Inaugural CPH:DOX Summit to launch at CPH:INDUSTRY 2025

In a highly volatile global political climate, the CPH:DOX Summit convenes politicians, thought leaders, and audiovisual professionals to engage in critical discussions about the future of the industry. The Summit aims to facilitate cross-sector dialogues, enabling key decision-makers to address pressing issues in documentary filmmaking and audiovisual media, and their crucial role in shaping public discourse.

Curated by industry veteran Mark Edwards, this high-level event is open to all accredited guests upon invitation. Opening remarks will set the tone for a day focused on shaping the future of Europe’s audiovisual landscape, emphasizing collective action and forward-thinking policy, with a view towards Denmark’s EU Presidency beginning in July.

Discussions will explore how documentary films move beyond conveying facts to foster emotional connections with audiences and deepen public understanding of critical global issues. Ensuring access to diverse and authentic storytelling will be highlighted as essential to supporting democratic engagement in a polarized world. The Summit will also consider media accessibility as a human right and explore the idea of introducing a “bill of rights for audiences” to guarantee access to a wide range of voices and perspectives.

Distinguished speakers such as Christo Grozev, Bulgarian investigative journalist and author (Der Spiegel and The Insider) and Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, a professor of Communication at the University of Copenhagen and Director at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, will offer insights on the state of information in Europe. Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC, Chair of the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom and Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, will give a keynote address on the topic of Media Accessibility as a Human Right. Additionally, Keri Putnam, former Executive Director of the Sundance Institute, and Matthias Pfeffer, Managing Director Council for European Public Space, amongst other speakers, will explore strategies to better connect filmmakers and content creators with audiences across Europe and beyond.

“The Summit comes at a pivotal moment as Europe experiences sweeping changes in its media landscape. The prevalence of streaming services and social media has disrupted traditional broadcasters, leading to demands for innovation as well as regulatory change. With social media now the main source of news for many Europeans, the need to work together to build a more inclusive and resilient media ecosystem is more urgent than ever,” says Katrine Kiilgaard, Managing Director of CPH:DOX.
“When media professionals and policymakers collaborate more closely, we shape a future where innovation, inclusiveness, and creativity thrive. Culture is a direct voice to the public. We have the shared responsibility to ensure that audiences receive fact-based media formats, which represent diverse voices and drive positive change,” says Donata von Perfall, Managing Director of Documentary Campus.

“The financing of documentary films has always been difficult, but never as much as now. Simultaneously, we live in a time where documentaries are more important than ever and where we need to ensure that production companies can survive and keep bringing stories from all aspects of humanity to both large and small screens,” says Anna Porse Nielsen, CEO of the Danish Producers’ Association.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the Summit will examine the profound impact of AI, from its disruption of copyright and content authenticity to its potential to reshape public discourse. Speakers will stress the need for updated regulation and industry-wide collaboration to navigate these technological shifts while protecting democracy. Additionally, it will explore how public broadcasters, film funds, and independent filmmakers can leverage data and emerging technologies to overcome distribution challenges and connect more effectively with wider, more engaged audiences across Europe and beyond.

Supported by Creative Europe – MEDIA, Documentary Campus, UBOD, The Danish Producers’ Association, Producers’ Rights Denmark (PRD), Bayerische Staatskanzlei, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, Sächsische Stiftung für Medienausbildung.

Content partners: Think Film and Doc Society
You can find more information and the full CPH:DOX Summit program here.

About CPH:DOX Summit
The CPH:DOX Summit 2025, taking place on March 24, is a dynamic platform that brings together global thought leaders, creatives, and industry professionals to explore emerging trends and critical issues in documentary filmmaking. Launching at CPH:INDUSTRY 2025, in partnership with Documentary Campus and the Danish Producers’ Association, the Summit fosters cross-sector dialogue in a rapidly changing global political and media landscape. The event will take place from 12:30 to 17:30 at the Social Cinema of Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen and is open to all accredited guests upon invitation.

About CPH:INDUSTRY
CPH:INDUSTRY includes a wide range of activities designed to foster collaboration and innovation within the documentary film industry. Highlights include CPH:FORUM, an international financing and co-production forum; CPH:ROUGHCUT, which presents documentary projects in a roughcut stage; CHANGE, showcasing documentary projects from Eastern European Partnership countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan) in partnership with IMS and EAVE; CPH:MARKET, a curated market offering access to 150+ documentary films selected from the official CPH:DOX program; CPH:DOX SUMMIT, a high-level gathering for key policymakers and industry leaders to address pressing issues within documentary filmmaking; INTRO:DOX, a platform designed to support emerging documentary filmmakers; and CPH:CONFERENCE, a curated series of industry talks and sessions, presented in partnership with Documentary Campus.

CPH:INDUSTRY will take place in Copenhagen from March 23-28, 2025.