Mecal Lab is a professional short film development program held annually in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the renowned Mecal Pro Festival. The lab selects five short fiction projects (under 30 minutes) and provides filmmakers with intensive training and mentoring through seven specialized workshops. These cover topics such as crowdfunding, script doctoring, marketing and distribution, sustainable filmmaking, public funding, AI in cinema, and pitching strategies. Each selected project receives personalized coaching and a €3,000 grant to support the film’s production.
The 2025 edition will take place from June 26 to July 6. Applicants must submit a biography of the director and producer, a motivation letter, a full project dossier, and the short film’s script. The application fee is €15, and the deadline is May 15, 2025.
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MECAL LAB
Sheffield DocFest is the UK’s leading documentary festival and one of the world’s most influential markets for documentary projects. We champion and present the breadth of documentary form – film, television, immersive and art – in the vibrant city of Sheffield each June. We offer makers and audiences a place for inspiration, debate, development, learning and challenge. Our programming represents our core values – creativity, empathy, freedom, inclusivity and internationalism.
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Mercado de Sheffield DocFest
The Projects Submission call for the FEST – New Directors | New Films Festival in Portugal (Espinho) invites film projects to its Pitching Forum 2026. Submissions are open from December 18, 2025 to April 6, 2026, with Early Bird, regular, and late fee periods. The main event takes place during the festival, running June 20–28, 2026, with training sessions from June 23–25 and final pitch presentations on June 26–27, 2026. This call accepts international submissions with no country restrictions and is open to projects of all genres and filmmaking techniques (fiction, documentary, animation, experimental). The focus area is a Pitching Forum for development, funding, and co-production, where selected projects are presented to industry professionals. Accepted formats include feature films, short films, and series at various stages from development to post-production, organized in categories such as Feature Gems, Work In Progress, Make It Short, and Series, according to the participation guidelines.
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FEST — Pitching Forum
The IBERMEDIA Program launches its Feature Film Co-Development call to support projects in the development stage that can become co-productions among member countries. Applications are open from January 30 to March 30, 2026, until 11:59 a.m. local time of the lead producer’s country.
The call accepts fiction, documentary, and animation feature films. It is aimed at producers from at least two IBERMEDIA member countries, encouraging international collaboration within the Ibero-American region. This initiative does not fund physical production but provides support for the development and co-development phase, including script work, production planning, and co-production preparation.
The main goal is to strengthen feature film projects with international distribution potential, fostering cultural exchange among participating countries and facilitating industry cooperation. Selected projects will receive financial and technical support to consolidate their proposals and move forward toward production.
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IBERMEDIA PROGRAM - CO-DEVELOPMENT OF FEATURE FILMS
The Ibermedia Program 2026 opens its call for the co-development of Ibero-American series projects. Applications are accepted from January 30 to March 30, 2026, aimed at independent production companies from Ibermedia member countries. The call seeks to support the creation of fiction series, creative documentaries, and animation series in development stages, with potential for international co-production.
Projects of all genres are welcome, with no thematic restrictions. The initiative focuses on projects seeking creative and strategic development support, strengthening the Ibero-American audiovisual industry. Series can be intended for television or digital platforms, and each project must follow a serialized format.
This opportunity is open only to production companies from Ibero-American countries but encourages international collaboration, not limiting submissions to each nation individually. The call does not require in-person activities; it focuses on the evaluation and selection of projects based on quality, feasibility, and co-production potential.
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PROGRAMA IBERMEDIA - CODESARROLLO DE SERIES
