09.05.2023

Ji.hlava New Visions Forum: U.S. Docs – Call for U.S. Documentary Filmmakers

One of the leading European documentary film festivals – the Czech Republic’s Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, announces the call for the 3rd edition of Ji.hlava New Visions Forum: U.S. Docs.

Ten U.S. documentary projects in development as well as in production and post-production will be presented at the 27th Ji.hlava IDFF on October 27–29, 2023. The Ji.hlava New Visions platform is open to diverse genres and audiovisual formats – such as fiction films with documentary aspects, hybrid, cinema expanded, experimental and short films. The deadline for submissions is May 31.

„The aim of this initiative is to encourage and support U.S. and European documentary co-productions. In the European context, Ji.hlava became the first platform, which has effectively connected the U.S. documentary filmmakers with the potential co-producers, distributors, sales representatives and film festivals from Europe,“ says Marek Hovorka, director of Ji.hlava IDFF.

“We primarily look for films made with creative artistic approach. They do not need to be shot in Europe but the expected impact of the film should reach beyond the U.S.A.”, says Jarmila Outratová, head of Ji.hlava’s Industry section.

Ji.hlava New Visions is a financing, co-production and networking event. The most promising projects will receive both cash and in-kind awards in cooperation with Ji.hlava IDFF’s partners – American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs), Taskovski Films, Cannes Docs (Marché du Film), European Film Market (Berlinale), and Documentary Association of Europe.

The documentary projects presented at the Ji.hlava New Visions: U.S. Docs in the past two years have later premiered at festivals including SXSW and Tribeca. Other found their co-producers and distributors in Europe.

“This Ji.hlava initiative in creating a space for US Docs is a great opportunity for films that are looking to take their projects to the European market and share them with broader audiences. It is a great window to the European market for US Docs,” says Adriana Barbosa, co-director of Swing and Sway – a documentary which took part in the programme and later toured prestigious festivals including Sheffield, DOK Leipzig, Kassel, and Guadalajara.