Ex Oriente Film organisers have put out the call for its two documentary labs (creative feature-length documentary projects, and creative docuseries), kicking off June 2025 and concluding March 2026 at East Doc Forum, Prague.
Ex Oriente is an international training programme for documentary professionals supporting the development and funding of creative documentary films and docuseries from Central and Eastern Europe.
The core of the Ex Oriente Film workshop is three week-long residential workshops held over 9 months during which up to 12 feature-length projects and 5 documentary series projects are selected and offered assistance from a wide range of film experts, with each workshop focusing on a different segment of development.
Participants are given “tailored guidance in developing the subject, narrative and visual style of their projects, making drafts of a financing and distribution strategy, and finding international partners,” write organisers.
The course culminates in the pitching sessions of projects at the East Doc Forum co-production meeting, featuring the final pitching in front of Europe and North America’s leading commissioning editors and independent producers, distributors, buyers and film fund representatives.
The call is open for creative feature-length documentary projects and docuseries in development and early production stage that “challenge genres, formats, and media boundaries.”
The workshop is designed for creators mainly from Central and Eastern Europe (incl. selected EU acceding and candidate countries) and/or creative documentary projects dealing with stories from the region.
“The Ex Oriente Film workshops [are] designed to foster, cultivate and nourish emerging documentary talents and producers. This professional-based training activity supports the development and funding of diverse creative documentary feature-length and documentary series projects by providing training to directors and producers from Central and Eastern Europe and supporting their connection and positioning within the European film industry landscape,” organisers write.
Ex Oriente Film Follow-Up
A year-long program designed especially for the Ex Oriente Film alumni participants and their projects. The program is open to both producers and directors and consists of online educational and inspirational content, curated residential delegations, tailor-made mentoring and peer-to-peer activities that former participants can take advantage of until the completion of their project.
Ex Oriente Film 2025 Timeline for Feature Docs
- 1st Session: June 2025
- 2nd Session: October 2025
- 3rd Session & East Doc Forum: March 2026
- To apply click here
Ex Oriente Film 2025 Timeline for Series
- 1st Session: June 2025
- 2nd Session: October 2025
- 3rd Session & East Doc Forum: March 2026
- To apply click here
