IDFA Project Space – Development & Production is an international development lab for creative feature-length documentaries, aimed at filmmakers working on their first or second feature film. The program takes place between June and September 2026 and combines online modules with a one-week in-person workshop in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The call is open to international applicants and focuses on projects in development or early production stages. Through mentoring, group feedback sessions, and intensive workshops, the lab supports filmmakers in strengthening their creative vision, narrative structure, and production strategies.
The program is dedicated exclusively to feature-length documentaries and does not accept short films or series. The application deadline is February 1, 2026, which is the final date to submit projects to this line of IDFA Project Space.
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Project Space – Development & Production - IDFA
The Residència de Guions (5th edition) is a script development program organized by the Catalan Film Academy, based in Catalonia, Spain. It is designed for film projects at the writing stage and offers long-term creative support for screenwriters.
The application period runs from January 19 to February 23, 2026, until 3:00 pm. The residency itself will take place from September 2026 to May 2027, lasting approximately nine months.
The call is open to feature-length projects in fiction, documentary, and animation. It operates as a scriptwriting residency and development lab, rather than a market or pitching forum, focusing on in-depth work on the screenplay.
The program accepts international applications. While it promotes projects connected to the Catalan language and cultural context, participation is not limited to national applicants, reflecting an open and internationally oriented approach.
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ACC Screenwriting Residency
CPH:FORUM 2027 is an international financing and co-production market for audiovisual projects, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of CPH:DOX. Its upcoming edition will take place from March 16 to 18, 2027.
The call is open to filmmakers and producers from around the world and welcomes creative documentaries, hybrid fiction and non-fiction projects, investigative documentaries, and works related to audiovisual art, science, and technology. It accepts feature-length projects of at least 52 minutes, series, and new media, which may incorporate complementary formats such as short films, installations, and non-linear works.
The program offers pitching sessions, financing opportunities, co-production meetings, and networking with international audiovisual industry professionals. Applications for the 2027 edition opened in September 2026, with no exact day specified, and will close on November 3, 2026.
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CPH:FORUM
Locarno Residency 2026 is an international development and mentorship program organized by the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland for emerging filmmakers working on their first fiction or documentary feature film. The initiative supports directors during the transition from short-form filmmaking to feature-length cinema through tailored mentoring, creative guidance, and industry-focused development activities.
Applications are open until June 5, 2026, and the program is aimed at international filmmakers under the age of 40 who have previously directed a short film or documentary that has screened at a film festival. Eligible projects must be first feature films longer than 60 minutes and currently in development.
The program begins during the 79th Locarno Film Festival, taking place from August 5–15, 2026, and continues through an extended mentorship and development process. The residency focuses on script development, project refinement, and preparing emerging filmmakers and their projects for future production and industry opportunities.
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Locarno Residency
The FantasoLab 2026 Fantastic Genre Short Film Laboratory opens applications from January 22 to February 20, 2026. This is a training‑focused lab designed for creators of fantastic genre short films — including science fiction, fantasy, and horror — who want to develop their projects through workshops, mentorship, and work sessions. The emphasis is on short films in development, between 7 and 15 minutes, with a first draft script ready at the time of submission.
The main laboratory activities will take place from April 6 to April 11, 2026, with preliminary sessions and individual work from late March to early April. Although based in Colombia, the call accepts international applications, especially from Ibero‑American creators, with priority given to Colombian talent. This initiative is not primarily a competition or market but a creative development environment to support and strengthen fantastic short film projects.
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Lab Cortos - Fantasolab
