BRITDOC Moves On

This announcement just in: 

BRITDOC, the festival run by the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation since 2005, won't be continuing its annual Oxford event.  (Wow, I'm glad I attended this summer!)  Instead, they are joining forces with major festivals across the world, starting with a major new strategic partnership with Sheffield Doc/Fest announced today (pictured, BRITDOC's CEO, Jess Search, at the pitch forum).  Here's the release:

"In a bold move which comes at the peak of the Festival’s success, attended this year by 1,000 delegates, BRITDOC will take its most successful elements both online and on the road adding value and expertise to other successful events.  The partnership with Sheffield Doc/Fest will include a new home for a number of BRITDOC activities, including the Channel 4 BRITDOC Best British Documentary Film competition, which was won this year by Man On Wire.

"This Saturday, Sheffield Doc/Fest will host a taste of things to come:  Channel 4 BRITDOC’s Saturday Service will bring together pioneers in the area of social action to discuss change strategies for groundbreaking documentary films.  The Sheffield partnership will free the Foundation to launch their REAL GOOD activities which will include a new collaboration with US-based Working Films to devise social action campaigns, training courses and a tailored service to UK broadcasters, NGOs and brands to maximize the impact of their documentary films. There will also be an enhanced online presence, including a new website called GoodFilm.org (launching early 2009) to link NGOs and brands to documentary projects.  REAL GOOD Sessions will also be presented at Sheffield Doc/Fest."