Finishing a film is only part of the work. Finding its audience, building the right partnerships and turning its topic into meaningful action require just as much thought and planning. Docs Beyond: Audience, Impact & AI, a new training programme from the Institute of Documentary Film, gives documentary teams the time, expertise and practical tools to do exactly that.
Applications are open to film professionals based in the Czech Republic who are working on a feature-length documentary in production or post-production. Twelve selected teams will develop concrete audience or impact strategies for their projects under the guidance of international experts. Applications are open until 31 August 2026 at 23:59 CEST.
“Films have the power to shift perspectives and change people’s minds. But only if they can reach them. When working on a film, we need a clear idea of who it is for, what it can change and how it should move into the world. Docs Beyond gives filmmakers the space to develop that thinking around their own projects, choose the path that matters most to them and explore how generative AI can be used practically and responsibly. The goal is for every participant to leave with a strategy that feels concrete, relevant and ready to use, ” says Veronika Janatková, Programme Manager.
Docs Beyond is designed for the stage when questions of audience, outreach and impact can no longer be postponed. The programme helps teams identify the communities their films could reach, build relevant partnerships and consider where generative AI can genuinely support their work – and where it should not.
EXPERT-LED MODULES
▷ Module 1: Impact Producing
Led by award-winning impact producer Khadidja Benouataf, the module helps teams build a realistic impact strategy, identify relevant partners and connect distribution with social goals. Benouataf is president of Impact Social Club and has advised more than seventy film teams at festivals including Berlinale, IDFA and DOK Leipzig.
▷ Module 2: Audience Design & Outreach
Audience strategist Paul Rieth will guide teams in identifying the communities their films can speak to and developing outreach strategies that connect the films with those communities. The co-founder of GET YOUR CROWD and author of DOK & CROWD, Rieth has led more than one hundred workshops at international film programmes and festivals.
▷ Module 3: AI & Documentary
In the shared module, filmmaker and researcher Dominic Lees will examine where generative AI can support documentary practice, alongside the creative and ethical questions it raises. Lees leads the Synthetic Media Research Network and has advised the UK Parliament on film and AI policy.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Docs Beyond is intended for producers, directors, screenwriters, distributors and other members of documentary creative teams based in the Czech Republic.
Applicants must be working on an unreleased feature-length documentary in production or post-production, with footage already available. Each project is represented by one member of its creative team. In justified cases, projects may request representation by two members, subject to prior approval by IDF. All representatives must have a working knowledge of English and be available for all three workshops.
PROGRAMME DATES
7–9 October 2026 – preparatory online workshop
25–29 November 2026 – residential workshop
9–11 December 2026 – follow-up online workshop
Between the workshops, participants will continue developing their projects. By the end of the programme, each team will have a concrete audience or impact strategy, clearer priorities and practical next steps tailored to its film.
APPLICATIONS OPEN UNTIL 31 AUGUST
There is no fee to apply. Applications must be submitted in English through the online form by 31 August 2026 at 23:59 CEST. Full eligibility requirements, required materials and selection criteria are available on our website: https://dokweb.net/activities/docs-beyond/2026/application
APPLICATION: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/pKeHvgawZd
Docs Beyond: Audience, Impact & AI is organised by the Institute of Documentary Film in cooperation with the Audiovisual Producers’ Association (APA). The programme is supported by the Czech Audiovisual Fund and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.
About the Institute of Documentary Film
Since 2001, the Institute of Documentary Film (IDF) has been supporting Eastern and Central European original documentary films in all stages of production. It assists emerging and experienced directors with the development of their films, and producers with the financing, distribution and promotion of their films, as well as with orientation on the international market. All this with the help of the vast experiences of renowned international experts. Films supported by IDF activities regularly win awards at leading film festivals. For the public, the IDF organises lectures and screenings of the most interesting documentaries not only in cinemas but also in various alternative spaces.
dokweb.net
Media contact: Anna Jurková | PR IDF | jurkova@dokweb.net
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