Meet the participants and mentors of
CIRCLE Doc Accelerator 2026!

SELECTED PARTICIPANTS:

Rama Abdy / director (Syria)

House No. 7

Producer: Hazar Yazji

Countries of Production: Syria, Qatar

Sophie Ataya / director (Germany)

Who We Are

Production company: SEERA FILMS

Producers: Thomas Kaske / Marion Schmidt

Country of Production: Germany

Sara Geurtsen / producer and writer (Germany)

Sanctuary

Director: Areeb Zuaiter

Country of Production: United States

Ida Grøn / director (Denmark)

The Inner Whale In My Ear

Production company: Purple Pictures aps

Producer: Cecilie Bolvinkel

Country of Production: Denmark

Beatrice Leong / director and producer (Malaysia)

The Myth of Monsters

Production company: Gather Together

Country of Production: Malaysia

Diana-Elena Munteanu / director (Romania)

The Digs

Production company: Remora Films

Producer: Ana Maria Vijdea

Co-Producer: Margaux Juvenal (Take Shelter)

Countries of Production: Romania, France

Maja Prettner / director (Slovenia)

Chasing Horses

Producer: Maja Prettner

Country of Production: Slovenia

Piano Primrin / director and writer (Thailand)

A Journey to the Universe

Production company: Pop Pictures

Producer: Jeanne Sombatwattana

Country of Production: Thailand

Marta Smerechynska / director (Ukraine)

Call Me from the Frontline

Producer Ukraine: Krystyna Petrenko

(Cinema Bozen)

Producer France: Matthieu Belghiti

(What’s Up Films)

Countries of Production: Ukraine, France

Dea Tcholokava / director (Georgia)

Song to an Emerald Sky

Producer Georgia: Ketevan Kipiani

(Sakdoc Films)

Producers Germany: Felipa Goltz,

Maxime Pillip

Co-Producer Germany: Gregor Streiber (Inselfilm)

Countries of Production: Georgia, Germany

More about participants

This year's mentors include:

Director, producer and scriptwriter Diana El Jeiroudi (Republic of Silence, producer)
Director Salomé Jashi (Taming the Garden)
Director Gianluca Matarrese (GEN_)
Producer and documentary consultant Lucila Moctezuma

More about mentors

ABOUT

CIRCLE Doc Accelerator is a three-module programme founded in 2018 dedicated to women and gender-expansive filmmakers, providing a space to nurture their projects, elevate their careers, and navigate existing film power structures.

The programme is opened to woman or gender-expansive filmmaker with a feature documentary project in any stage of development.

With the help of world-renowned mentors, they advance their films and build an international network.

CIRCLE Doc Accelerator 2026

10 selected participants have the opportunity to develop their films with renowned experts in the field of documentary filmmaking, broaden their professional and personal networks, and position their projects in the European and international documentary film landscape.

Through three working modules, CIRCLE offers a safe and inspiring environment that prioritises the sustainable professional growth of participants, shaping their creative and strategic vision through a process rooted in solidarity, knowledge exchange, and hands-on practic connecting participants of the programme with the rest of the film industry and giving them access to world-renowned mentors.

CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator 2026 features 3 tailor-made sessions in 3 different countries, with each session focusing on a different key aspect of project development and career upskilling.

Module 01: June 2026, Greece

Creative development and in-depth analysis of projects

Module 01 focuses on creative development and analysis of the projects. With the mentorship of expert directors, script-writers and producers, each project is thoroughly addressed in order to pinpoint its strengths and potential. Combining individual consultations with group sessions, the goal of this phase is to expand participants’ perception of their films and devise new strategies for resolving any potential issues they may have faced in their creative journeys. These sessions are reinforced by masterclasses, film screenings and other activities.

Module 02: October 2026 - Portorož, Slovenia

Project packaging

In addition to further creative development of the projects, Module 02 is dedicated to the packaging, marketing and financing of feature documentaries. Each project has its own distinct needs, so the goal is to devise tailor-made production and communication strategies in order to raise international visibility and financing potential of the projects. Here, the participants will be working with leading experts specialized in packaging and marketing, as well as international co-productions and legal matters.

Module 03: January 2027, Trieste, Italy

Networking at When East Meets West / Trieste Film Festival

Finally, during the course of Module 03, the participants will have the opportunity to present their projects to potential partners and decision makers during the When East Meets West co-production market in Trieste, Italy. They will have access to all the Industry events, as well as film screenings, and will enjoy the benefits of networking with a wide array of professionals in the European documentary field.

CIRCLE welcomes 10 directors and/or producers (one per team) developing documentary projects with strong international potential. We welcome applications from all nationalities and encourage not only emerging filmmakers but also visual artists transitioning into the genre.

Projects can be at an early, development, or advanced stage. The programme is designed for projects that are defined but still open to growth, collaboration, and refinement. Applicants should demonstrate a clear intention to develop or realise their project during the course of the programme.

The 2026 participation fee is €4,500 per project. This fee covers all tuition costs and expenses during in-person modules, including accommodation in single rooms with full board, coffee breaks, and refreshments. Travel, travel insurance, and special needs arrangements are not included.

We offer at least 2 scholarships per year for selected participants (50% discount on tuition fees, to be requested during the application process) to participants from LCC A or B countries, those without national funding, or with proven financial need. Priority is given to those with the least access to funding. We also assist our participants with fundraising through connections with organizations supporting filmmakers and various film centers.

A selection committee composed of three members (majority women) evaluates all received applications and creates a shortlist. Individual 30-minute Zoom interviews are then organized with shortlisted applicants. As CIRCLE focuses on curating a diverse and complementary group with participants open to engaging in group work and knowledge-sharing, these interviews are of major importance. Following the interviews and final evaluations, 10 participants are selected to participate in the programme.

CIRCLE is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible environment that values age inclusivity and geographic diversity. Applicants with special needs or access requirements are encouraged to inform the programme team during the application process, and support will be provided wherever possible, including babysitting and accessibility accommodations.