Docs Beyond, the new 3-module Audience, Impact & training programme from the Institute of Documentary Film, seeks to give documentary teams the time, expertise and practical tools to “find its audience, build the right partnerships and turn its topic into meaningful action.”
The programme is intended for producers, directors, screenwriters, distributors and other members of documentary creative teams based in the Czech Republic. “Finishing a film is only part of the work,” organisers underline. Applications are open until 31 August 2026 at 23:59 CEST.
Applications are open to film professionals who are working on a feature-length documentary in production or post-production. Twelve selected teams will develop concrete audience or impact strategies for their projects under the guidance of international experts.
“Films have the power to shift perspectives and change people’s minds. But only if they can reach them,” comments Veronika Janatková, Programme Manager. “When working on a film, we need a clear idea of who it is for, what it can change and how it should move into the world. Docs Beyond gives filmmakers the space to develop that thinking around their own projects, choose the path that matters most to them and explore how generative AI can be used practically and responsibly. The goal is for every participant to leave with a strategy that feels concrete, relevant and ready to use.”
Organisers add that “Docs Beyond is designed for the stage when questions of audience, outreach and impact can no longer be postponed. The programme helps teams identify the communities their films could reach, build relevant partnerships and consider where generative AI can genuinely support their work – and where it should not.”
EXPERT-LED MODULES
- Module 1: Impact Producing: Led by award-winning impact producer Khadidja Benouataf, the module helps teams build a realistic impact strategy, identify relevant partners and connect distribution with social goals. Benouataf is president of Impact Social Club and has advised more than seventy film teams at festivals including Berlinale, IDFA and DOK Leipzig.
- Module 2: Audience Design & Outreach: Audience strategist Paul Rieth will guide teams in identifying the communities their films can speak to and developing outreach strategies that connect the films with those communities. The co-founder of GET YOUR CROWD and author of DOK & CROWD, Rieth has led more than one hundred workshops at international film programmes and festivals.
- Module 3: AI & Documentary: In the shared module, filmmaker and researcher Dominic Lees will examine where generative AI can support documentary practice, alongside the creative and ethical questions it raises. Lees leads the Synthetic Media Research Network and has advised the UK Parliament on film and AI policy.
PROGRAMME DATES
- 7–9 October 2026 – preparatory online workshop
- 25–29 November 2026 – residential workshop
- 9–11 December 2026 – follow-up online workshop
Between the workshops, participants will continue developing their projects. By the end of the programme, it is intended that each team will have a concrete audience or impact strategy, clearer priorities and practical next steps tailored to its film.
Full eligibility requirements, required materials and selection criteria are available at https://dokweb.net/activities/docs-beyond/2026/application. To apply: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/pKeHvgawZd
