Dataharvest 2026 - the European Investigative Journalism Conference

More and more OSINT and data-driven investigations are being turned into documentaries for television and platforms. From the success of programs such as Cash Investigation in France, to Sweden’s flagship investigative show Uppdrag granskning, and internationally acclaimed documentaries such as the Oscar-winning Navalny (based on Bellingcat’s data-driven investigation) and the Emmy-winning Pegasus, data- , OSINT, and leak-based reporting is increasingly finding its way onto the screen.

But many journalists (specifically those who are not familiar with video production) are unsure whether their story is suitable for a documentary, or how to approach pitching, filming, security, or narration. This panel offers a practical methodology for turning an investigation into a documentary for journalists coming from print or online media. Drawing on concrete European case studies, we will explore how to pitch a documentary project to producers and broadcasters, when to start filming, how to protect sensitive data, and how to transform abstract data into compelling visual and narrative-driven storytelling.

After this session, participants will be able to:

-Assess whether a data/OSINT/leak-driven story is suitable for documentary storytelling
-Decide when and how to start filming during a data investigation
-Integrate audiovisual constraints (security, budget, narration) into their investigative workflow
 -Understand how to pitch a documentary based on a data investigation