
DOCvillage 2025
Discover our 5-day residency for the documentary filmmakers of the future!
Geplaatst op 11 maart 2025Would you like to work on your idea and plan for a short documentary, further develop your cinematic vision and signature, and expand your network? Then participate in our five-day residency, DOCvillage, during DOCDAYS Sittard!
DOCvillage 2025
DOCvillage is an intensive 5-day residency designed to stimulate documentary filmmakers by enhancing their skills, refining their project ideas, and fostering a sense of community. Through interactive (group) sessions, practical exercises, and individual coaching, participants receive the tools and confidence to bring their documentary ideas and visions to life.
This residency is ideal for documentary filmmakers at various stages of development, from those with a budding concept to those working on a project already in progress. Participants must have produced at least one short documentary, have a strong interest in non-fiction storytelling, and be willing to work on their skills both individually and in groups. DOCvillage is open for short documentary-projects (up to 40 minutes).
On the final day of the residency, participants will pitch their projects to a professional jury, with the chance to win a contribution of €2,000 towards the realization of their project.
Please note: the DOCvillage residency is conducted in English.
Program & practical information
The residency takes place from October 6 to 10 in Sittard, and includes coaching sessions, workshops, masterclasses, and the DOC Industry Day during DOCDAYS 2025.
Coaches for this edition of DOCvillage include John Appel and Astrid Bussink. The participation fee (after selection) is €1000 excl. VAT. This includes:
- Full access to the residency program
- Hotel accommodation (incl. breakfast) from Monday to Friday
- Lunch provided on all residency days
- A network dinner hosted by CineSud on one of the days
Partner organisations and open call:
- Partner organisations: filmmakers from Denmark, Norway & Netherlands are eligible to submit via the partner if the film workshop in the region is one of the Screen Talent Europe & Screen Talent NL partners: Filmworkshop Aarhus, Mediefabrikken, CineNord, CineSud, CineZee, Oostpact. Your application will be assessed by your local partner. The participation fee is covered by the partner mentioned above (the program covers workshop, accommodation and catering costs for the selected participants. Travelling may be fully/partially covered by the respective partners up to a limit. For more information about travel costs, please contact your local partner)
- Open call: there are two spots available for an open call for filmmakers from all over the world who are not eligable to apply via a partner mentioned above.
Applications are open until Tuesday, July 15 at 12:00 PM via the form below.
- October 6, 2025 (Monday)
- 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM: DOCvillage | Kick-off & Get-together Session
- October 7, 2025 (Tuesday)
- 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM: DOCvillage | Group Session | Day 1: Introduction and Research & Interviewing
- October 8, 2025 (Wednesday)
- 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM: DOCvillage | Group Session | Day 2: Observation and Storytelling
- October 9, 2025 (Thursday)
- 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM: DOCvillage | Group Session | Day 3: Directorial Vision
- October 10, 2025 (Friday)
- 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM: DOCDAYS Industry Day, including DOCpitch & DOCmatch
Daily group sessions: Each day, participants engage in focused group sessions led by the coach and provide feedback to one another.
Topics covered include:
- Documentary Styles & Storytelling Techniques: Explore various documentary approaches and learn how to create compelling narratives.
- Research Strategies: Develop effective research methods for documentaries, including archival research, selecting main characters, and finding suitable locations.
- Interview Techniques: Master the art of conducting insightful and engaging documentary interviews.
- Pre-Production Fundamentals: Build a solid foundation for your documentary by planning your budget, schedule, and logistics.
- Practical Filming Exercises: DOCvillage goes beyond theory, offering practical exercises throughout the workshop to reinforce learning experiences and stimulate creativity. Participants apply their newly acquired skills by filming in Sittard-Geleen and receive personalized feedback from the coach.
- Group Feedback and Networking: A core aspect of DOCvillage is the collaborative learning environment. Participants have the opportunity to share their work, receive constructive feedback from coaches and peers, and build valuable connections within the documentary filmmaking community.
DOCvillage participants conclude the program with a brief pitch of their projects on stage during the DOCDAYS Industry Day.
By the end of DOCvillage, participants will have gained valuable knowledge and practical skills to:
- Develop a stronger documentary concept, project, and pitch.
- Apply effective documentary research and interview techniques.
- Create a cinematic vision for an idea.
- Build a network of fellow documentary filmmakers.
- Expand their (industry) network.
- Friday, April 16: Opening of DOCvillage applications.
- Tuesday, June 10, 12:00 PM: Application deadline for Ukrainian filmmakers (via Goethe-Institut).
- Tuesday, July 15, 12:00 PM: Application deadline for other interested filmmakers.
- Tuesday, July 29: Announcement of DOCvillage selection.
I want to join!
To apply, please fill out the form below and upload a pitch file of a maximum of 5 pages (max. 5MB, in PDF format) as an attachment.
Examples of what your pitch file can include:
- A tagline, logline, and synopsis (1 page)
- A motivation/statement (explaining why you want to participate in DOCvillage and what you hope to gain from the experience) (1 page)
- A directorial vision (1 page)
- CVs of yourself and any cast/crew members involved in the project (1 page)
- A mood board or other relevant information (links to previous work are encouraged) (1 page)
Submission deadline: Tuesday, July 15, 12:00 PM.
Contact us.
Do you have any questions or just want to get in touch with us? Contact us by using the contact form below.