VdR Industry (VdR Pitching)

Overview

VdR Industry is the professional platform of Visions du Reel, one of the major documentary film festivals in Europe, held annually in Nyon, Switzerland. The 2026 edition (the 57th festival) runs April 17 to 26, with the Industry Days taking place April 19 to 22. Under the new direction of Head of Industry Sabine Fayoux Cantillo, VdR Industry selects 31 projects from more than 600 annual submissions across four categories, awarding more than 80,000 CHF in prizes.

VdR Pitching is the flagship competitive strand within VdR Industry. It selects 15 documentary or hybrid projects in late development and launches them to the international market. Selected teams pitch their projects to commissioning editors, distributors, sales agents, and co-producers, then participate in moderated roundtable discussions and pre-arranged one-on-one meetings to explore financing and distribution options.

The festival has a strong reputation in the creative documentary and author-driven nonfiction space. It attracts projects that push the boundaries of documentary form, and the industry events draw representatives from major European broadcasters, streaming platforms, and documentary funding organizations. The 2026 selection includes projects from 34 directors representing 28 countries, with 61% led by women directors, 45% by first-time feature directors, and 58% directed and produced by filmmakers from the majority world.

VdR Industry is supported by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC), Media Desk Switzerland, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

VdR Industry Structure

VdR Industry consists of four categories that support projects at different stages of production:

The selection committee may assign a submitted project to a different category than the one applied for, based on the project timeline and in discussion with the project holders.

VdR Pitching: Format and Process

Pitch Structure

Each selected project receives a 12-minute pitch slot during the Industry Days. This includes the spoken presentation, a visual sample, and a brief Q&A briefed in advance with the pitch moderator. The pitch is delivered to a public audience of accredited industry professionals.

Following the public pitch, each team participates in:

• Five roundtable sessions of 20 minutes each, seated at a table with multiple decision makers to discuss the project in detail
• One-on-one meetings scheduled over two subsequent days with additional industry guests

Preparation Support

Before the festival, selected teams receive:

• An introductory virtual meeting with the Head of Industry and Industry Manager
• Two online sessions with an assigned pitch trainer to refine written materials (catalogue synopsis and treatment) and the visual sample/pitch script
• On-site pitch preparation on Sunday, April 19, 2026 in Nyon

Attendance Requirements

Both the director and producer must attend to present the project in person in Nyon. They must stay for the full four days (April 19 to 22, 2026) and attend all VdR Pitching sessions. Director attendance is mandatory. Up to four participants per project receive industry accreditation, giving access to all screenings, talks, masterclasses, pitches, and ancillary activities during the festival. Additional accreditations cost CHF 160 per person.

Fees and Costs

Submission Fees

Participation Fee (if selected)

Selected projects pay a one-time participation fee of CHF 400 (VAT included) to secure their spot, due by March 13, 2026. This fee covers two industry accreditations and all pitch activities.

Travel and Accommodation

Visions du Reel does not cover travel or accommodation costs for selected teams. Based on a 2026 participant's firsthand account published by the International Documentary Association, attending VdR Industry with a three-person team can cost between 5,000 and 10,000 EUR depending on origin and team size, including flights, trains, hotel, and visas. The participation fee of CHF 400 covers accreditations but not the cost of getting to Nyon or staying there.

Nyon is a 15 to 20 minute train ride from Geneva along Lake Geneva. The festival books hotels for selected teams but the teams pay for them.

Eligibility

VdR Pitching accepts non-fiction and hybrid film projects. Key eligibility criteria:

• Project stage: Late development, ready to be launched into production
• Film length: Feature-length projects (no strict minute minimum stated in regulations, but the festival programs feature-length work)
• Format: Documentary and hybrid nonfiction projects
• Geography: No restrictions. Projects from all countries are eligible. The 2026 selection represents 28 countries.
• Team: Both director and producer must be attached and available to attend in person
• Language: Application materials and pitch must be in English

The selection process runs from October 2025 to February 2026 as a rolling process. The Artistic Director and Head of Industry, together with an international selection committee, make the final selections. Shortlist updates go out in early January, with final selection confirmations in the first week of March.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the Visions du Reel industry portal at visionsdureel.ch/en/industry. The submission requires:

• Project description
• Treatment or detailed synopsis
• Director's statement
• Budget and financing plan
• Visual material (trailer, excerpt, or visual sample appropriate to the project stage)

The submission fee is paid online at the time of application. Early deadline submissions (by October 17, 2025) cost CHF 30. Final deadline submissions (by December 15, 2025) cost CHF 40.

2026 Selection Snapshot

The 2026 VdR Pitching selection includes 15 projects from directors across 28 countries. Notable selections include:

• A Season in Europe by Jean-Stephane Bron (Switzerland), produced by Lionel Baier (Bande a part Films), a Switzerland/France co-production examining the inner workings of European institutions
• Firing Line by Olga Gibelinda (Ukraine), produced by Malanka Studios

The full 2026 VdR Industry selection of 31 projects was announced on March 11, 2026, under embargo until March 12.

What It Covers

For VdR Pitching participants:

• Industry accreditations for up to 4 team members (access to all screenings, talks, masterclasses, pitches, and ancillary activities)
• Public pitch before an audience of international commissioning editors, distributors, sales agents, and co-producers
• Roundtable discussions with decision makers (5 sessions of 20 minutes each)
• One-on-one meetings pre-arranged with industry guests over two days
• Pitch training (2 online sessions with a professional pitch trainer plus on-site preparation)
• Eligibility for cash awards from the VdR Industry jury, Eurimages jury, and visions sud est jury (totaling 80,000+ CHF across all VdR Industry categories)
• Catalogue inclusion in the VdR Industry catalogue distributed to all accredited professionals

Who Should Apply

Documentary and hybrid filmmakers with feature-length projects in late development who need international co-production partners, broadcast pre-sales, or financing to move into production. The platform is particularly valuable for:

• Filmmakers working in creative, author-driven documentary forms
• Filmmakers seeking European co-production partners and broadcast commissioning editors
• Projects from the majority world (58% of 2026 selections were directed and produced by filmmakers from the majority world)
• First-time feature directors (45% of 2026 selections were first-time features)
• Filmmakers who need to secure a European broadcast partner to trigger national funding (e.g., France's CNC requires a broadcast partner unless applying through Cinema du Monde)

Filmmakers with projects at earlier stages (early development or rough cut) should apply to VdR Development Lab or VdR Rough Cut Lab instead. Filmmakers with projects in finishing stages should apply to VdR Work in Progress.

Common Confusions

VdR Pitching is not a cash grant program. The 80,000+ CHF in prizes is awarded by juries across all four VdR Industry categories, not solely to VdR Pitching participants. The primary value of VdR Pitching is access to decision makers and the opportunity to secure co-production deals, broadcast pre-sales, and distribution agreements through the pitch and meeting format.

The festival does not cover travel or accommodation. Unlike some European industry platforms that cover participant costs, VdR expects teams to pay their own way. The CHF 400 participation fee covers accreditations only. Teams should budget 5,000 to 10,000 EUR for a three-person team attending the four-day Industry Days, depending on travel origin.

The pitch is public. The 12-minute pitch is delivered to an audience of all accredited industry professionals, not behind closed doors. The roundtable and one-on-one sessions that follow are where the substantive deal conversations happen.

The selection committee may reassign your project to a different category. If you apply for VdR Pitching but the committee determines your project is at a different stage, they may offer you a spot in Rough Cut Lab, Work in Progress, or Development Lab instead.

See Also

For documentary distribution strategies, see Documentary Filmmaking Guide. To plan your documentary budget, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For other documentary funding opportunities, browse the full Film Scholarships Directory. For another major European documentary pitching platform, see Locarno Open Doors in this directory. For a European co-production fund, see Eurimages Co-Production Fund in this directory.