Verzió DocLab has opened applications for its 2026 edition, inviting emerging European documentary filmmakers to apply for a five-day development programme focused on editing, story construction and industry presentation.

Now in its 11th edition, the Budapest-based lab will take place from 14 to 18 November 2026 and is aimed at directors working on their first or second feature-length documentary, together with their producers and editors. The programme is designed as an intensive creative platform where selected teams can refine narrative structure, rework key scenes and strengthen the cinematic shape of their projects through a combination of group sessions, tailored consultations and editing work.

The lab culminates in a public presentation of a trailer or excerpt before an industry audience that includes festival programmers, sales agents, fund representatives and producers. For early-career filmmakers, this structure positions DocLab not only as a development workshop, but as a point of contact with the wider European documentary ecosystem, offering visibility at a stage when projects are still taking formal and strategic shape.

The 2026 edition will be mentored by documentary consultant Brigid O’Shea, filmmaker Inka Achte, editor Flóra Erdélyi, and director-editor Anna Kis. Their involvement reflects the lab’s emphasis on both creative precision and international positioning, with particular attention given to projects carrying strong social relevance and cross-border potential.

Held as part of the Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival and connected to the DOC AROUND EUROPE network, Verzió DocLab continues to frame documentary development through a human-rights and public-interest lens. At the end of the workshop, industry partners will present awards offering financial support, recognition and further visibility for selected projects.

Applications are open until 31 May 2026 at midnight CET. More details are available through Verzió DocLab.