Ex Oriente Film, an initiative of Institute of Documentary Film, was established in 2003 as the very first training initiative for East European creative documentary film. Since its foundation, the workshop has offered year-long support to over 150 documentary projects, providing the mentoring and contacts necessary to break through to the international market. 

Submissions for 2015 Ex Oriente Film workshop are now open. The workshop looks for creative documentary projects in development and early production from the CEE region. Apply with your documentary project through the online Entry Form (Application is free of charge). Submissions deadline: June, 1st.

At the three week-long workshop sessions taking place in the course of one year, directors and producers develop their projects and funding strategies and benefit from the assistance and valuable advice provided by leading European and US producers, directors, experts and commissioning editors. The Ex Oriente Film training programme culminates with the East European Forum co-production meeting, allowing documentary filmmakers to pitch their projects and to meet with Europe΄s and North America´s leading commissioning editors, independent producers, distributors, buyers and film fund and festival representatives. In the twelve years of its existence, more than 150 documentary projects from Eastern and Central Europe went through the Ex Oriente Film workshop, including award-winning films from the key European festivals, such as The Domino Effect, Blind Loves, At the Edge of Russia, Rabbit a la Berlin, Village Without Women, Bakhmaro.

1st Session: July 20 – 25, 2015 (Rijeka, Croatia, in cooperation with REFINERI workshop)

2nd Session: October 26 – 31, 2015 (Jihlava, Czech Republic, within Jihlava IDFF)

3rd Session & East European Forum: March 7 – 13, 2016 (Prague, Czech Republic, within East Doc Platform and One World IFF)

Directors and producers participate with their own creative documentary projects. It is required that all workshop sessions be attended by both the director and the producer. Participants must be proficient in English.

The participation fee is €1,800 per selected project (includes accommodation, coffee breaks and lunches during all the three workshop sessions for 1-2 pers.).

Participants may apply for scholarship to cover part of the participation fee. Applicants must prove that there is no access to scholarship in their own country and that the project is not supported by any development funding.