Supporters rallying outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh in December before a debate on the gender recognition bill. Credit - Jane Barlow/Press Association, via Associated Press

Last month, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex at birth. This decision effectively excludes trans women as women, trans men as men, and non-binary people from legal recognition. 

 

While it will likely take several months for the full legal implications of this ruling to become clear, many organisations have already moved to exclude trans women from their spaces. The UK Football Association announced that “transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England from 1 June 2025,” prompting an open letter of opposition signed by over 100 grassroots football clubs. Similar announcements soon followed from governing bodies in cricket, netball, and boxing, introducing restrictions on trans women’s participation.

 

We’ll Go Down In History, a short film supported by the BFI Doc Society Made of Truth Fund, follows TRUK United - the UK’s first all-trans football team. Premiering at BFI Flare and featured in the British Council’s Five Films for Freedom campaign, the filmmakers and TRUK United players have shared the following message:

 

“Over the past two and a half years, we’ve had the privilege of documenting TRUK United, a grassroots, proudly trans football team. In the face of rising transphobia in the UK, the club became a lifeline for so many; a space of joy and belonging for people who thought they’d been shut out of the game. Again and again, we heard the same story: TRUK gave them back football.

 

Now, that space is under threat. The recent Supreme Court ruling in the UK has brought a severe rollback of trans rights across society. From June 1st, the Football Association will ban trans women from participating in women’s football. It’s a devastating move for a community that simply wants the chance to play the sport they love. But if there’s one thing we know about this team, it’s that they won’t stop fighting for that right.”

 

This ruling is not about safeguarding women in the UK; rather, it focuses on controlling definitions of identity. By framing womanhood strictly in biological terms, it conflates sex with gender, reinforces exclusion, and creates additional risks for trans people - especially trans women - not only in the UK but also by strengthening the global anti-gender movement that is gaining traction.

 

At Doc Society, we have been proud to help bring greater visibility to the lives, relationships, the joy of queer communities all over the world. Today we stand in solidarity with our trans, intersex, and nonbinary friends, family, and allies. This is a difficult and regressive moment, but we remain present and committed. Laws may change over time, but our lives and stories will always matter.

 

You can find out more about the ruling and what can be done to uphold trans rights in the UK at https://transactual.org.uk/ and The Good Law Project.

 

Yours, with love and solidarity,

Team Doc Society

 

Doc Society is proud as punch that The Taste of Mango has just been released as part of Season 37 of POV, the flagship Documentary strand on PBS in the USA.  

 

The film joins Name Me Lawand, Hummingbirds, Is There Anybody Out There and Against the Tide as part of Season 37. Which is now under threat with the Executive Order to end Federal funding to PBS and NPR.

 

It is hard to overstate the importance of POV, Independent Lens and America ReFramed to US and international filmmakers. In the past three years alone, we estimate 25% of our grantees have screened to millions of US citizens via these platforms. 

 

From PBS to the BBC, Arte to YLE and NHK -  the fragile structures of public service media are still standing. And imperfect as they may be -  they need to be defended not defunded in this time. Beyond the whims of the market and relentless logic of algorithms - they remain essential in disseminating information, fostering public dialogue, holding authority figures to account, and promoting transparency. Add your voice in the US right here. 

Thursday, May 8th, a global network of visionary artists, impact producers, movement leaders and cultural organizers, will gather to envision how we are collectively Rewilding the Mainstream: Visions of Climate Just Futures.  We invite you to join us.

 

Hosted by Doc Society’s Climate Story Unit, this gathering is celebrating the independent storytellers who are planting seeds of narratives that envision better futures for all, the flourishing ecosystems that cultural allies are creating when they bring unexpected alliances together, from Afrobeats producers to Hague litigators to shift global climate policy, and the significant climate wins that are popping up across the globe. In a moment of global evolution, it is an opportunity to amplify the progress that has been made and inspire what is capable within our communities.

Featured Speakers Include: Ekow Eshun, Writer and Curator * Andrea Ixchíu, Culture Hack Labs * Nasreen Al-Amin, Surge Africa Org * Bassam Alasad, Greener Screen ltd * Dhashen Moodley, Radio Workshop * Cindy Makandi, Tunga Media Afrika * Samuel Rubin, Entertainment + Culture Pavilion * Paige Bethmann, Remaining Native * Anita Khanna, Temperature Rising * Gabriel Klassen, Intersectional Justice Advocate * Anupama Srinivasan, Metropolis * Otilia Portillo Padua, The Queendom * Maisha Maene, Fragment * Diego Galafassi, Hum Studio Interactive.

 

Grab a friend and join us on May 8th, 2025 - 9AM Mexico City | 11AM New York | 4PM London | 6PM Nairobi | 9:30PM Delhi. Last minute registration here.

We’re excited to announce the cohort of our 2025 RISE Producer Programme, selected from a UK-wide open call for applications. RISE will offer individually tailored guidance and training for these 6 UK-based participants, aimed at breaking down socio-economic barriers of access and sustainability for emerging first time feature documentary producers.

 

The producers are Andy Wilkinson (Northern Ireland), Arij Al Soltan (Midlands), Dermot O’Dempsey (North East), Ilinca Calugareanu (Scotland), Toby Cameron (Wales), and Yemi Adegbulu (London). Andy Wilkinson’s place on the programme has been generously supported by Northern Ireland Screen. 

 

Find out more about the programme and participants on Screen Daily or our website. They will be attending Sheffield DocFest 2025. Get in touch with sanne@docsociety.org for more info or meeting opportunities.

Still Pushing Pineapples has been announced as the Opening Night film at Sheffield Doc/Fest! Whoop whoop!  Also premiering at this year’s Doc/Fest is BFI Doc Society supported Our Land, A Want in Her, A Story Left Behind, plus Blue Has No Borders and Echoes (both supported in development)

All this in addition to festival darlings: Apocalypse in the Tropics, How to Build a Library and The Librarians - plus Comparsa! - supported by the Democracy Story Lab.

Opening night of DC/DOX this year Thursday, June 12 will feature the world premiere of STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE! by directors/producers Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, produced by Karen Ranucci. This film follows the story of renowned journalist Amy Goodman and the fight for independent journalism. Her warm and radical spirit, and her utterly fearless reporting are interwoven with the monumental events she has covered over decades, spotlighting the critical role of journalism in shaping our understanding of truth—and in compelling action at a time when independent journalism is under attack.

Supported by our Threshold Fund, we’re so excited for this film to reach audiences, reminding us all of the importance of a healthy media ecosystem for democracy. 

Director Paige Bethmann discusses Remaining Native in the latest episode from Doc Voices, a newsletter/podcast that expands on the Pure Nonfiction podcast.The film recently held its New York Premiere at the Margaret Mead Film Festival, screening in the American Museum of Natural History alongside a 5K community run. Upcoming stops include the Seattle International Film Fest, MountainFilm and Imaginative. 

You can follow the film’s festival and community tour or, even better, request hosting your own screening through their website here. 

Entries for Grierson British Documentary Awards 2025 are now open! With 15 categories, the Grierson Awards (brought to you by the Grierson Trust in association with All3Media) celebrate excellence across all documentary genres. All documentaries and factual programmes that have first been made available to a UK audience between 1 June 2024 – 31 May 2025 are eligible. Deadline for entries 4 June 2025. Apply here. 

The IDFA Bertha Fund invites filmmakers to enter their projects for IBF Classic, the Fund’s flagship grant program supporting creative documentary films in development and (post-)production.

Deadline: June 10, 2025.

The 2026 cycle of the NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship launched on April 30, in partnership with CAA Foundation, the Redford Center, NBCUniversal, and the Black List. Three Fellows. Three $20,000 grants. Six months of mentorship. Applications are open until Nov 28th 2025. 

COME FIND THE BFI DOC SOCIETY TEAM THIS MAY:

@ Open City Documentary Festival, London

8 May, 11:00 - Long Visions: Developing an Artist’s Feature Documentary

8 May, 14:00 - 1-2-1 Advice Sessions

@ Flatpack Festival, Birmingham

13 May, 18:00 - Mirror Images: A Conversation on Personal Filmmaking

13 May, 20:00 & 14 May, 15:30 - 1-2-1 Advice Sessions

17 May, 16:45: Desert Island Docs

There’s still time to submit your work to Gotham’s Project Market! The 2025 Gotham Week Project Market is a meetings-driven forum connecting new fiction and documentary projects in development with key industry executives interested in identifying projects for development, financing, or distribution.The deadline has been extended to May 13th. Head to their website to learn more. 

Film Independent’s Documentary Producing Lab has extended their deadline to May 19. Are you a producer seeking career development and project support? Apply to Film Independent’s Documentary Producing Lab before May 19th! For one week, producers with projects in active development, production or post-production will be paired with creative and business consultants, learning strategies and practices that will benefit them not only on their current projects, but throughout their careers. You can see guidelines and apply here.

Are you craving conversation and guidance around how to safely make art in the current US climate? The brilliant team at Storyline Media - makers of Homegrown - is hosting a public conversation called “Surveillance Party”: Security and Safety for Artists on digital security and safety for artists on Saturday, May 10 in NYC at CreativeTime. RSVP here or at CTHQ. And check out other Storyline events by signing up for their newsletter here.

With an increasing need for support, information, training, and guidance around security, safety, and legal concerns, Field of Vision are expanding their pro-bono clinics for digital & physical security and legal support. In partnership with Freedom of the Press Foundation and the Press Freedom Defense Fund, they will be launching the next installments of free security clinic and legal clinics with additional subject areas this summer including trainings on personal and physical security.  Let the team know what your needs are through this quick survey.

Last month, Tunga Media Afrika in partnership with Climate Story Labs, Docubox and the Ministry of Education in Kenya launched a dynamic Film Hub at the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival. This hub brought climate storytelling to the heart of the festival.

 

32 films were showcased to over 5,000 students and teachers from more than 100 schools nationwide, generating critical discussions about environmental challenges, local solutions, and youth leadership. The program culminated in the inaugural Climate Storytelling Award, which recognized outstanding student films addressing climate issues with creativity and urgency. The president of Kenya H.E. President William Ruto presented the awards at the National State Concert which included cash awards. Garissa High School claimed the top prize (KES 200,000), followed by Wenje Secondary School (KES 150,000) and Ruaraka High School (KES 100,000). With these Impact Grants, the program will support the students to conduct impact screenings of their films, to amplify local voices and inspire climate resilience actions within their communities. For more about the High Schools storytelling program contact Tunga Media Afrika.

Impact in Progress is a series of IG Lives where we connect with film teams actively engaged in their impact work, sharing insights on successes, challenges, and future plans. Our third installment featured the Yuma, Sonic River team, who are preparing for their feature premiere in early 2026.

 

Renowned musician and co-director Simón Mejía, together with impact producers John Myers and Lorena Sierra, shared how their innovative approach began well before the film's completion. Their early strategic vision reshaped the directors' understanding of their own project, with impact work flourishing alongside production rather than following it.

 

"The Magdalena River is not just a river, it is a whole universe of thousands of stories and knowledge." These powerful words from the Yuma team captured the essence of their journey through the "Cumbia Forest" – a vibrant ecocultural habitat rich with life, multispecies connections, and ancestral rhythms. Their key message about impact strategy was clear: it's never too early to be bold. 

 

The conversation was beautifully facilitated by Pablo Montaño, a former Climate Story Fund grantee, National Geographic Explorer and coordinator of Conexiones Climáticas. You can listen to the full recording in Spanish here.

2025 Television Academy Honors (USA)

Greener Pastures just landed a Television Academy Honor! This documentary takes us into the lives of four Midwest farming families over several years, shining a light on the often-overlooked mental health struggles hitting rural America hard. With climate challenges and pandemic fallout piling onto already tough farm economics, this film captures both the heartbreak and resilience that defines life in America's heartland. Greener Pastures was originally broadcasted on Independent Lens. You can watch it now online or host a screening via Kinema, as part of the Doc Society Global Climate Playlist. 

Emmy Nominations

Congratulations to **5** Doc Society supported films on their nominations for News & Documentary Emmys. The News & Documentary Emmys honor “innovative storytelling and unwavering pursuit of truth” highlighting work from more than 2,200 submissions that originally premiered in 2024. We’re so thrilled that these films are getting this recognition, and we want to give a particular shout out that 3 of the 5 Doc Society supported nominees were broadcast on PBS in the US. Big round of applause to ALL of this year’s nominees, especially our grantees:

• Queendom + The Grab (nominated for Best Documentary)
• Name me Lawand (nominated for Outstanding Social Issue Documentary)
• The Grab (nominated for Outstanding Investigative Documentary)
• Razing Liberty Square (nominated for Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary)
• The Holly (nominated for Outstanding Regional Documentary)

See the full list of nominees here.

Peabody Winners

We’re ridiculously happy for the Queendom’s team Peabody Award! The film has traveled globally, reaching audiences in all corners and galvanizing folks to resist through art. This quote from the Jury sums it up perfectly:  “Jenna is a star. The documentary Queendom shows us her compelling sense of visual drama and performance artistry–in any just world, Jenna would be able to devote herself entirely to making art out of her life, and her life into art. But living in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, Jenna is instead a target for opprobrium, bullying, and violence; her costumes are at once a subject for mockery and protective armor against an entire nation working against her.. The film also tells a story of triumph, hard-won and painful but real: that Jenna continues to perform, unable to imagine a world without self-expression, represents a sort of resistance to tyranny. For introducing audiences to a compelling subject and matching her audacity with filmmaking brio and a brutal honesty about making art in a time of repression, Queendom wins a Peabody Award.” 

Yesss Queen! 

Canadian Screen Award Nominations

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television just announced the nominees for the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards - and Yintah (Dirs. Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, Michael Toledano; Prods. Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, Michael Toledano, Bob Moore), a Climate Story Fund Grantee - has received four nominations, including one for Best Feature Length Documentary. Nice work friends! 

 

Available to stream now on Netflix in the US, Canada & UK - Yintah, meaning “land” in the Wet’suwet’en language, tells the story of an Indigenous nation asserting sovereignty. It is the story of the Wet’suwet’en people reoccupying their territory and resisting the construction of multiple pipelines in a decade-long battle to keep out the companies that seek to exploit their traditional land.

River of Grass & Climate in Therapy win at Hot Docs 

Congratulations to Sasha Wortzel, Danielle Varga, and the whole River of Grass team for receiving the Hot Docs Joan VanDuzer Special Jury Prize - International Feature Documentary! 

Jury statement:  "Lyrical, contemplative and layered storytelling establishes a powerful sense of place, while introducing us to the magnificent systems established by nature but placed in peril by the hubris of humanity. For its creative vision and loving gaze, the Hot Docs Joan VanDuzer Special Jury Prize- International Feature Documentary goes to River of Grass."

We couldn’t agree more. River of Grass just screened at the Margaret Meade Film Festival where they won the Audience Award, and is also WNYC’s documentary of the week. Head to the team’s website to find out where you can catch the film next.

And congratulations to the Climate in Therapy team for being named Best Mid-Length Documentary at the festival! See this beautiful statement from the jury: 

“The Hot Docs Best Mid-Length Documentary goes to a bold and emotionally resonant experiment in documentary filmmaking. Nothing is staged—what unfolds on screen is raw, unscripted, and profoundly authentic. This unfiltered approach is precisely what made us laugh, cry, and feel so deeply connected to the characters. The editing is exceptional, allowing moments of silence to ring with meaning and even laughter, while subtle glimmers of hope emerge in a subject matter that is often overwhelming and disheartening. The film breaks down walls with its intimate and deeply human portrayal of its participants. Their vulnerability, courage, and spontaneous interactions create a group dynamic that feels entirely natural and unscripted, yet artfully shaped by the director's sensitive lens. This improvisational spirit brings a rare freshness to the screen and raises thoughtful questions about the ethics of filmmaking, representation, and shared space. What truly struck us was how close we felt to the people in this film—they felt like our friends, family members, neighbours, or teachers. Their stories and struggles stayed with us long after the credits rolled. We could have watched them for hours. For its authenticity, artistry, and emotional power, we are honored to present Climate in Therapy with this award.”

Homegrown Receives Justice Matters Award at FilmFest DC

Homegrown, directed by Michael Premo and produced by Rachel Falcone, won the Justice Matters Award at FilmFest DC. “In the months leading up to the 2020 election, well before January 6, 2021, filmmaker Michael Premo had the foresight and courage to embed with the Proud Boys for this intimate exploration of the far-right pro-Trump movement through three of its acolytes. Premo lets his subjects speak for themselves, and he does not judge …” Congrats to the team! Check out where the film will be next at their website. 

 

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