Presentation

The documentary genre fully fulfils its role once again: to offer the possibility of understanding and thinking about our place in the world and in time, in the most diverse cinematic forms, possibly even crossing formal borders for the benefit of the storytelling.
Reality based films may not change the world but they do offer a better understanding of it and, who knows, eventually bring a contribution in transforming apathy into a force for change.
With around 180 films and a programme prepared with passion, the IX doclisboa offers the audience a place to meet, to share experiences, to reflect, to reshape points of view and to discuss.

«Travelling to doclisboa to encounter great masters of the truth has become a very pleasant autumn event.»

José Manuel López, Cahiers du Cinema

«What makes a good festival? The atmosphere, which has a lot to do with the physical space and the people who receive us. The information we are given -
- the agenda, site, catalogue, the introductions of the guest directors - and of course, the programme. Taking the documentary art form seriously without pretentiousness. And daring to fight to achieve better conditions for documentary, on national and international level. Doclisboa has all of this!»

Tue Steen Müller, Filmkommentar

Organised by Apordoc in the second half of October, each year DocLisboa premieres the best documentaries of the last season, bringing together a series of competitive and non-competitive programmes and retrospectives of internationally acclaimed filmmakers. The festival's masterclasses are free and open to the public. Informal get-togethers with directors stimulate dialogue between professionals and the public. During the festival, participants can also attend and participate in the International Co-production Forum Lisbon Docs (pitching).