WATCH DOCS Film Festival 2023-2025

ended

This project proposal delineates the plans for the organisation and development of the 23rd and 24th editions of the WATCH DOCS. Human Rights in Film International Film Festival as well as year-round festival activities, all to be carried out in the period of 24 months, starting September 2023. WATCH DOCS is the oldest documentary film festival in Warsaw, Poland. Over the years, it grew to become one of the biggest film events in the country. In the last three years, together with year-round initiatives, WATCH DOCS activities reached over 380.000 viewers. The 23rd WATCH DOCS. Human Rights in Film International Film Festival will take place in a hybrid format in Warsaw on December 1-10, 2023 and online on the territory of Poland. Subsequently, the 24th edition of the festival will take place on December 5–15, 2024. Both international editions of the event will be followed by a number of outreach and audience-development endeavours (among others, Travelling Festival in around 25 localities across Poland, theatrical distribution of selected titles, WATCH DOCS School Screenings), designed to enlarge the audience and attract non-core festival viewers to auteur documentary cinema. Our aim is to present strong European documentary films, outstanding both in terms of filmmaking and subject matter, dealing with most contemporary social issues and human rights agenda. The objectives for the next festival editions include first of all strengthening the festival’s role in attracting young audiences and enhancing their audio-visual competence through special school screenings; promoting and presenting European talents to the Polish audience; and supporting European documentary filmmakers from low-capacity countries through the development of the innovative Human Rights Docs in Development Fund. During the project, we are cautiously estimating the number of participants in festival activities, both theatrical and online, for around 150.000 viewers.