Introduce Yourself : Trends in filmmaking by Marie-Jeanne Van Engelen

Hi, I am interested in the genre trends in film making today. The borders between fiction and fact blurr more than ever at the moment and this is an exciting development. Are there other trends I should follow? I am a big fan of European film, however many I find too dark and depressing. I'd love to get tips for good comedy writers (names and films) and filmmakers as I am exploring this for a future project.