Across the landscape of documentary filmmaking, there is a growing map of voices that chronicle the audiovisual world. Yet one project lingers on the waiting list, a beacon that aspires to crystallize the honest heat of film criticism. It aims to sketch a multi-generational portrait drawn from critics who have stewarded the field through changing tides, capturing the texture of opinion as it shifts from one era to the next. At this moment, the cohort is not a single voice but several, each contributing a distinct cadence to the conversation, making the present moment remarkably rich for anyone tracing the arc of movie criticism. Early practitioners who emerged during a transitional period—figures such as Nuria Vidal, Carlos Boyero, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, and Boquerini—remain active and influential, continuing to shape discussions with their seasoned eyes and crisp judgments. They stand alongside a middle generation rooted in the Basque scene, a group that includes Borja Crespo, Óskar Belategi, Mikel Gurpegi, and Begoña del Teso. Their work reflects a bridge between tradition and innovation, balancing reverence for established standards with an openness to new formats and platforms. On a different but equally important front, the documentary traces the contributions of the founders of the Feroz awards, under the leadership of Pepa Blanes and Javier Zurro, whose efforts helped formalize a space for recognition and dialogue around contemporary cinema. And then, perhaps the most expansive and dynamic segment, there is the broad and growing community of bloggers and podcasters. These commentators frequently travel to dozens of film festivals, earning accreditation galore and cultivating a democratic, participatory culture where opinions proliferate and diversify. This expansive ecosystem, now seen through many lenses, presents a vibrant snapshot of film criticism as it exists today: resistances and alignments, the stubborn insistence on rigorous analysis, and the joy of sharing perspectives with audiences eager for thoughtful, well-informed discourse. It is a moment that invites reflection on how criticism travels—from long-form essays in publications to bite-sized takes on streaming platforms, from festival chatter in person to conversations unfolding in online communities. In this ethical tapestry, the critics’ credibility rests on a steadfast commitment to accuracy, context, and curiosity, qualities that guide readers and viewers through a sea of releases, trends, and cinematic experiments. For the casual observer and the hard-core cinephile alike, the scene offers a palette of viewpoints that illuminate why certain works resonate, how biases shape interpretation, and where new ideas are born. The narrative of these critics is not merely a record of opinions but a map of influence, showing how conversations ripple outward to influence festival programming, distribution decisions, and the reception of films across different regions. In the Canadian and American context, this collective memory and ongoing dialogue provide a valuable framework for assessing new releases, understanding regional sensitivities, and appreciating the global nature of cinema today. The portrait that emerges from this diverse assembly is not uniform; it is a collage that honors experience while welcoming fresh voices, a testament to criticism as an evolving craft that thrives on dialogue, debate, and the relentless pursuit of clarity in the face of the next screening. The waiting project thus remains a promising lens through which to view the culture of film feedback, a chronicle that could someday capture the pulse of criticism with the same immediacy that audiences bring to a midnight premiere, the same nuance that seasoned critics bring to a thoughtful post-screening conversation, and the same energy that fuels a vibrant, ever-growing ecosystem of ideas. In that imagined documentary, viewers would encounter the generous, sometimes stubborn conversations that define commentary; they would hear how critics wrestle with intent, technique, and impact; and they would witness how generations cross-pollinate to keep the discourse alive, relevant, and capable of guiding minds toward deeper appreciation of cinema’s possibilities.
