The deadline for applications for the 2025 Ji.hlava New Visions Forum: Europe programme is fast approaching. The pitch event, to run during Ji.hlava Industry Days (Czech Republic, October 28–31), is dedicated to the “new generation of European producers, new formats, innovative trends, and visions for the future.” This year will see a special pitching section focused on Croatia, which is the Ji.hlava Industry guest country 2025.
The deadline for applications is June 30. Submission is free of charge and the application includes both Ji.hlava New Visions Forum and also Ji.hlava New Visions Market. The selected projects will receive two complimentary Industry Accreditations.
At the core of the Ji.hlava New Visions Forum is the pitch of carefully selected European documentary projects – both in development stage and in production or post-production stages. The event will take place during the Ji.hlava IDFF (October 24 to November 2). The presentations will take place in person.
“The call is traditionally open not only to documentary films but also 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,” write organisers.
“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.”
Projects selected for the Ji.hlava New Visions Market will also gain visibility through the online database, accessible to all industry-accredited guests attending the festival.
Additionally, all participants in the Ji.hlava New Visions Forum and Market are eligible to join the Matchmaking Accelerator held during the Ji.hlava IDFF Industry Days. This networking platform connects participants with several hundred international film professionals — including festival programmers, curators, distributors, sales agents, commissioning editors, and journalists — fostering collaboration and new opportunities for their projects.
Among many awards will be the Ji.hlava New Visions Award 2025 for the most promising European project which includes €15,000 of post-production provided by UPP, and sound mixing and final sound master provided by Soundsquare (estimated value: €5,000).
Examples of recently finished projects that were originally introduced at the Ji.hlava New Visions Forum include: Hold On To Her by Robin Vanbesien (world premiere at Berlinale Forum Expanded 2024); Godsterminal by Georg Tiller (Official selection IFFR 2024); A Bit of a Stranger by Svitlana Lishchynska (world premiere at Berlinale 2024 – Panorama; Forest by Lidia Duda, winner of Silver Alexander at Thessaloniki 2024; Preemptive Listening by Aura Satz, winner of the New Vision Award at CPH:DOX 2024; The Castle by Danny Biancardi, Virginia Nardelli, Stefano La Rosa (CPH:AWARD 2025), and Divia by Dmytro Hreshko which is selected for Crystal Globe Competition at of Karlovy Vary 2025.
The Ji.hlava New Visions Forum will also place a focus on US- and East & Southeast Asia-produced projects in 2025 (more information to follow).
