Executive Seminar

The seminar is designed to reinforce exchange, transmission and reflection on the role of commissioning executives and professionals in the documentary field for the development of documentaries. It fosters exchange, intergenerational transmission and critical thinking on their role in private and public televisions & platforms across the globe. 

Founded in 2007, historically European-focused, headed in the early years by Erkki Astala, the head of co-productions at YLE Television (Finland) and Thierry Garrel, the former head of the Documentary Program Unit at ARTE France, the Exec Seminar was a driving task force to fund and co-produce ambitiously creative documentary between European channels, but also to lobby for the impact of documentaries on civic societies, and public policies.

The Exec Seminar now gathers over one day during our Session 3 in October, senior professionals from worldwide, featuring a keynote by a major figure in the field, debates, and panels on a pressing theme or issue which changes every year. In 2024, the session was led by Mark Edwards.