DOKweb (Institute of Documentary Film)

Overview

DOKweb is the online platform operated by the Institute of Documentary Film (IDF), based in Prague. It functions as the central industry resource for documentary filmmakers working in Central and Eastern Europe, providing a database of grants, funds, co-production resources, festival listings, and industry contacts specifically relevant to the region. The platform is free to use.

DOKweb is not itself a grant-giving body. It is the infrastructure that connects filmmakers in Central and Eastern Europe with the funding landscape - both within the region and internationally. Through DOKweb, filmmakers can access information on funds, submit project profiles, and connect with potential co-producers, sales agents, and festival selectors who use the platform to discover projects from the region.

The IDF also organises the East Doc Platform (EDP), the largest co-production, funding, and distribution event specifically designed for documentary projects from Central and Eastern Europe. The 15th edition of EDP will take place March 19-25, 2026 at the French Institute in Prague, held in association with the One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival.

What DOKweb Provides

Fund and Grant Database

DOKweb maintains a comprehensive, actively updated database of documentary funds and grants, with particular depth in resources relevant to Central and Eastern European filmmakers. The database covers regional funds, national film funds, and major international documentary grants. Filmmakers can find opportunities to submit documentaries in development or final cut, with deadlines tracked by the platform.

Project Profiles

Filmmakers can create project profiles on DOKweb, making their projects discoverable to co-producers, broadcasters, fund managers, and festival programmers who use the platform to scout work from the region. This is a free service.

East Doc Video Library

A video library where documentary films from the region can be watched by industry professionals, providing additional distribution and discovery opportunities.

Industry Professional Database

A comprehensive database of film professionals, their projects, films, and companies, facilitating networking and co-production connections across the region.

East Doc Platform 2026

The East Doc Platform is the IDF's flagship annual event. The 15th edition runs March 19-25, 2026 at the French Institute in Prague.

East Doc Forum

The flagship pitching platform for feature-length documentaries and factual series in development or early production. Selected projects receive:

• Five days of pitch training and preparation
• Networking opportunities with invited decision makers
• Individual meetings with potential co-producers, partners, and financiers
• Pitch presentations on March 24, 2026

East Doc Market

A curated marketplace offering pre-arranged one-on-one meetings between documentary creators and international industry decision-makers. Open to documentary projects in development, rough cuts, and finished films. Key dates:

• March 23, 2026: East Doc Market for rough cuts and finished films meetings
• March 24-25, 2026: East Doc Market for films in development and Forum meetings

Czech Docs: Coming Soon

A showcase of the most promising new Czech documentary films, presented to leading festival selectors, international sales agents, distributors, and the general public.

East Doc Caravan

A festival distribution service that helps completed documentaries from the region reach international festival audiences.

Open Programme

Beyond its core industry activities, EDP offers a public programme of lectures, discussions, and special screenings. The 2026 programme focuses on ethics and safety in documentary filmmaking, financing and the future of Czech documentary film, responsibility and power relations, and the journey of a documentary film from development through international festivals to distribution.

East Doc Platform 2026 Application Details

Key Dates

• Application deadline (extended): November 23, 2025
• Successful applicants informed: January 15, 2026
• East Doc Platform: March 19-25, 2026, Prague, Czech Republic

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit:

• Logline and synopsis (max 2,200 characters including spaces)
• Treatment or detailed episode descriptions (max 6,500 characters including spaces)
• Short budget
• Financial plan
• 3 film stills
• Director's photo, bio, and filmography
• Producer's photo, bio, filmography, and company profile
• Link to the trailer
• Link to the director's previous films
• Author's presentation video (2-5 minutes, explaining reasons to make the film and motivation to present at East Doc Forum; can be recorded on a smartphone)
• Complete company information including VAT number (EU-based companies must provide a valid VAT number)

Eligibility

• Creative feature-length documentary films (character-driven) or factual series projects from Central and Eastern Europe in development, production, post-production, or finished stage
• Also open to international productions with projects thematically bound to the CEE region
• Proficiency in English required
• All audiovisual materials must have English subtitles
• Applying is free of charge

Participation Cost

Successful applicants whose projects are selected must pay a participation fee (amount specified in the guidelines). Selected participants receive free accreditation to the industry sessions of the East Doc Platform, festival screenings of the One World festival, and all networking events.

The IDF's Broader Work

The Institute of Documentary Film organises pitching forums, workshops, and professional development programs alongside the DOKweb platform throughout the year. Filmmakers based in the region should engage with IDF's full program calendar rather than treating DOKweb as a purely digital resource. The IDF also publishes a regular newsletter with fresh information about opportunities, deadlines, and industry events.

Who Should Apply / Register

Documentary filmmakers in Central and Eastern Europe who want to make their projects discoverable to the international co-production and distribution market. Filmmakers developing their first international project will find the fund database and project profile tools most immediately useful. Filmmakers with feature-length documentaries in development or early production should apply to the East Doc Forum for pitch training and direct access to decision-makers. Those with rough cuts or finished films should consider the East Doc Market for one-on-one meetings with distributors, sales agents, and festival selectors.

See Also

For building an international co-production financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For understanding how to navigate distribution deals after festival premiere, see Distribution Deals: What Filmmakers Need to Know. For planning a production timeline for an internationally co-produced documentary, use the Production Schedule Calculator.