Guardian Documentaries and arte.tv have joined forces to support filmmakers making documentary shorts, exploring the theme of Democracy at Stake in Europe.
Announced at Sheffield DocFest, the initiative invites filmmakers from across Europe to pitch character-led short documentaries examining the challenges facing democratic societies today. The deadline for submissions is September 14.
“The partnership brings together two of Europe’s most respected news and non-fiction media organisations, united by a commitment to public-interest storytelling and a belief in the power of documentary filmmaking to deepen understanding and spark debate,” the organisations jointly write in a press statement.
“Together, Guardian Documentaries and arte.tv offer filmmakers the opportunity to reach audiences across Europe and beyond, through their trusted editorial platforms and distinctive approaches to storytelling.”
One winning project will receive £10,000 (or €11,500) in production funding, editorial and creative support from both organisations and distribution across Guardian and ARTE platforms. It will also be translated into seven different European languages.
Organisers list the following submission criteria:
- Short documentaries with deeply human stories and creative approaches that reveal how political shifts are lived, felt, resisted, defended, or exploited in everyday life. Through closely observed personal journeys, these films should illuminate the larger forces shaping democratic life – erosion and renewal, apathy and activism, fear and hope.
- Maximum running time of 20 mins.
- Projects that will bear witness, provoke debate and sustain an informed public – the lifeblood of democratic life.
- Projects at any stage of production or post production that will be completed by or before spring 2027.
- No feature-length films or series.
- Films can be commissioned in any language but the pitch must be written in English.
- Submissions are invited from filmmakers of all experience levels and backgrounds from across the world, who are 18 or over.
“Democracy at Stake in Europe invites filmmakers to examine pressures facing democratic systems, institutions, and societies across the continent — from the rise of authoritarian movements and threats to press freedom, to the erosion of civil rights, electoral integrity, and civic trust,” organisers further underline.
“Guardian Documentaries and arte.tv are on the search for stories that illuminate these challenges, offer fresh and personal perspectives to help audiences understand what democracy in Europe means today.”
Jess Gormley, Executive Producer at Guardian Documentaries comments: “At a moment when democracy itself is being tested across Europe, we want to support filmmakers who are close to the personal stories that matter most. The Guardian has long been committed to reporting on the issues shaping Europe, and this partnership with arte.tv is a natural fit. We share a belief that short-form documentaries can bring audiences together and change the way people see the world.”
Catherine Colas, commissioning editor at ZDF/ARTE comments: “In all its formal and thematic diversity, the short film has long served as a voice for democracy. It possesses the unique ability to hold up a mirror to modern society and highlight its dysfunctions and contradictions in a timely and distinctive way. The partnership between the Guardian and ARTE enables new voices to be heard and gain visibility across a wide range of audiences.”
