23rd Verzió Festival 16–25/11 2026.

The Story of Documentary Film

The Story of Documentary Film

Old, colored photo of a woman in a huge dress.
Directed by

Mark Cousins

United Kingdom | 2026 | 240 min | English
Full Synopsis

Mark Cousins’s monumental 16-hour series traces the history of documentary cinema, from its earliest experiments to the present day. Bringing well-known classics into dialogue with lesser-known works, it explores how documentary film has helped us understand the world, society, and our own reality for more than a century. The series also pays particular attention to how technological change, digital imagery, social media, and new visual forms have transformed documentary filmmaking.

At Verzió Film Festival, we will screen the first four episodes back-to-back, with a 15-minute intermission.

Producer
John Archer
Editor
Timo Langer
Sound
Zoë Irvine
Composer
Donna McKevitt
Production Company
Hopscotch Films
Distribution
Tom Howson
DOGWOOF
tom@dogwoof.com
Festivals & Awards
DocsBarcelona 2026 – Docs of Honor Award
In Cinemas Only
11. 18. WEDNESDAY 18:00
Screening
Toldi - David Lynch Hall
Subtitle: English
Screened in two parts with a 15 min break.
Mark Cousins
Director
Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins is a Scottish-Irish filmmaker and writer whose work explores politics, visual culture, history, cities, childhood, and memory. His extensive filmography includes The Story of Film: An Odyssey, Women Make Film and The Story of Film: A New Generation. He is also the author of Imagining Reality: The Faber Book of Documentary.

Trigger Warnings