The Docs by the Sea (Indonesia) is calling for documentary projects until March 29, 2026.

About:
Docs by the Sea is a program dedicated to empowering filmmakers through film labs and pitching forums. Participating filmmakers will work with top mentors and have the opportunity to present their projects to connect with international industry representatives.

THEME
We encourage creative documentary filmmakers to submit projects with various themes, i.e. climate crisis, inclusivity, social justice, gender issues, human rights, etc.

AVAILABILITY & ACCESS
All labs will be conducted in English. In-Docs does not provide an individual translator for non-English speaking participants in any sessions/events.

ELIGIBILITY
The project must be produced or directed by a national of any of these countries. The applicants may be required to provide proof of their nationality upon confirmation: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Malaysia, Macao, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

STAGE OF PRODUCTION
The proposed projects can be at various stages of production with the following requirements.

ROLE IN PROJECT
The lab participants must at least have one of the following project members.

PAST DOCS BY THE SEA PROJECTS
You can submit projects that were selected in previous editions of Docs by the Sea, subject to the following conditions.

EDITORIAL CONSIDERATIONS
– The project is factually accurate and offers an authentic perspective.
– Filmmakers adhere to best practices in documentary ethics.
– Access to characters in the project must be secured.
– The project is designed with a specific audience in mind and has the potential for global distribution.
– It is feasible to complete the project within a realistic budget for its scale and has the potential to secure sufficient funding.
– Selected filmmakers are prepared to collaborate internationally but may require further assistance to access the international market.
– Past Docs by the Sea participants are encouraged to submit new projects or resubmit projects previously included in the past editions, if significant progress has been made.
– Producers whose films are selected in the editing, storytelling, or short storytelling lab are not prioritized to participate in the producer Lab.

GENERATIVE AI POLICY
Docs by the Sea champions authentic storytelling and ethical filmmaking practices. This policy outlines our position on generative AI (including images, audio, video, and text) in all submitted materials and proposed documentary projects. The full text for this policy can be found in the link below (Rules and Regulations).

Submission Fee: FREE
– Selected projects in the following labs are required to pay a participation fee:
– Selected projects in the following labs are required to pay a participation fee of € 150-250

Deadline: March 29, 2026 – 23:59 UTC+7

KEY DATES:
Call for Submissions
Project Submission: From February 25 to March 29, 2026
Selected Projects Announcement: June 19, 2026

Virtual Sessions
All Labs: From July 10 – 31, 2026
Pitch Methodology Online Session: August 14, 2026

In Person Sessions & Events:
Editing Lab:  September 2 – 4, 2026
Storytelling Lab: September 4, 2026
Producing Lab, Short Storytelling Lab, Pitch Exercise – September 5, 2026
Pitching Forum, industry talks. 1-on-1 meetings, awarding – September 6 – 9, 2026

To know more about the Application Guidelines please visit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fTBLpBUpvHEEiSWomEZswYEz5oJD8SL3fLHCtPtlAMY/edit?tab=t.0

To submit your project please go here: https://form.jotform.com/251634507422452

Looking for a festival distributor? Learn more about our services here

To see other Calls please follow the next link: “Call For Entries”.