Rethinking Film Festival Curation: Decolonising Film Festivals
As part of the FILMDECO project, the Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival invites film curators and festival programmers to apply for an international workshop exploring the evolving role of film festivals in shaping cultural narratives, public memory and social dialogue.
The workshop will take place in Budapest, Hungary, from 18–20 November 2026, during the Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival.
FILMDECO brings together leading human rights documentary film festivals, including IDFF One World Slovakia and DocuDays UA, to explore how festivals can become spaces for critical reflection, diverse representation and meaningful participation. Inspired by contemporary debates around memory politics, curatorial responsibility and historically overlooked narratives, the workshop encourages participants to rethink curatorial practices and the role of festivals in an increasingly interconnected world.
The workshop provides a safe and trusted professional space where participants are encouraged to openly discuss difficult questions, exchange experiences, challenge one another's perspectives and experiment with new curatorial approaches in a closed, peer-to-peer environment.
The workshop brings together 10 film curators and festival programmers from around the world. While the project is rooted in Central and Eastern Europe, we warmly welcome applicants from all regions, believing that meaningful dialogue emerges through the exchange of diverse professional, cultural and curatorial experiences.
Who can apply?
Applications are open exclusively to film curators and festival programmers from outside of Europe.
What we offer
Participation in the workshop is free of charge.
All selected participants will receive:
- Festival accreditation for the Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival;
- Two coffee breaks and one lunch on each workshop day.
Please note that participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs unless they are awarded a scholarship.
The workshop will be conducted entirely in English.
Scholarships
Two participants will receive a scholarship of up to EUR 500 as a contribution towards their travel and accommodation expenses for attending the workshop in Budapest.
Applicants wishing to be considered for a scholarship should submit:
- a proposed discussion topic (workshop topics for inspiration available [here] applicants are welcome to propose their own topic related to the overall theme of the workshop);
- an abstract (maximum 500 words) outlining the proposed discussion session.
- a short CV;
- a motivation letter (maximum one page)
Selected scholarship recipients will facilitate a 20–30 minute discussion session for the workshop participants, followed by a moderated group discussion.
Standard applications
Applicants not applying for a scholarship should submit:
- a short CV;
- a motivation letter (maximum one page).
Selection
The workshop will host 10 participants in total.
Scholarship applications will be evaluated based on the quality and relevance of the proposed discussion topic and abstract. Standard applications will be assessed based on the applicant's CV and motivation letter.
How to apply
Please send your application to:
industry@verzio.org
Application deadline: 31 July 2026.
This event is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
