A documentary on your research?
Do you, as a researcher, want to contribute to a revolution in the film landscape and the rise of scientific documentary filmmaking in Flanders? DOCVILLE, the largest and leading international documentary film festival in Belgium, in collaboration with Canvas, VUB, UAntwerpen, UGent, FWO, and EWI, is seeking enthusiastic researchers and directors for the creation of a short science documentary premiering at DOCVILLE 2025.
Do you want your research to have the chance to shine in a fully funded scientific documentary? Then submit your written pitch (in Dutch or English, max. 500 words) via this online form by January 19, 2024. In this pitch, provide (1) a summary of your own research (in layman's terms), (2) demonstrate the relevance of your research to society, and (3) convince the jury why your research is worth making a documentary about. See below for more information on eligibility criteria and participation agreements in the competition.
Support
We are hosting an online information session on November 22 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM about this competition. Additionally, we offer the opportunity to participate in a live workshop to immediately work on your written pitch on December 18 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM (VUB, campus Etterbeek - location tba).
Register for the information session and workshop here.
Follow the information session via this link.
Selection Procedure
The festival director of DOCVILLE, along with a reading committee from VUB, will select four projects that can participate in the live pitch during the DOCVILLE festival on Monday, March 25. The announcement of the nominees is scheduled for Friday, January 26. Nominees will undergo media training in the first week of March (date tba). This year, researchers from the University of Antwerp will also participate (4 UA + 4 VUB nominees). The various pitches will be presented by Hettie Helsmoortel.
Immediately after the live pitch, nominees will have the opportunity to find a match through a speed date between their substantive and scientific vision and the artistic approach of a filmmaker. The filmmaker, in turn, must convince the jury of the film project in April (exact date tba). Ultimately, the jury will select one or two pitches for a producer and director to work on, receiving a production budget to realize the documentaries, in collaboration with the related researchers and directors. The documentaries will premiere at DOCVILLE 2025.
Inspiration
Looking for inspiration? Take a look at these best practices abroad: Photon and Particle Fever. It is not about a reportage like 'Pano' or a pure human interest documentary but a creative perspective (where the director gets artistic freedom) on a scientific theme.
*Curious about the VUB documentaries (project TESTEREP – Prof. dr. Soetkin Vervust // project CORAL (prof. dr. Marc Kochzius) premiering at the DOCVILLE festival 2024? Let us know via freija.poot@vub.be, and we will try to reserve a spot for you (March 21, 2024 – 8:00 PM – Stadsschouwburg Leuven).
Contact
For more information about this unique opportunity, you can always contact Freija Poot (freija.poot@vub.be) (RESEARCH Outreach & Communication).