About DRI

Documentary Resource Initiative

Documentary Resource Initiative (DRI) is a Kolkata-based not-for-profit organisation working to strengthen the independent documentary ecosystem in India. DRI brings together filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences to create opportunities for learning, collaboration and engagement around documentary cinema.

Through its programmes and initiatives, DRI supports documentary storytellers at different stages of their creative journeys. From immersive incubation to industry activities, conversations and networking with active stakeholders, DRI creates spaces where filmmakers can develop their practice, connect with professionals, expand peer exchange and explore new possibilities for advancement.

At the heart of DRI is a commitment to nurturing homegrown stories and encouraging dialogue around the art and practice of documentary filmmaking. By building a vibrant and connected community, DRI works towards a stronger and more sustainable documentary culture in India.

Purpose, perspective and principles

DRI has sincerely been working towards advancing the local nonfiction story culture by providing mentorship and immersive training, connecting filmmakers with global stakeholders, creating access to industry resources, and sharing knowledge that is transforming the independent creative ecosystem.

Our Mission

To nurture independent documentary storytelling by creating spaces for filmmakers to learn, connect, collaborate, and grow, while strengthening the creative, professional, and cultural ecosystem around documentary cinema.

Our Vision

Raising and fostering a world where documentary storytelling thrives as a powerful force for truth, empathy, and transformative change, with independent voices finding the space so that the most beautiful, strange, and unknown experiences of life are shared with people.

Our Values

Integrity & Ethics
Diversity & Inclusion
Collaboration & Community
Learning & Growth
Expanding independent cinema culture

What We Do

Building the Creative Network Behind Meaningful Stories

We have various programmes designed to stimulate and engage the storytelling community by providing them with mentorship, wider access to industry professionals, and a thorough understanding of artistic tools for nuanced creativity and distinct authorship.

What We Are

Because Stories Bring About Lasting Change

We are in a universe where stories give people and communities a space to be seen, offer the incredible pleasure of being heard, and understood. Thus, it allows us to encounter different realities, question familiar perspectives, and engage us more deeply with the shared world.

We believe a strong documentary culture creates space for diverse voices, ignites meaningful dialogue, and deeper understanding. By nurturing filmmakers and connecting them with audiences and the wider industry, we work towards a more vibrant knowledge-gathering system.

OUR IMPACT

24 YEARS...

24 years we are with the community : supporting filmmakers, partners and institutions by bridging the critical finance and creative gaps.

OUR ALUMINI

Our alumni guided Indian films as the most reached out as cultural ambassadors to almost all major festivals with unprecedented critical and artistic success.

MENTORSHIP & GROWTH

750 films are guided and mentored; 350 Awards and major festival premieres. Distinct markers.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

Forging new Foundations, institutions, and industry partnerships in the South Asian region – led collaborative platforms like Dhaka DocLab, Kathmandu DocLab, Greenstories, and others.

UNIVERSAL RECOGNITION

Incubation and rigorous artistic input to young talents led to the convergence of a diverse range of storytellers into the international marketplaces.

Community Voices

A few reflections from alumni and mentors on the transformative impact of Docedge as a learning platform.

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Docedge is an incredible platform that goes deep into the Indian Asian story world – it is powerfully cinematic, artful, and native. The incubator is also a learning platform for us as mentors.

Audrius Stonys

Mentor Docedge, Filmmaker, Lithuania

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Without Docedge and DRI, I would not have achieved what I could as a filmmaker.

Sarvnik Kaur

Director, Against The Tide, India

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DOCEDGE provides the quintessential leadership in shaping the native filmmakers for global recognition.

Paul Pauwels

Mentor, consultant, former EDN Director, Belgium

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Docedge incubator provided a tremendous support to transform my film Children of The Mist. It offered me to immerse myself in the local culture, and build friendship with fellow filmmakers. Over time these connections grew into a meaningful camaraderie and professional collaborations that have continued to flourish to this day. I remain deeply grateful for what Docedge-Kolkata has brought into my life.

Ha Le Diem

Director Children of The Mist, Vietnam

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Can’t imagine such vibrations, energy, and creativity existing in many of the global forms.

Emma Davie

Mentor, Docedge; Head of Film, University of Edinburgh, UK

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The majority of significant recent documentaries in India have had one connection or the other with DocedgeKolkata. In Many ways, the journey of All That Breathes also got triggered by pitching at this forum. In various ways, that’s where a major part of the film’s journey got activated.

Shaunak Sen

Director: All That Breathes, India

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In this context, Docedge Kolkata is a rare and necessary space – where a documentarian’s ambition meets the rigour of authorship. As both an incubator and a pitch forum, it challenges filmmakers to interrogate their vision and forge vital connections, and it does so with a sense of depth and levity, making it a joyous community to be part of.

Sushmit Ghosh

Director : Writing with Fire, India

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Docedge-Kolkata is very special to me. Not only is the quality of the projects selected incredibly high, but what makes this event so special is also the energy of the team, how they welcome everyone and create a safe space to exchange and connect.

Patrizia Mancini

MeetMarket, Sheffield DocFest

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It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with diverse projects across India. Its buddy system built a strong cohort, fostering deep and warm networks among current and emerging filmmakers.

Bora Lee-Kil

Director Our Bodies, South Korea