From August to December 2025, DOCA will provide travel support to Association members who are invited to participate in various international documentary film industry platforms, including training programs, pitching forums, and film festivals.

The visit must serve one or more of the following purposes: development of film projects, professional development, or promotion of a newly completed film.

Travel support will be granted until available funds are exhausted.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Significance of the host platform
• Co-funding or support from the host platform or other partners
• Necessity of participation in the platform
• Stage of the project’s development
• The event must take place no later than January 2026.

Application

Mobility Support Application Form

For questions, please contact: info@doca.ge

The Documentary Film Association DOCA is accepting applications for a residency in Nantes, France. The call is open to documentary film directors based in Tbilisi.

The project includes a 10-day residency in Nantes from November 20–30, 2025, held during the Three Continents Festival.For the selected resident, travel and living expenses will be fully covered.This is an exchange residency program between the sister cities of Nantes and Tbilisi, within the framework of which a French resident from Nantes will also visit Tbilisi.

DOCA’s partners include the French Institute, City of Nantes, Nantes School of Fine Arts, production company Grande Ourse Films, and the Three Continents Festival.

The Program Covers:

• International airfare
• Accommodation
• Daily expenses (per diem) – fully or partially
• On-site professional consultations and access to certain professional infrastructure

Eligibility Requirements:

• The applicant must be a documentary film director living in Tbilisi and hold Georgian citizenship or residency
• The applicant must have an ongoing film project
• The applicant must be available to travel in November 2025
• DOCA members will be given priority

Selection Process:

• The selection committee will consist of professionals from Tbilisi and Nantes
• Evaluation criteria include: the artistic value of the applicant’s project
  motivation for international collaboration
  relevance and necessity of the residency

The application period is now closed

From January to March 2025, DOCA will provide travel grants to association members who are invited to various platforms of the international documentary film industry - training, pitching, film festival. The visit should serve the development of film projects or the promotion of a newly completed film.

 The total amount of travel grants is 4,000 euros. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis.

 To receive a travel grant application form, please email us at

 info@doca.ge

In November 2024, the Documentary Film Association will present a delegation at IDFA. Europe's largest documentary film festival is being held in Amsterdam from November 14-24.

A total of 7 projects were submitted for consideration and the final amount to be awarded was 7,000 GEL. Two projects were funded with 3,500 GEL each:

"Eyes Wide Open". Director Sopho Afriamashvili, Producer Nino Orjonikidze

"The Berliner". Director: Ana Khazaradze, Producer: Nino Chichua

The decision was made by an invited international jury, consisting of Tue Steen Müller, Madeline Robert and Ileana Stanculescu. It should be emphasized that the Doka team was not involved in any stage of the decision-making process.

The Documentary Film Association announced a competition in early October 2024 for filmmakers who had a documentary film project in production and planned to film for the purposes of the project on Election Day, October 26, 2024.

The application conditions were as follows:

- The director or producer of the film must be a DOCA member;

- The film project must be in the late development or production stage;

- It is desirable, although not necessary, that the film has already obtained some funding;

- The application must be submitted in English.

The grantee is accountable to the Documentary Film Association and must submit substantive documentation (photo/video/written report) confirming the relevant work at the end of the work.

The deadline for submitting projects was October 10.

The grant is made possible with the support of the Tbilisi Human Rights House and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Georgia.

10,000 GEL for the project "Holy Voices", which deals with the topic of human rights - directors Nona Giunashvili and Mariam Bitsadze

7,000 GEL for the project "This is not my sea". Director Elena Mikaberidze

7,000 GEL for the project "El Dorado". Director Rati Oneli

As part of the Synedoc Film Mentoring Program, DOCA awarded these 3 cash prizes to Georgian documentary film projects in the development, production, or editing stages:

The decision to award the prizes was made by the international jury of the Film Mentoring Program, which consisted of Gitte Hansen, Phil Jandalei and Toe Steen Müller. As part of the Synedoc Film Mentoring Program, DOCA also awarded cash prizes in 2023.

The cash prizes were made possible with the support of the Human Rights House and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Georgia, IMS, and the New Democracy Fund.

1,000 GEL for the film "Requiem for the Hot Days of Summer". Director Giorgi Parkosadze

• 2,500 euros for the project "Heart, Don't Be Afraid". Director Ana Kvichidze, producers Avtandil Khorava and Mariam Bitsadze

The DOCA and Tbilisi Human Rights House cash award was presented to this project as part of the ESoDoc Tbilisi Fitch. A total of four Georgian projects participated in the ESoDoc Fitch held in Tbilisi. The recipient of the cash award was named by the ESoDoc international jury, which consisted of six leading professionals from the documentary film industry.

2,500 euros for the project "Kartli Life". Directors Tamar Kalandadze and Julien Pebrel

Within the framework of the Synedoc Film Mentoring Program, this Georgian documentary film project, which is currently in the production stage, was awarded a prize by Doka together with the Human Rights House.

The winner was selected from among the participants of the mentoring program by the program's international jury.

The cash prize was made possible with the support of Human Rights House and the International Fund for Human Rights.