workshop programme – Interaction

Interaction Doc Workshop Programme 2025

19 – 25 August 2025, Požega (Serbia)

LECTURES

For all workshop participants:
From 19 to 25 August, 2025, the participants of the Workshop will explore various aspects of creative documentary film with our experts. The lecturers at Interaction Doc Workshop 2025 are Rada Šešić, programmer of the documentary competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival and the Trieste Film Festival, and Skye Fitzgerald, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whose two documentaries were nominated for an Oscar (in 2019 and 2021), while two other films made it to the Oscar shortlist (in 2016 and 2025).

Rada Šešić, the Netherlands

I have an idea! NOW WHAT?
During the workshop, participants will work with Rada Šešić, film director, lecturer in the field of film, and curator, who has 30 years of experience consulting on projects at the international level in Europe and Asia (IDFA, IFF Rotterdam, Sarajevo Film Festival, Polish Docs to Start and Docs to Go, Balkan Discoveries, Last Stop Trieste, Rough Cut Lab at Vision du Réel, Kerala Film Festival, Doc Edge Kolkata).

Through this unique exploration of creative documentary film, participants will examine different film styles, as well as get to know the specifics of various festivals and markets, and find answers to the following questions:

WHAT do I want to say?
HOW do I want to say it?
Does HOW fit WHAT?
Where to go with my rough cut?
How could my project gain visibility?
Where to go for finishing funds?
My film is ready! How can I be noticed on the international scene?
How do I make a festival strategy?
Do I need an IMPACT strategy?
Can I do PR myself?
Do I need a sales agent?

Skye Fitzgerald, USA

F*** the distributors. Make the film you want to make; Crafting a career based on passion and craft rather than market forces
In this hybrid lecture/workshop, human rights and social justice documentarian Skye Fitzgerald will explore the landmine-ridden path to a career as a working documentary filmmaker – from the low of being attacked by gun rights activists in the US to stepping onto the red carpet of the Oscars®.

Part lecture, part exploration of their own work, the session aims to help participants forge their own path to a career of excellence – regardless of market forces.

DOC IN PROGRESS PROGRAMME

For 6 workshop participants whose projects are selected for development.

Six participants whose projects are selected for development will first present their projects (20 August), and then develop them through individual and group consultations with tutors and other participants (21 – 25 August).

The Doc in Progress programme includes:

1) Presentation of selected projects for development to other workshop participants, lasting 30 minutes per project (10 minutes for the presentation + 20 minutes for discussion), 20 August.

2) Individual consultations with tutors – Each participant will have 6 individual consultations with 6 tutors, lasting 45 minutes per tutor, from 21 – 25 August.

3) Group consultations with participants – Each participant will have 2 group consultations with other Doc in Progress participants, lasting 45 minutes each, from 21 – 25 August.

Candidates can apply with projects in development, regardless of length (short or feature-length documentary) or the stage the project is currently in (development, production, or rough cut).

The participation fee for the Workshop is:

For participants not taking part in the Doc in Progress programme: 1000 EUR
For participants with a project in development participating in the Doc in Progress programme: 1200 EUR

The participation fee can be paid in two instalments or in full.

JOINT PROGRAMMES

Meet2Talk – an accompanying program designed for participants in all Interaction programs. It is intended for their acquaintance, networking, discovering new perspectives on documentary film, and initiating discussions on topics important for short creative documentaries.
Interaction festival – an international festival, launched in 2022, dedicated to short creative documentaries up to 40 minutes long that contribute to pushing the boundaries of documentary film with originality and innovation.

Candidates for participation in the camp and workshop can submit their short creative documentaries for participation in the Interscreen programme of the Interaction festival.