Projects exploring the ethical dilemmas of an AP photojournalist, the transformation of a Spanish-Chinese gangster into a monk, and a personal journey by Eric Cantona stood out Thursday at the 20th Lau Haizetara Documentary Co-Production Forum, part of the San Sebastián Festival.

A who’s who of commissioning executives, including Al Jazeera’s Mehdi Bekkar and Dogwoof’s Cleo Veger, evaluated the pitches. Elsa Rodríguez Monje from Movistar Plus+ emphasized the focus on relevance over format.

A major award winner, Barra-bás, directed by Daniel Martínez-Quintanilla Pérez, partners with Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Rodrigo Abd. Produced by SUICAfilms, the documentary critically examines the role of photojournalism in war, showcasing Abd’s revisits to conflict zones with a large wooden analog camera, questioning the glorification of war reporting.

Xisi Sofia Ye Chen’s From Dawn to Dawn gains unusual access to the Chinese underworld in Spain. The documentary, produced by Lacima Producciones, captures her brother grappling with his gangster past and how to form himself in his future.

Gaudi-nominated director Tian Riba’s The Retreat tells three stories from the Spanish Civil War, sparked by Robert Capa’s rediscovered photographs. The film, presented by Sábado Películas, follows Eric Cantona and his brothers as they uncover their family history and its ties to the war.

Kelly Nyks’ Good and Evil - How To Sell The World a Lie, produced by Solent Production, challenges the narrative of the Stanford Prison Experiment, exposing media distortions and debunking Professor Zimbardo’s conclusions. The documentary relies solely on archival footage to explore the nature of truth in modern society.

Early-stage projects also made an impact, such as Peter by Lucía Montero Sánchez de las Matas, produced by Carlota Darnell at Cornelius Films. This documentary traces Lucía’s collaboration with three amateur actors in recreating the elusive figure of Peter, an Englishman she met in London.

Adelina, directed by Aurela Berila and produced by Tabahana Films, examines the rise of 1990s ex-Yugoslavia pop star Adelina, whose bold performances challenged ethnic repression and patriarchal norms. The session was graced by the ‘Albanian Madonna’s’ attendance. “This is a very good market,” Proinsias Ní Ghrainne, commissioning editor at Ireland’s TG4 said, “year on year the projects are quite exceptional as compared to the bigger markets.”

The forum showcased 15 projects, including two Basque and 13 from countries including Germany, Kosovo, Denmark, and Argentina.

Callum McLennan