Søndag (Sunday) or Mandag (Monday) 20h00, Prime Time, DR1
Exposé length
4–6 pages
Editorial tone
Cinematic, narrative, profound. DR Dokumentar stands for documentary storytelling at cinema level — films that play festivals and still reach a TV audience of millions. The tone is observational, respectful, never voyeuristic. Danish sobriety meets emotional depth. The films trust the power of images and stories — no explanatory commentary where the scene speaks for itself. Ambiguity is allowed: not every question needs answering. The audience is respected as intelligent and empathetic.
●International conflicts with Danish perspective: Afghanistan, Syria, climate displacement
●Human destinies: individual stories with universal resonance
●Democracy and civil rights: surveillance, press freedom, civil society
●Youth and future: growing up in Denmark, education, mental health
●Work and precarity: the shadow sides of the welfare state
●Nature and environment: agriculture, sea, climate change in Denmark
What this format does NOT want
●Didactic or instructional formats
●Pure TV magazine segments or reportage
●Science formats without narrative storytelling
●Historical retrospectives without cinematic ambition
●Lifestyle, travel, or feel-good documentaries
●Films without distinctive cinematic authorship
Visual expectations
Cinema quality is the standard. DR Dokumentar films win prizes at festivals like IDFA, CPH:DOX, Sundance. Observational camera with long takes. Natural light, authentic settings. Cinematographic image composition — every frame tells a story. No voice-over where the scene carries itself. Sound design and music as narrative elements. The film must be visually distinctive. Reference: Armadillo (Janus Metz), The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer), Danish Dogme tradition meets documentary.
Expected exposé structure
Titel og undertitel (title and subtitle)
Logline (2–3 sentences: what's at stake?)
Synopsis (detailed story summary)
Instruktørens note (director's note: personal access, cinematic vision)
Karakterer (characters/protagonists with detailed portraits)
Visuel stil og fortælling (visual style and narrative strategy)
Vores mand i Washington (Unser Mann in Washington, DR, 2020)
European perspective required
Editorial notes
DR Dokumentar is one of Europe's most prestigious documentary slots. Denmark has an exceptional documentary tradition — from Jørgen Leth via Lars von Trier to Joshua Oppenheimer. DR invests heavily in documentary quality. Det Danske Filminstitut (DFI) is a major co-financier. CPH:DOX in Copenhagen is one of the world's largest documentary markets — a key pitch venue. DR seeks films with strong authorial voice that can compete internationally. Co-productions with Scandinavian and European partners are common and desired (Nordisk Film & TV Fond, MEDIA Programme, Eurimages). The 58-minute slot is fixed — films must fit this length or be conceived as theatrical docs with TV window. The commissioning desk prefers projects with already-shot material (teaser/trailer).
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