RAW DOC is a program created for filmmakers who are working on rough cuts of their films and want to screen them to international industry experts for professional feedback. During closed screenings, participants will have the opportunity to connect with potential partners, including representatives of European public broadcasters, sales agents, and film festivals.

The program will take place during the 22nd Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in Kyiv. The Docudays UA team will select up to three projects in the final stages of production.

What kind of projects we are looking for:

• Documentary feature film projects (with a minimum length of 60 minutes) in the final stage of editing, created by Ukrainian directors;
• Projects that combine artistic ambition and high visual quality. We are interested in presenting a broad range of creative practices and approaches;
• Projects that have not yet been presented at this stage of production on any other industry platforms in Ukraine. Priority will also be given to projects that have not participated in work-in-progress presentations abroad;
• We expect participating projects to be presented by a team consisting of: director, producer, and optionally, the film editor.
• Projects will be selected for the program by the DOCUDAYS UA Selection Committee and the DOCU/PRO team.

How to apply

The call for applications is open to all and free of charge.

Applicants must complete an online form, providing contact details, a synopsis of the film, a link to a rough cut not exceeding 120 minutes*, and other reference materials.
*Please note that if selected, the team must provide a rough cut no longer than 90 minutes for the cinema screening.

Key Dates

April 7, 2025 — Applications open

May 5, 2025 — Application deadline

May 15, 2025 — Results announcement

May 22, 2025 — Participants must submit the rough cut with English subtitles and project text materials (logline, short synopsis, director’s editing notes, producer’s vision)
June 2–5 — Preparatory meetings with the DOCU/PRO team

The date of the event will be announced later.

How the screenings will take place
The screenings and discussions will be held in a closed format. Only specially invited experts will have access. Each screening will be followed by a moderated 60-minute discussion. The working language of the event is English.

Experts
The list of participating experts will be published gradually until the end of the application period.

Awards
Among the selected projects, the KINO42 team will choose one project and provide the opportunity for a private cinema screening of the rough cut with the team.

Other conditions
By May 22, 2025, participants must provide a rough cut with English subtitles, which the organizers will send to the experts along with other project materials.

The program will take place during the DOCU/PRO industry platform, where the participants will also screen fragments of their films in a cinema and take part in a moderated discussion with the attending experts.

Up to three team members may take part in the program. Attendance of the director and producer is mandatory.

Project teams will receive industry accreditations, granting access to DOCU/PRO events and the festival’s film program.

The festival does not cover travel or accommodation costs for program participants.

Selected projects will be required to include the Docudays UA and RAW DOC logos in the film’s final credits, along with the disclaimer: “‘Film Title’ participated in the RAW DOC 2025 program.”

DOCUDAYS UA

The 22nd edition of Docudays UA will take place from June 6–13, 2025, at several venues in Kyiv and simultaneously online. It will include: a film program (at least 50 films in competitive and non-competitive sections), human rights events by RIGHTS NOW!, discussions and workshops by DOCU/CLASS, an industry section for documentary professionals by DOCU/PRO, an interdisciplinary art program by DOCU/SYNTHESIS. The online component of the festival will be hosted on DOCUSPACE, offering film screenings and livestreams/recordings of offline events.

DOCU/PRO

The DOCU/PRO industry platform exists to support the Ukrainian documentary community and to strengthen the documentary film industry in Ukraine. DOCU/PRO is a space where documentary filmmakers — both experienced and emerging — share knowledge, explore trends, connect with international experts from the documentary world, and build bridges between the Ukrainian and global industries, ultimately fostering the development of Ukrainian documentary film projects.