FAQ about submission to DOK.forum Marketplace
You would like to submit a project for the DOK.forum Marketplace?
Please find here the answers to the most frequently asked questions at a glance.
- What is the DOK.forum Marketplace and what is its goal?
The DOK.forum Marketplace is the co-creation and co-production marketplace of DOK.forum, the industry platform of DOK.fest München. Every year we select around 40 documentary projects in the development phase, which can meet with more than 200 committed and experienced partners from the fields of publishing, production, promotion and distribution through different pitch formats.
The goal of the DOK.forum Marketplace is to provide targeted matchmaking, facilitate valuable feedback and new collaborations, and finally help the projects come to life.
- What competitions are there and what awards are endowed?
The DOK.forum Marketplace presents four pitch competitions with four awards endowed:
- DOK.archive Award, sponsored by British Pathé, for projects with a particularly strong archive concept. The winning project will receive British Pathé archive material worth 22,500 euros or, alternatively, 2,500 euros in cash.
Submission Deadline: 17 January 2025
Read more - DOK.composition Award, sponsored by Sonoton Music and Deutscher Komponist:innen Verband, for outstanding compositional ideas from a German-speaking (DACH) country production company. The best musical concept for a documentary film will be endowed with 2,500 euros.
Submission Deadline: 17 January 2025
Read more - DOK.digital Award, sponsored by Bayerischen Landeszentrale für neue Medien (BLM), completed works of new media projects from German-speaking (DACH) countries. The winning project will receive 2,500 euros.
Submission Deadline: 17 January 2025
Read more - DOK.talent Award, sponsored by SÜDKINO Filmproduktion, in which nine students from our partner universities will present their projects in a closed circuit. The best student project, including the most convincing pitch, receives the award, which is endowed with 2,500 euros.
Submission Deadline: 24 February 2025
Read more
It is possible to participate in several competitions at the same time, except for the DOK.talent and DOK.digital competitions, where it applies exclusively to those prizes.
In addition to the four pitch competitions, other prizes and mentorships will again be awarded at Marketplace 2025.
- DOK.archive Award, sponsored by British Pathé, for projects with a particularly strong archive concept. The winning project will receive British Pathé archive material worth 22,500 euros or, alternatively, 2,500 euros in cash.
- What pitching formats do you have?
The Marketplace has three pitch formats:
- Awards and Master's Pitch (pitch on stage)
- Roundtables (close circuit pitch)
- One to One meetings (speed meeting)
All submitted projects are considered for selection to the Roundtables.
All selected projects will participate in the One-to-One meetings.
It is not possible to request a specific format, but to apply for one or more awards. However, you can specify your needs in the “Objective or mission” section of your application (e.g., international partner search, XY dissemination, etc.), and the Marketplace team will take this into account when selecting the participating projects in each section.
DOK.talent competition participants can only apply for that award, but are included in the One-to-One meetings in case they’re selected.
- How and when can I apply?
The submission for the DOK.forum opens in November 2024.
The project submission for the DOK.forum Marketplace formats and awards is done via our website:
- If you are submitting a project for the first time and do not yet have a user account with us, please register here by creating an account.
- If you already have an account, you can log in at our website at any time and submit a new project. In case you have forgotten your password, you can request a new one via our system.
- To submit via the online form, select the module "DOK.forum Marketplace" under "Your account" after logging in. You can then use the button "Neues Projekt" (top right) to create a new marketplace project and start your submission. In the submission form you have the possibility to tick the respective competition.
- Is there a cost to have your project on the DOK.forum Marketplace?
The submission is free of charge. If your project is selected, the total participation fee for the DOK.forum Marketplace is 200,- euros per project (including accreditations for DOK.fest München).
A maximum of two people per project can participate in the Marketplace (except for the DOK.composition Award, which includes three people).
- Can I ask for a waiver?
Projects from developing or low-income communities are eligible for a waiver or discount. Please ask us!
- What is meant by "video self-portrait" in the submission process?
The video self-presentation gives you the opportunity to present your project, yourself and your goals on the DOK.forum Marketplace in a more detailed and personal way. The video will be max. 3 minutes, and can include important aspects that were not included in the written presentation. No high technical quality is required, a cell phone video is perfectly adequate. This video self-presentation will be viewed exclusively by the DOK.forum selection team.
- Can I submit my project in English?
We accept submissions in German or English. In case of acceptance, we kindly ask projects written in German to translate their submission into English for our catalog.
- When will I be notified if my project has been selected for the DOK.forum Marketplace? And if it's not selected?
Project selection will take place from February to March 2025. You will receive an acceptance or rejection email by the end of March 2025.
- What do I have to do if I am selected?
If you have been selected, you can pour yourself a drink and read your acceptance email carefully.
You will find out if you have been nominated for an award and in what format(s) you will be presenting your project to the Marketplace.
You will also receive an online review application of your submitted project and the accreditation (including application for payment) via our website.
- I'm in! For whom and how much of my project will be seen?
We will publish the title of the project, a still and the names of the team members on our website. Only experts invited to the Marketplace will have access to more information about your project.
- Who can I contact if I still have questions?
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Alina Götzlich
Coordinator DOK.forum
marktplatz@dokfest-muenchen.deDOK.fest München
Dachauer Straße 116
80636 Munich
Germany
Phone: +49 89 51 51 97 86
