The final deadline for submissions of projects to MIA’s Italians Doc It Better 2026 showcase is September 6.
Italians Doc It Better looks to facilitate the circulation of new Italian documentaries by providing producers with a platform to present their projects and secure international distribution.
It is an initiative aimed at presenting Italian documentaries that are in post-production, at rough-cut stage, or completed but unreleased, and that have not yet been presented at other markets, festivals or showcases, in cinemas, on television or on platforms.
Submitted projects must have strong international appeal, and eligible titles must be in the following formats:
- TV one-off
- Docu-series
- Feature documentaries
Eligible titles must be 100% Italian productions or co-productions in which Italy holds a majority share. A market premiere is a mandatory requirement. Should the title be selected for other industry initiatives or events after registration for Italians Doc It Better, the applicant must inform MIA in writing (docitbetter@miamarket.it). Titles that are explicitly pornographic in nature, as well as titles that endorse violence or openly incite violations of human rights, are not eligible.
To apply, click here. For more information, contact docitbetter@miamarket.it
In May 2026, MIA (Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo) unveiled “major new features” of its 2026 edition running October 19 to 23. Core to documentary activities in Rome are the annual Doc Pitching Forum and Italians Do it Better pitch sessions.
“MIA is inaugurating a new phase of development, marking an important evolutionary step that redefines its editorial, international and institutional profile,” the organisation underlined. “The market is thus consolidating its position as an increasingly structured, dynamic and effective industry platform, capable of supporting the entire audiovisual value chain and responding concretely to the needs of the contemporary market. The editorial project is being renewed through a more organic and circular approach, oriented toward value creation, project development and the generation of new business opportunities.”
“This evolution is also reflected in a new configuration of spaces and activities, which will involve new venues in the heart of Rome, creating a distributed geography capable of strengthening the dialogue between the industry and the city,” organisers added. “MIA’s growth is also measured in terms of participation and international positioning, thanks to an increasingly qualified and attractive offering for international professionals, further consolidating Rome’s role as a strategic hub for the audiovisual sector.”
New features in the editorial and industry programmes
MIA Director Gaia Tridente highlighted new features in the editorial programme, “arising from the need to address in a structured way the profound transformation currently affecting the international audiovisual ecosystem.”
“In a context marked by continuous geopolitical and economic changes on a global scale, MIA is embarking on a transformation that will take it from a market built on highly distinctive vertical content segments to an integrated industry platform, capable of accompanying the entire audiovisual value chain in a circular way,” she said.
“The objective is to address the sector’s real needs, generate new economies and offer concrete tools for the development and sustainability of companies in the sector. From this perspective, MIA aims to make its programme increasingly effective and impact-oriented, focusing its energy on initiatives capable of fostering new partnerships, stimulating innovative development models and strengthening the economic sustainability of the companies involved. MIA 2026 presents itself as a place for value creation and exchange.”
Co-Production Market & Pitching Forum
The co-production market has also been “rethought and reorganized,” MIA stressed, offering producers more structured opportunities to meet financiers, buyers, distributors and international co-producers. “The market will offer projects in development a real opportunity to access the international market, positioning itself as a business and creative platform dedicated to the growth of projects selected in the following categories: narrative feature films; animated feature films; documentaries; scripted series; docuseries; animated series, with the introduction of a new tool dedicated to gap financing.
The selected works will be presented within “renewed” Pitching Forums, designed to foster the construction of a more targeted and effective distribution, co-production and acquisition ecosystem. The forum will be divided into the following sections:
- Film Pitching Forum (Narrative Feature Films and Animation Feature Films)
- Doc Pitching Forum (Documentary Feature Films and Docuseries)
- Drama Pitching Forum (Scripted series – all formats)
European Investment Hub
With the European Investment Hub (EIH), MIA will become “for two days a platform for dialogue and in-depth discussion dedicated to European and international financial instruments supporting the audiovisual industry,” organisers wrote.
“The project is created with the aim of facilitating access to structured financial solutions, which are increasingly central to the development, consolidation and competitiveness of creative companies<’ the organisation continued. “MIA intends to offer European and international operators a clear and concrete view of the available instruments and of the ways to access them.
“The EIH programme will focus on the analysis and in-depth examination of a broad spectrum of financial instruments including: co-production funds (regional, European, international and EU cooperation funds); equity funds dedicated to audiovisual and cultural and creative industries; guarantee funds and risk mitigation mechanisms, also in synergy with European and national institutions; completion bonds and insurance instruments supporting the completion of works; public-private co-investment models and local instruments supporting production; auteur brands as new financial partners.”
Activities will be structured into thematic round tables and informal networking moments, with the objective of fostering direct dialogue among operators, investors and institutions through a practical approach to understanding financial mechanisms and investment rationales.
CASA MIA – A new dimension of experiential networking
Among the main new features of MIA 2026 is CASA MIA, a project designed to redefine the market experience and strengthen its relational dimension. In this context, CASA MIA is configured as a large networking lounge, integrated with and located close to the main market areas, accessible to all accredited participants. It is a space conceived as a true “audiovisual hub,” where people can meet, work, exchange ideas and develop new opportunities in a welcoming, curated and functional environment in which professional relationships can develop spontaneously.
“It is an environment that not only facilitates networking, but also helps strengthen the sense of belonging to MIA’s international community,” organisers said.
