Swiss doc fest Visions du Réel has announced its call for films and projects for its 57th edition running 17 to 26 April 2026. The early deadline for both is October 17, while the final deadline is December 15.
Films in competition receive their world, international or European premiere. The competition sections are:
- International Feature Film Competition: celebrating the best of contemporary non-fiction filmmaking, in all its originality and eclecticism.
- Burning Lights Competition: an international competition of feature films dedicated to novel, free, adventurous and contemporary perspectives in cinema.
- National Competition: dedicated to feature-length and medium-length films (co)produced in Switzerland, the competition showcases the tremendous diversity and excellence of Swiss production.
- International Medium Length & Short Film Competition: celebrating the best of shorter formats in contemporary non-fiction filmmaking, in all their originality and eclecticism.
- Wide Angle: a competitive section of feature films that have already won over audiences at other festivals or that will mark the coming year.
- Opening Scenes: dedicated to the best contemporary emerging directors, the competition presents 15 first short films or student films.
Project sections are:
- VdR–Pitching: international co-production and financing forum for non-fiction projects in late development.
- VdR–Work in Progress: a showcase of creative non-fiction projects seeking distribution, festivals and sales.
- VdR–Rough Cut Lab: a four-day rough cut intensive for projects in editing stage.
- VdR–Development Lab: a nine-month intensive lab for the development of non-fiction projects from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Deadline: November 6
VdR–Industry Award at the Durban FilmMart
Elsewhere, director Basma Rkioui and producer Karim Debbagh won the Visions du Réel Award at the 2025 Durban FilmMart for their project Akal (Morocco). From a childhood dream lost on the snowy slopes of Oukaïmeden to a growing awareness of a land transformed, Akal is a film tracing the thread of the director’s personal story against a larger backdrop of memory, history, and climate change.The team will receive two accreditations and accommodation to participate in 2026 VdR–Industry programme in Nyon.
