#DocsConnect Conscious Filmmaking Training | 3 Modules

A Comprehensive Learning and Mentorship Experience Designed to Empower Filmmakers and Shape Meaningful Projects.

The Conscious Filmmaking Lab is designed to equip filmmakers with the skills, tools, and insights they need to navigate the complexities of the film industry while staying true to their values. This first module focuses on the essential aspects of filmmaking from development to distribution, providing a comprehensive understanding of working in a cross-disciplinary environment.

Project Presentation & Feedback Lab
This session gives participants the opportunity to present their projects to mentors and peers. It focuses on developing clear, confident communication and honing the ability to pitch ideas effectively. Participants will also learn how to integrate feedback and improve their active listening skills—both essential for collaboration and leadership.

Story Development & Pitching Strategy
In this session, participants will explore the process of story development, research, and adaptation for international audiences. They will learn how to craft compelling written and verbal pitches and how to connect with producers and funders. Key topics include defining the core of the story and aligning it with market needs.

Masterclass: Producing with Purpose
A deep dive into the role of the producer, with a focus on producing animation and hybrid documentaries. This session highlights the importance of producing with intention and resilience, especially in female-led projects. Case studies such as Rock Bottom and The Return: Life After ISIS will be used to illustrate the key concepts.

Trailer: From Concept to Cut
This session explores the essential elements of creating trailers at different stages of a film’s development. Participants will learn how to craft impactful trailers that communicate the project’s vision and attract the right audience.

Distribution & Festival Strategy
Participants will learn how to align their development process with distribution goals. This session covers building a festival strategy, understanding the festival circuit, and gaining insight into the basics of sales, licensing, and distribution contracts.

Press & Audience Development
This session delves into the importance of press materials and media outreach in building an audience. It covers the creation of press kits, festival outreach, and the significance of establishing a public presence early in the filmmaking process.

AI Tools for Non-Fiction Storytelling
Participants will be introduced to artificial intelligence tools that can assist with writing, visuals, editing, and immersive storytelling. Through case studies, they will explore how these tools are currently being used in innovative non-fiction projects.

Impact Strategy
This session teaches participants how to define and design the social impact of their projects. Topics include stakeholder engagement, campaign planning, and strategies for integrating social impact into the project from the start.

Roundtable Mentorship Sessions
In these small-group mentorship sessions, participants will receive focused feedback from industry experts in directing, producing, and editing. This is a chance to refine project ideas and receive guidance on taking projects forward.

Wellbeing, Self-Awareness, and Sustainability

Tuning into Nature for Sustainable Action
This session encourages participants to reconnect with nature, promoting personal balance and creating grounded, sustainable creative practices.

Dancefulness Sessions
These embodied practices help participants explore trust, collaboration, and leadership through movement. The sessions include personal reflection on creative leadership, collaboration, and unity in filmmaking.

Dancefulness Lab
This experiential module focuses on mental health, creativity, and leadership in the audiovisual sector. Inspired by practices like 5Rhythms® and Awareness Through the Body, this session aims to foster empathy, resilience, and sustainable filmmaking through embodied practices.

Price: €2500

You can join this module as an observer without a project for €1200 (€900 tuition fee + €300 for food). Accommodation is not included, but we recommend the eco-friendly Camping Garrofer, located near the venue. We can also connect you with other observers to share accommodation and make it more affordable.

Find the application form here.

A Hybrid Learning and Mentorship Experience to Elevate Projects to the Next Level.

Following the immersive in-person experience of Module 1, the second phase of #DocsConnect will run in a hybrid format beginning in late January. This module deepens participants’ journeys with tailored online masterclasses, one-to-one mentoring and coaching, and a culminating experience at the Movies that Matter Festival.

The focus is to empower filmmakers to further shape their projects between October and January. Those with strong impact potential will be selected to participate in the Take on Film and Impact Lab at the prestigious Movies that Matter Festival — one of the world’s leading human rights and impact-driven film events. This partnership is rooted in shared values of conscious storytelling and the commitment to creating a better world through cinema.

At the Movies that Matter Impact Lab, participants will lead a special session sharing what they have learned about conscious filmmaking, well-being, and leadership tools from the first and second modules. This session will plant the seeds of conscious filmmaking further into the film industry and beyond. At the heart of it all are connection and togetherness — core values and the driving force behind our work.

Masterclasses: Deepening Knowledge & Inspiration
Our carefully selected masterclasses will help participants move from a strong foundational understanding (gained in Module 1) to advanced strategies for their specific projects. Topics include:

• Further Funding & Financing options

• New Distribution & Outreach models

• International Co-production

• Introduction to projects that implement Green Filmmaking Practices

Each session is led by renowned international experts and industry leaders who bring real-world case studies, actionable tools, and insider insights.

Previous Masterclass Highlights offered in the Second Module Include:

• Jane Mote (The Whickers) – Crafting Fundable Projects
  Learn how to pitch effectively, craft applications, and understand major documentary funds. The Whickers provide £100,000 annually to emerging talent — one of the world’s largest awards for doc-makers.

• Bård Kjøge Rønning (Antipode Films) – Financing & Co-Producing
  Insights into international co-productions and budgeting for award-winning documentaries like No Other Land.

• Yvonne Ashley Kouadjo (NYT Op-Docs) – Entering the North American Market
  Discover how to pitch and place your short docs on prestigious platforms like Op-Docs, and learn about licensing and thematic preferences.

• Jess Gormley (The Guardian) – Beyond the Screen
  Understand how to tell powerful stories for journalistic platforms and pitch to The Guardian Documentaries, whose films have screened in Parliament and Congress.

Individual Mentorship
In addition to group masterclasses, project-based participants will receive three one-on-one coaching sessions with our lead mentors. Our carefully selected mentors are not only award-winning top industry professionals but also leaders in conscious filmmaking practice and purpose-driven filmmaking.

Mentors include:

• Irena Taskovski – Producer, Distributor & Conscious Leadership Practitioner

• Alexander Goekjian – Editor & Story Consultant

• (TBA) – Director-led mentors (to be decided based on participant profiles and project specifics, including renowned directors such as Hubert Sauper, Alba Sottora, and Lidija Zelovic).

Impact Producers (TBA)
Impact producers will be chosen based on project profiles. Potential mentors include:

• Julia Hammett-Jamart, PhD (France)

• Anita Rehoff Larsen

• Tone Grøttjord-Glenne – Director and producer of the impact educational project All That I Am and part of a major research project in Norway.

• Kristie Robinson (Spain) and others.

These one-on-one sessions will monitor each participant’s progress and guide them through development, story structure, distribution, and impact strategy refinement.

Price: €800

You can join this module as an observer without a project. It includes four masterclasses and costs €200 in tuition fees. If you are attending Movies that Matter, there is an additional €200 fee. Total: €400 (accommodation, travel, and accreditation are not included).

Find the application form here.

A Transformative Final Phase to Empower Filmmakers and Amplify Their Impact through Global Networks and Conscious Leadership.

Participants will attend this impactful lab during Sunny Side of the Doc, gaining:

• Access to global networks of human rights activists, filmmakers, and changemakers

• Focused sessions on impact campaigns and strategic partnerships

• A platform to showcase their work and initiate real-world change

At Sunny Side of the Doc, participants will lead a special session, sharing insights on conscious filmmaking, well-being, and leadership tools learned throughout the first and second modules. This session will further plant the seeds of conscious filmmaking within the industry and beyond. At the heart of this module are the values of connection and togetherness—driving forces behind our work.

Together for Global Good
This module continues our mission to connect, grow, and transform documentary filmmaking. It ensures our participants are not just equipped with tools but empowered as changemakers.

Program Overview: What Module 3 Offers
Module 3 bridges the inner work of conscious leadership with the external realities of the industry. Participants gain exclusive access to Sunny Side’s rich ecosystem of international professionals and real-time pitching forums, while stepping into the role of conscious creative leaders.

Key Components of the Module:

1. Industry Know-How & Market Readiness
   Participants will:

   • Attend online preparatory sessions focused on defining their project and company goals

   • Identify key industry professionals they wish to connect with and prepare tailored outreach strategies

   • Receive guidance on conscious leadership in networking, pitching, and industry engagement

   • Participate in individualized mentoring and curated one-on-one meetings during Sunny Side

   • Engage in thematic pitch sessions, gaining insider knowledge on co-production, funding, and distribution pathways

   Special focus will be placed on Sunny Side Innovation Lab, where participants explore non-linear storytelling (VR, AR, immersive, podcasts, AI). This aligns with our training’s emphasis on bold, innovative, and socially meaningful content.

2. Wellbeing & Self-Awareness in High-Pressure Environments
   Practical tools for managing stress, emotional regulation, and inner clarity will be provided to help participants navigate market intensity with confidence, presence, and authenticity.

3. Conscious Leadership in Practice
   Graduates of our previous modules will become peer mentors. As part of the Sunny Side Academy public sessions, participants will share insights, tools, and learnings from their own journeys, activating a ripple effect of shared wisdom within the wider community.

4. Networking & Ecosystem Building
   Beyond deal-making, this module fosters value-based collaboration. We encourage long-term partnerships rooted in shared ethics, sustainability, and creative synergy, contributing to a more inclusive and resilient industry.

Price: €800

You can attend this module as an observer without a project. Total: €250 (accommodation, travel, and accreditation not included).

Find the application form here.

Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Who is it for:

• Documentary directors, producers, and innovative storytellers

• Creatives working on projects across formats, including hybrid, immersive, and XR storytelling

Project Stage:
We welcome projects at any stage—whether you’re just starting out in development or already in post-production or completion.

Topics:
While all themes are welcome, we especially encourage submissions that explore:

• Peace and conflict resolution

• Human unity and social cohesion

• Environmental sustainability

Projects aligned with the values of the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) will be given priority, particularly those aiming to inspire meaningful change and global awareness through storytelling.

Our training program is grounded in an innovative, holistic methodology designed to empower documentary filmmakers and change-makers with practical industry tools, personal development strategies, and a deep awareness of global impact. It blends experiential learning, peer-to-peer exchange, and expert guidance to foster lasting transformation—creatively, professionally, and personally.

Experience-based & guided discovery
We move beyond traditional teaching models. Our approach is rooted in experiential learning, where participants engage through doing, reflecting, and co-creating. Each module integrates moments of review, contrast, and dialogue to spark clarity, innovation, and creative confidence.

Hands-on tools for industry application
Participants engage directly with tools used in real-world development, production, distribution, festival strategies, pitching, press and PR, impact campaigns, and the integration of emerging technologies such as AI and VR. Case studies, expert-led sessions, and mentorships ensure that every tool is relevant and actionable.

Breakthrough Initiatives (BTIs) – project-based learning
Each participant works on a live project they are passionate about—referred to as a Breakthrough Initiative (BTI). All learning is directly applied to these projects, supporting meaningful growth and concrete outcomes at every stage of development.

Peer learning, community, and feedback culture
The program fosters a collaborative, cross-cultural learning space. Participants come from diverse sectors—film, activism, psychology, sustainability, technology—creating a vibrant environment for mutual learning. A strong feedback culture enhances emotional intelligence, leadership skills, and long-lasting professional relationships.

Well-being, self-awareness, and conscious leadership
We incorporate tools and practices to support mental health, mindfulness, and emotional resilience. Participants clarify their personal values, identify leadership styles, and develop approaches to lead creative processes with empathy, purpose, and integrity.

Hybrid format with ongoing practice and coaching
Delivered in a hybrid model (online and in-person), the program balances flexibility with depth. Weekly small group practice labs and coaching calls between main sessions ensure momentum, deepen learning, and promote consistent, real-world application.

Systemic impact and alignment with the SDGs
Beyond individual growth, our methodology encourages systems thinking. Participants are equipped to become conscious cultural citizens and creative leaders of change—aligning their work with the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030), and contributing to socially and environmentally sustainable futures.

We’ve implemented this training methodology multiple times and have seen powerful, lasting impact on both participants and their projects. Each edition has supported filmmakers and creative storytellers in deepening their vision, advancing their work, and building meaningful, sustainable practices. Below is an overview of what makes this methodology so effective and transformative.

• Conscious Filmmaking Lab in Manila, Philippines (as featured in Variety, Business Doc Europe, Modern Times Review and more)
• Conscious Filmmaking Lab in Sitges, Spain (check out the highlights video and a brochure)
• A series of online masterclasses with award-winning industry professionals, such as Charlie Phillips, Kim Longinotto, Jane Mote, Bård Kjøge Rønning (producer of Oscar-winning No Other Land), and many more

• Filmkraft Norway – Workshop Audience Development and Distribution
• Nepalese Women Film Association & British Council – Empowering female filmmakers producers and directors – 3 years of 3 different programs
• Sunny Side of the Doc – We serve as the primary mentorship organization for project pitching.
• Emerging Producers Jihlava IDFF – we have been acting as the co-head of this creative lab for the past 11 years.

…. and many others