The Network Doc Around Europe

More than ever, we need documentary filmmakers to help us make sense of a complex and ever-changing world. We need documentaries to remind us—and to teach younger generations—about the joy of discovery, the celebration of debate, and the importance of tolerance.

DOC AROUND EUROPE is dedicated to supporting and promoting European documentaries by emerging filmmakers, and to help them connect to audiences and to the international market alike. Over the past four years, the network has successfully facilitated film circulation across Europe, and has organized a range of events during member festivals.

Nurturing new voices and directors, the network understands the exciting potential of digital tools to reach wider audiences. This VOD platform represents a strategic and innovative way of improving visibility for European films.

Bringing together the joint forces of network members (DocsBarcelona, DOK.fest München, MakeDox, FIPADOC, VERZIÓ and Biografilm), the platform aims to showcase films made by younger talents. It will also target European and international festival programmers, broadcasters, buyers and distributors, with the goal of providing more opportunities to the films and their creators.

The platform will offer an annual catalog of up to 40 new documentary films curated by the network members from their festival selections. The films will be available for up to two years, ensuring a constant renewal and a steady offering of European documentary talent.

DocsBarcelona (Barcelona, Spain)

Main documentary film Festival and Market in Spain with 25 editions executed, with over 15.000 audiences in theatres, educational section, and yearlong programme over more than 70 screens.

MakeDox (Skopje, North Macedonia)

A festival with 13 editions, with cared attention to cinematic narrative and talent, with a strategic look to the whole Balkan region and strong educational links.

FIPADOC (Biarritz, France)

The first event on the circuit of major international documentary festivals every year. Over 8 days it gathers over 32.000 viewers in cinemas. It has a strong industry background and offers strong emerging talent programmes.

Verzió (Budapest, Hungary)

Verzió is an International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival with year-round programs and diverse educational and professional activities. Founded in 2004, it is held annually in November in Budapest and throughout Hungary, showcasing creative documentaries with a social and human rights approach. With more than 200 screenings every year, Verzió is an important meeting place for the documentary film community and a diverse audience of documentary film lovers.

DOK.fest München (Munich, Germany)

In recent years, DOK.fest München has developed into one of the most renowned and largest public and industry festivals dedicated to international, artistically valuable, socially relevant, feature-length documentary films. Every year in May and throughout the year, it presents outstanding documentaries from all over the world on the big screen. In 2023 130 films presented both on the cinema screen and at home on the digital screen with a total of around 56,000 visitors.

Biografilm (Bologna, Italy)

With a 20-year-old history, Biografilm focuses on new European character-driven films and has a dedicated market, Bio to B - Industry Days as well as year-round educational programmes for young audiences. During 11 days of programming, approximately 80 films, of which 80% docs and 20% fiction films, are screened in theatres and open-air cinemas every June in Bologna.

The project is funded by Creative Media Europe