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.
Review official bases.
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.
Review official bases.
ACC Screenwriting Residency
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.
Review official bases.
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.
Review official bases.
Lab Cortos - Fantasolab
For the first time, the Fantboi - Sant Boi de Llobregat's International Fantastic Film Festival- is organizing its own feature film and short film project pitch competition.
As such, Fantboi-Future is the pitch-competition event focused on horror, science-fiction or fantastic feature films and short films in development.
The initiative maintains its objective of discovering the best genre projects out there, and connecting them with leading companies in the industry and professionals in the sector. The event will take place on Saturday, June 10.
In total, five projects will be selected. Those responsible for the selected projects will have the opportunity to make a sales pitch and then be able to talk with the professionals and producers in attendance, in a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for growing your ideas.
All the selected projects will have the option to acquire a free guest accreditation for the present edition of the Festival- which would allow them to attend all Fantboi sessions.
BASES FANTBOI-FUTURE 2023
REQUIREMENTS
The candidate projects to present:
- Screenplay
- Dossier with synopsis of the project, filmic references, production advantages,…
- Video pitch of a maximum duration of 3 minutes from the director of the project, or a teaser (which must be uploaded on the film's page in Festhome, as if it were a short film).
- Proposal for the film/short's poster.
awards
The projects that end up selected in Fantboi-Future will compete for the following prizes:
FEATURE FILM/SHORT CATEGORY
Presenting your project in front of industry professionals
Guest accreditation for the Fantboi
Festival Merchandise Pack
Advice on the pre-production process by professionals in the sector
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT
The winning projects, and in the event that the corresponding long or short film is carried out, commit to adding the Fantboi-Future logo to it.
DATES
Monday, October 31: start of the call.
Monday, April 10: end of call.
Sunday April 30: announcement of the selected project/s.
Call through Festhome.
Contact: fantboi.future@fantboi.com
