Documentary buffs are preparing for a week of pure delight with the inaugural Beijing International Documentary Forum set to showcase an array of award-winning documentaries from across the globe as some of the world’s top filmmakers gather to brainstorm and share ideas in Beijing.

The comprehensive lineup of films will screen from December 12 to 17 at the Beijing Film Academy. Highlights include Forever from renowned Dutch filmmaker Heddy Honigmann, Hoop Dreams and Stevie from Steve James, The Natural History of the Chicken by Australian filmmaker Mark Lewis and Trip to Asia from Germany, as well as RiP: A Remix Manifesto, a Canadian production.

"For a long time, filmlovers in China have rarely had any access to the best documentaries from other countries," explained Zheng Qiong, founder of the Beijing International Documentary Forum. "Few people are dedicated to the importing of the genre and the screening of the documentaries on Chinese television or in cinemas is almost impossible."

"The purpose of the forum is to popularize outstanding international documentaries among cinema lovers, boost communication between filmmakers and foster international co-cooperation," Zheng added.

The week-long event includes in-depth panel discussions and master classes featuring topics from the training of documentary filmmakers, to production, marketing and the possibilities of international co-productions.

Zheng said that is was an honor to have such well-known and highly-acclaimed docu-mentary makers take part in the festival and share some of their knowledge with local filmmakers.

According to Zheng, the gap between documentary making in China and the rest of the world is at least 50 years. "The design of the program will directly address the needs of local filmmakers who lack knowledge in areas such as research and script-writing."

She added that applying for a grant to fund the film forum was not an easy task. "When you mention documentary films in China, it implies sensitive topics and devastating tones that sometimes do not sit well with the government."

"I believe the fear comes from a lack of understanding," Zheng said. "By showcasing the best documentary productions, we are also hoping that the government can gain better knowledge about this art form. Truly great documentary films can be positive, inspiring and humanistic and are not intimidating at all."

The Beijing International Documentary Forum will open with Forever by Heddy Honigmann and conclude with RiP: A Remix Manifesto from Canada. The films will screen from December 12 to 17 at the Beijing Film Academy.

Admission to all 20 films costs 100 yuan ($14.65). Films are in their original version with Chinese subtitles.

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