Ji.hlava IFF is open for submissions from European filmmakers to the Ji.hlava New Visions Forum & Market 2023. The leading Czech docfest invites submissions from diverse audiovisual formats such as fiction with documentary aspects, hybrid, experimental, short films, docu and web series, cinema expanded projects, games with documentary aspects, and VR+AR+Live documentaries. Cash awards are on offer for the most promising projects.
The in-person event will take place October 26–27 during the 27th Ji.hlava IDFF (24-29 October). The deadline for applications August 15. The Ji.hlava New Visions Forum: US Docs session (including ten projects from the US) will run in parallel October 26 during the festival.
Projects presented at the Forum in the past two years have later premiered at festivals including HotDocs, Rotterdam, and Locarno, Ji.hlava IDFF confirms.
“In our selection process, we focus on the artistic vision of the project, its originality and author-driven character, visual style and fresh spirit, international potential in terms of financing and development of collaboration, openness for sharing the project with other partners, as well as diverse modes of distribution,” the festival writes.
Selected projects for Ji.hlava New Visions Forum are presented by the director-producer pair along with a preview of the upcoming film on the main stage of the Industry HUB and also in the online co-production market database.
The Ji.hlava New Visions Forum 2023 is accompanied by the Ji.hlava New Visions Market (October 25–28, 2023). The projects for the co-production market are presented in the online database accessible to all industry-accredited guests. The database is open for a further 14 days after the end of the Ji.hlava IDFF.
All participants of the JNV Market have also an opportunity to take part in the Matchmaking Accelerator during the industry days of Ji.hlava IDFF. Matchmaking Accelerator features several hundred accredited film professionals – festival representatives, curators, distributors, sales agents, commissioning editors and journalists from across the world.
Awards on offer are:
- Current Time TV award. 2,000 USD as a cash award granted in cooperation with Current Time TV. Eligible for European projects.
- FilmAid Award for the project addressing underrepresented communities and groups at Ji.hlava New Visions Forum 2023. 2,000 USD as a cash award granted in cooperation with FilmAid. Eligible for European and U.S. projects.
- #Docs Connect Taskovski training award. Mentorship and consultancy on the festival, marketing and distribution strategy for the winning project. Eligible for both European and U.S. projects
- Cannes Docs – Marché du Film Award. Two complimentary Marché du Film badges & selection as a Cannes Docs 2024 ‘Spotlighted Project.’ Eligible for both European and U.S. projects
- EFM Award. 2 EFM market badges and an EFM consultation session. Eligible for both European and U.S. projects
- DAE Award. Free memberships for two members of the project team for one year and a tailor-made consultancy session with DAE senior consultants. Eligible for both European and U.S. projects
2023 Ji.hlava IDFF poster
“This year’s Ji.hlava visual is absolutely documentary,” says festival director Marek Hovorka. “It connects the old with the new. It refers to calligraphy, an art that is six thousand years old, and at the same time works with the principle of mirroring. Its all-silver surface reflects the world around, including those who look at it. It thus links tradition with the present, much like the Ji.hlava IDFF, which presents retrospectives of important authors as well as the latest films by filmmakers from all over the world.”
The author of the poster is the award-winning book graphic designer and illustrator Juraj Horváth. A traditional part of the festival is the “festival of thinking” Inspiration Forum, which this year will focus on food and sustainability.The Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival will take place this year from 24 to 29 October in Jihlava and will then be online for 14 days.
“We have been intensively searching for the most interesting documentaries from literally all over the world for several months now and we are looking forward to presenting them to the audience. This year, we will completely change the booking system at the festival, which will make it easier to plan screenings. We are doing everything we can to make this year’s edition inspiring and surprising, and at the same time enjoyable and comfortable for its visitors,” says Hovorka.
