DOCanarias Joins Cannes Docs Program to Boost International Co-productions
The DOCanarias International Reality Film Festival has joined the prestigious Cannes Docs program to bolster international co-productions and establish the Canary Islands as a global hub for documentary filmmaking.
Spanish documentary cinema has reached a new milestone on the global stage following a successful presentation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The DOCanarias International Reality Film Festival has officially joined the prestigious Cannes Docs program, placing the Tenerife-based event alongside world-renowned festivals like IDFA in the Netherlands, Visions du Réel in Switzerland, and DOK Leipzig in Germany. This partnership aims to move beyond simple film screenings, focusing instead on fostering international co-productions and distribution.
Led by filmmaker David Baute and market director Valentín Romero, the festival delegation used the Cannes platform to highlight the Canary Islands as more than just a scenic filming location; they are positioning the region as a creative hub with its own distinct voice. Building on two decades of experience from the MiradasDoc festival, the upcoming edition—scheduled for September 8–12 in Puerto de la Cruz—will focus on innovative storytelling that bridges the cultures of Africa, Latin America, and the Canary Islands.
The organization also announced a strategic shift in its calendar. The September event serves as a bridge toward a long-term goal: moving the festival to February starting in 2027. This change is designed to align DOCanarias with the international film market cycle, helping to secure better funding and increase the global reach of projects developed on the islands.
Ultimately, the festival’s presence at Cannes reflects a broader trend in Spanish cultural policy: transforming niche festivals into engines for local economic growth. By connecting local creators with international distributors and investors, DOCanarias aims to shift the region’s reputation from a service provider to a center for cinematic production and thought. This international strategy is a vital step toward ensuring the long-term sustainability of the documentary sector and supporting its most experimental projects.