Short Docs meet Digital Platforms

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED!

 

One World Media, the British Council in Ukraine and Docudays UA invite emerging documentary filmmakers to submit projects to Global Short Docs Forum!

 

Global Short Docs Forum (GSDF) is a new initiative connecting filmmakers of documentary shorts with digital platforms.

 

It is often difficult for filmmakers to determine relevant commissioners, as well as the style and subject matter they are looking for. Global Short Docs Forum fills this crucial gap in the market, acting as a matchmaker between the decision makers and emerging filmmaking talent.

 

GSDF hosts 16 filmmakers selected from a global call, to attend a 4-day residential workshop in Kyiv, Ukraine. Filmmakers benefit from invaluable pitching training, mentoring and masterclasses from industry experts, and one-to-one meetings with decision makers.

 

WHO IS IT FOR?

 

Filmmakers of documentary shorts & digital platforms looking for new voices and new narratives.

 

GSDF supports and trains diverse filmmakers to tell untold stories of a social, political or cultural nature. Selection is based on the filmmaker’s proven ability and the strength of the story, characters and the footage provided.

 

The Forum is open to applications from anywhere in the world. The focus is on filmmakers from areas with low production capacity or little visibility, as well as minorities in geographical areas of established media production, encouraging new narratives and underreported stories.

 

Applicants must be fluent in English.

 

THE FORUM

 

GSDF is an annual forum. The first edition took place in 2018 in London, UK – click here for the video. 2019 edition will be in Kyiv, Ukraine as part of the International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Docudays UA.

 

Selected filmmakers attend a 4-day workshop and pitching training, followed by one-to-one meetings with decision makers.

 

All expenses (including travel and accommodation) are covered by the Forum.

 

TIMELINE

 

Deadline for applications: 23 November 2018.

Announcing selected projects: 15 January 2019. 

Global Short Docs Forum in Kyiv: 26 – 29 March 2019.

 

HOW TO APPLY

 

GSDF is open to applications from all parts of the world, for documentary projects up to 30 minutes, either in production or in late stages of development, with some existing footage.

 

See Terms and Conditions and Submission Information.

 

Submissions will only be accepted by filling in the online submission form and uploading relevant media on the One World Media Submission Portal, and completing online payment for the submission fee. Applicants will be asked to create an account by registering with basic details, and create a new submission form for each project.

 

Submission fee for each project is £25.00*.

 

Applicants may submit any number of projects, but a separate online submission form and submission fee will be required for each.

 

* Thanks to the support from the British Council in Ukraine there are waivers available to participants from Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Applicants may submit a few projects with the British Council waiver. To claim a waiver, please create an account on the submissions portal, and email [email protected] with your full name and country, mentioning the British Council waiver.

 

If you have any questions about the Forum or how to apply, please email [email protected].

 

Read more about the programme here:

www.globalshortdocs.com

www.britishcouncil.org.ua

www.docudays.ua

 

Global Short Docs Forum is organized by One World Media. The 2019 edition is sponsored by Facebook Journalism Project, supported by the British Council in Ukraine and The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and hosted by International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Docudays UA.

22 INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
 6 — 13 
June 2025