Sarajevo Film Festival’s Docu Rough Cut Boutique Now Accepting Applications for 2025 from South-East Europe
The 15th edition of the prestigious Docu Rough Cut Boutique is now accepting applications, offering an exclusive opportunity for documentary filmmakers in South-East Europe. Organized by the Sarajevo Film Festival and Balkan Documentary Center, this unique workshop is designed for projects in the advanced editing stage, with a focus on elevating them to international standards.
The program will select only five projects from eligible countries, which include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. The selected teams must submit at least 60 minutes of material, ensuring projects are well-developed for the intensive training.
The workshop spans three modules in Sofia (March), Cluj (June), and Sarajevo (August), where participants will engage in editing tutorials, group discussions, and one-on-one mentorship sessions with renowned documentary professionals. The final module coincides with the Sarajevo Film Festival, where the projects will be presented during CineLink Industry Days to decision-makers such as funders, sales agents, and festival programmers.
Over the years, the program has supported acclaimed documentaries, including "City of the Sun" (Berlinale 2017), "The Other Side of Everything" by Mila Turajlić (IDFA Best Film 2017), and "Bottleman" (Heart of Sarajevo, Best Documentary 2023). Mentors such as Kirsten Johnson, Tom Ernst, and Dana Bunescu have contributed to the workshop’s success.
The application deadline is January 13, 2025, with shortlisted projects announced mid-February during Berlinale. Selected participants must commit to attending all sessions in person and demonstrate fluency in English.
The participation fee of €1000 per team includes tuition, accommodation, and access to industry events.