Ex Oriente Film is a project-based training programme that aims to support the development and funding of outstanding creative documentaries from Central and Eastern Europe. It serves as a creative laboratory for established and emerging film professionals as well as gifted storytellers. The 2023 Ex Oriente Film workshop is now accepting applications, and both feature-length documentary projects and factual creative documentary series projects from the Central and Eastern European region are welcome to apply for free using the Ex Oriente Feature application form and Ex Oriente Series application form. The application deadline is Friday 14 April.

This is the first time that the workshop offers a special training programme designed for the development of factual documentary series projects. Ivana Pauerová Miloševičová, leading tutor of Ex Oriente Film, explains: “The demand for documentary series has been on the rise for several years, and we have decided that, as well as connecting creators and producers with commissioners and financiers, there is a need to fill the gap in the training offer for creative docu-series projects, especially originating from the Central and Eastern territories”.

The open call welcomes creative feature-length documentary projects and documentary series projects that challenge the boundaries of genres, formats and media, and are in the development or early production stage. The workshop will select 12 documentary feature-length projects and five documentary series projects, represented by director-producer or creator-producer teams, to participate in three residential sessions and additional online sessions. Ex Oriente Film is primarily intended for directors and producers from Europe, with a particular emphasis on projects from the Central and Eastern European regions (including selected EU-acceding and candidate countries) and/or creative documentary projects that focus on stories from Central and Eastern Europe. However, projects from other countries are also encouraged to apply. Additionally, the workshop welcomes observers from production and distribution companies, film institutions, television channels, film festivals and funds.

Participants of the workshop will receive support from more than 30 prominent European experts and gain access to valuable international connections. They will also become part of a network of over 540 European professionals who have attended the Ex Oriente Film workshop in the past two decades. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to join the Ex Oriente Film Follow-Up Programme, a year-long series of mentoring and peer-to-peer activities. The workshop's lead tutors for the 2023 session are Finnish producer and consultant Iikka Vehkalahti, Czech director and script editor Ivana Pauerová Miloševičová, Czech director and producer Filip Remunda, and British producer Ruth Reid.

Regarding the workshop's schedule, the first session will take place in June at Sunny Side of the Doc in La Rochelle, France. The second residential event will be held in October during DOK Leipzig. The final session will occur in Prague, within the East Doc Platform and One World IHRDFF, where participants will pitch their projects to industry professionals. They will also have the opportunity to receive various prizes and scholarships, including direct financial support, co-production agreements, and access to leading European markets and partner training.