ABOUT
#DOCSAFE

Initiated by Jane Mote in November 2023, #DocSafe has developed into a collaborative initiative that exists to question, research, raise awareness, advocate, and ultimately help develop recommendations and best practices aimed at creating a safer documentary industry for all.
#DocSafe seeks to reduce and eliminate harm in all its forms—be it harassment, oppression, discrimination, abuse of power, ethical breaches, curatorial shortcomings, or broader safety concerns. We view this as an ongoing, collective conversation shaped by diverse voices. While we believe sustainable change must be driven at the institutional level, we also recognise the often-limited resources and difficult realities these institutions face, as well as the importance of supporting those working within them.
Designed as a decentralised space for sharing practice, #DocSafe remains fluid and agile—open to collaboration, critical reflection, and continual questioning. It aspires to be a widely supported framework, adaptable across geographies and contexts.
The initiative is committed to keeping this conversation active: advocating for greater accountability and safety within the industry, creating practical resources, sharing best practices, and developing training materials and templates for organisations and professionals alike.
WHO
WE ARE
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MARION SCHMIDT
#DocSafe co-founder and Current Lead Marion Schmidt is a cultural manager, consultant, and facilitator committed to building more equitable, safer, and collaborative environments across film, culture, and the NGO sector.…
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JANE MOTE
#DocSafe founder and Senior Consultant Jane Mote has been Consultant Editor at The Whickers since it was founded 10 years ago. As well as Directing and producing documentaries, she mentors…
ADVISORY
BOARD
A rotating advisory board provides support, guidance, and serves as a sounding board for #DocSafe. Made up of representatives from across the film industry, it helps ensure the initiative stays grounded, responsive, and informed by diverse professional perspectives.
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MARIA SANTOS
Maria Santos joined the International Documentary Association as the Funds Program Officer in September 2022. She oversees all of the funding grants and provides year-round creative and strategic support to…
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NADJA TENNSTEDT
Nadja Tennstedt is director of DOK Industry at DOK Leipzig. She studied film production in New York City and held positions in marketing, sales and acquisitions at US distributors Zeitgeist…
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TINY MUNGWE
Tiny Mungwe produced Generation Africa, a collection of 25 films, from 16 African countries on migration and a collection of 11 short films for Mzansi in a time of Covid…
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FLORE COSQUER
Bringing a wealth of experience in both narrative and documentary production, Flore Cosquer became an integral part of the Scottish Documentary Institute (SDI) in 2010 where she has produced several…
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HEEJUNG OH
Heejung Oh grew up in South Korea and now divides her time between Seoul and Amsterdam. She founded Seesaw Pictures in 2017, a production company behind award-winning films. She has…
STAKE
HOLDERS
Brown Girls Doc Mafia, US
Chicken and Egg, US
DAE – Documentary Association of Europe, Germany
Docs By the Sea, Indonesia
Durban FilmMart Institute, South Africa
Documentary Film Council, UK
DOK Leipzig, Germany
EAVE , Luxembourg
Eurodoc, France
ExOriente, Czech Republic
Film in Mind, UK
IDA – International Documentary Association, US
IDFA, The Netherlands
Nodo Sur, Columbia
Rawiyat – Sisters in Film, Arab-speaking region
Scottish Documentary Institute, Scotland
Seesaw Pictures, Korea
Sheffield Docfest, UK
STEPS, South Africa
Tahana Creatives, Philippines
The Whickers, UK
TiDF – Agora, Greece
Women Make Movies, US

