Shazli on how Cairo lockdown inspired doc ‘Back Home’ // Screen Daily
CURED: Psychiatry Films & Politics: Filmmakers dispute review // Counterpunch
CHART OF THE MONTH
Netflix & YouTube dominate viewing
STREAMERS & PLATFORMS
U.K. Broadcasters Close Ranks in Battle With Streaming Giants // Bloomberg
Discovery+ heads to Canada after solving licensing deal issues // C21
UK lockdown streaming habits are here to stay // RapidTV
Slovenia proposes a European Netflix // Broadband TV News
UNESCO to develop new filmmakers in sub-Saharan Africa // France TV Info (FR)
HBO/Max loss of 1.8 Million U.S. subs in Q3 is actually a Good Thing // VideoNuze
Discovery+ and Disney+ leverage cultural touchpoints // Adweek
Disney+, probable leader du marché de la SVOD en 2025 // Le Figaro (FR)
European Broadcasters Up Commissioning Activity // Worldscreen
THE DIGITAL VIDEO ECONOMY
The 'unstoppable' rise of the documentary?
Why the future of the documentary / unscripted sector is “unstoppable” // Realscreen
BBC’s radical new data plan takes aim at Netflix // Wired
TV Broadcast Ratings: Down 20% in 2021 Versus 2019 // MediaPost
Peacock Has the Highest Churn among Subscription Streaming services // NEXT TV
Quibi’s $1.8 Billion Dollar Disaster: Jeffrey Katzenberg tries to explain it all away // NYT
French exhibitors call on Netflix to renounce cinema screenings plan  // Figaro
HBO Max launches in Nordics & Spain as European rollout begins // TBI
Apple is the sleeping video streaming giant: Plans big office expansion in Los Angeles area as it adds creative employees // LA Times (Photo below)
VIDEO OF THE MONTH
PODCAST OF THE MONTH
An amateur singer crosses paths with Thomas Edison in 1899. The resulting wax cylinder recordings are a glimpse into the world of fin de siècle America. // The Artifactual podcast series about the archive is produced by Tom Jennings' 1895 Films. It's an exciting new content partnership with Sunny Side of the Doc and Doc Business.
PEOPLE, FESTIVALS & MARKETS
Sunny Side of the Doc reorg & new hires. Names 8-year veteran Aurélie Reman as COO // SSD
Sundance Institute names Joana Vicente new CEO // Realscreen
Hot Docs names Heather Conway as executive director and co-president  // Realscreen
IDFA unveils 62 projects selected for 2021 Forum // Realscreen
IF/Then Shorts and Redford Center unveil DOC NYC nature pitch finalists // Realscreen
WELL WORTH READING
Facebook’s devastating defeat: Australia’s High Court decision holds media companies responsible for their readers’ comments // The Age
Dave Chappelle: Netflix plays hardball arguing the substance (“Content doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm”), sacks a leaker and suspends, then reinstates an "agitator" as employees stage walkout. Protesting pro-trans Netflix employees release a list of demands and clash with the comedian’s fans outside Netflix HQ. // The Verge & Variety
Great White Shark docs: Underwater filmmaker and risk-taker reveals all // NYT
The (Unfortunate) Rise of the Docucomedy Special  / Vulture
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: Niko Frost