The Balkan Documentary Center (BDC) has launched the 2025 call for Balkan Watchers, its media development programme for documentary films and podcasts. “This pioneering initiative, funded by Creative Europe – MEDIA, aims to foster critical storytelling through documentary films and podcasts, by providing a safe and supportive platform for journalists, filmmakers, and activists working in the Balkans and surrounding regions on the basis of training, pitching and funding,” write organisers.
The deadline for application submissions is January 5 2025 via the online form.
The Balkan Watchers program addresses the urgent need for independent media and diverse voices in regions where freedom of expression can be restricted, and media professionals often encounter challenges such as censorship, threats, and limited resources,” organisers write. “With a strong focus on journalistic integrity and the promotion of democratic values, the program supports projects that shed light on critical societal issues affecting the Balkans and neighbouring areas.”
In 2025, Balkan Watchers will select a total of twenty projects — ten films and ten podcasts, of which a total of six projects, three documentaries and three podcasts, will receive not both expert mentorship and financial support: €25,000 for each documentary film and €5,000 for each podcast. Participants will benefit from a comprehensive training program divided into three modules, designed to guide them through project development, pitch preparation, and industry presentation.
The program will culminate at Sofia DocuMental in October 2025, where the participants will present their projects at the fourth edition of the Balkan Documentary Market to a distinguished audience of industry professionals. The 2024 pilot edition included representatives from organisations such as BBC, ZDF/ARTE and The Whickers along with international production and distribution organizations such as Lightdox Sales and German Films.
The program’s final event will feature an awards ceremony where an international jury of industry experts will announce the winning projects, with funding aimed at bringing these impactful stories to completion within the next one to two years.
Balkan Documentary Center director Martichka Bozhilova comments: “The overwhelming response to our first edition in 2024 highlighted the originality and creative ambition of filmmakers and storytellers from this region. It is inspiring to see the bold perspectives and powerful narratives that have emerged—stories with relevance not only for the Balkans but for the global community.”
2025 Program 3-phase structure:
- Bucharest, April 2025 – A project development seminar in partnership with One World Romania, focused on refining storylines, honing documentary and podcast formats, and working with international mentors.
- Online module, August-September 2025 – An online pitch preparation module to help participants develop impactful presentations for their projects.
- Sofia, October 2025 – The final module at Sofia DocuMental, where selected projects will be pitched to an esteemed panel, with funding recipients announced at the festival’s awards ceremony.
The program is open to projects in late development or production stages. Eligible applicants include residents from the following regions:
EU Countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Croatia, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Cyprus, and Malta
Non-EU Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina
