Betty Hahn
Berry Hahn is a French-Malagasy sales agent, independent consultant, and international liaison. Previously, she was a film programmer and documentary producer. A Getting Real fellow (2024), she is also a Realness Institute alumna and participated in U30 (2023) with Locarno Pro and the Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy (2021). Berry is a member of the European Film Academy, Documentary Association of Europe, and International Documentary Association.
IDA: Please tell us a little about yourself, your profession, or your passion.
My nickname is Berry, although my full name is Bérénice. I am originally from Antananarivo and now split my time between France and South Africa. "If not now, when?" can be as captivating to me as a siren’s call for Ulysses, for it raises a wind of excitement in the inner sails calling for great departures to deepen and enrich my understanding of the world.
Some of my passions are styling fine tailoring, rewatching The Night of the Hunter, crossing countries by train, harnessing the power of words to capture fleeting moments, and supporting emerging storytellers shaping a strong film ecosystem between the Global South and North. When I am not in front of my laptop, you can usually find me in arthouse cinemas or at sea practicing astronavigation.
IDA: When and how did you first start working in the field?
In Paris, I obtained a BA in 3D animation to become a rigging artist. I was deeply missing the African continent and had developed another interest in working on sets. South Africa was attractive for its fast-growing film industry, and Cape Town quickly gave me reasons to call it Home. At 21, while pursuing a master's degree in film and TV techniques, I started working as a production assistant on international commercials at Riceboy.
The following year, eager to support African storytelling, I joined STEPS, a local non-profit media company producing documentary films with a strong commitment to social impact. As an assistant producer on Generation Africa, a pan-African collection of 25 documentaries about migration experienced by African youth across 16 African countries, I closely oversaw the project from pre-production to delivery.
This experience at STEPS also gave me the opportunity to work as a producer on documentaries part of Mzansi in the time of Covid-19, a collection exploring the pandemic's impact on disadvantaged South African communities.
Moving to the sales and distribution department, I found myself thriving in developing knowledge of rights negotiation, release strategies, festivals, and markets. I later moved to Berlin to further expand my network.
IDA: You wear many hats in the field from working on festival distribution for Square Eyes to consulting for spaces like DOC. Can you tell us a bit about the different hats you wear and the work you do in each position?
On festival strategy at Square Eyes, a Vienna-based sales company, I represent a diverse range of author-driven fiction and documentary features that are often challenging perspectives on social, cultural, and environmental issues while maintaining an authentic and cinematic approach. In this role, I strategically develop alternative and bespoke festival distribution plans for both undercovered and award-winning films that are willing to take narrative and aesthetic risks.
While regularly serving as a juror, selection committee member, and decision-maker on various international events, I am also an independent consultant for the Festival Concierge program of the Documentary Organization of Canada. Backed by a proven experience in promoting first and second films, I assist independent filmmakers in achieving their objectives (expanding their audience, maximizing impact, and securing distribution opportunities in both national and international markets).
Recently, I joined the Joburg Film Festival as the International Liaison for JBX (Joburg Xchange), the festival's industry marketplace. Focusing on African, French-speaking, and BRICS countries, this role offers me an exciting opportunity to contribute strategically to expanding JBX's global presence. Additionally, I will assist with the development of the JBX Talks programme by coordinating industry events, identifying guest speakers and liaising with them, as well as fostering local and international collaborations.
IDA: You were an IDA Getting Real ‘24 Fellow, congratulations! What was your experience of the fellowship and the conference?
I am thrilled to have been one of the 16 selected emerging and mid-career professionals to join the Getting Real Fellowship program. The conference felt like Los Angeles itself - a transformative experience immersed in an environment blooming with creative growth. It was fantastic to benefit from a diversity of masterclasses and established filmmakers who bring different approaches to non-fiction, as well as from a community that will become a network of support and collaboration long after the fellowship ends. Receiving personal guidance from both peers and mentors was invaluable in refining my professional journey and navigating the complexities of our industry.
Since the conclusion of the conference, fellows are co-programming by pairs a yearlong series of panels and workshops. Sophia Rhee and I will be focusing on the impact of AI on documentary filmmaking. In the coming weeks, our workshop will dive into how we could use it in our field, with all its ethical implications and potential applications over aesthetics and storytelling.
IDA: What is next for you? Are you working on anything you can share with us?
November ends my last festival season of the year. I am currently attending the Bilbao-based ZINEBI Networking, where I am acting as a jury member in their competition for feature documentary projects. Afterward, I will be heading to the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam to convert Docs for Sale into my home, co-chair a roundtable for their emerging filmmakers program IDFAcademy, and do consultancy sessions. You can also catch me in Portugal during the last days of the month at Porto/Post/Doc, at the festival and industry activities.