Ji.hlava showcases 350 films and expands industry programme
The Czech documentary market links its anniversary edition to projects, matchmaking and European funding information.
Translated from Dutch by AI
Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival has announced the programme for its 30th edition. Alongside 350 films, the Czech festival will host an industry programme from 27 to 30 October, featuring project presentations, matchmaking and sessions on Creative Europe MEDIA.
The anniversary edition comprises 350 films, divided between competition and non-competition sections. According to the organisers, these include 106 world premieres, 28 international premieres and eight European premieres. The festival takes place from 23 October to 1 November in Jihlava.
For the Czech sector, the stronger presence of national productions is particularly relevant. Ji.hlava links that visibility to international selections and programme components that bring filmmakers from Central and Eastern Europe into contact with producers, funds and distributors.
The industry programme runs from 27 to 30 October. The agenda includes the Ji.hlava New Visions Forum, a matchmaking programme, the Emerging Producers meeting and discussions on the development of documentary projects. The organisers explicitly present the programme as a meeting place for the international documentary industry.
The New Visions Forum focuses on projects from Europe, the United States and Eastern and South-eastern Asia. The selected projects may be in development, production or post-production. For producers, the business value lies primarily in early international contacts and potential co-productions, not in guaranteed funding.
Creative Europe MEDIA also has a place in the programme. The session is intended for producers and other documentary professionals seeking information about European funding opportunities. The festival does not disclose how many projects will actually secure funding or co-production deals during the edition.
The announcement is therefore more than a programme presentation, but it is not a market report. Ji.hlava confirms the scale of the festival and the planned industry activities; concrete amounts, deal volumes and sales results are not yet available for the forthcoming edition.
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The scale of the programme, the festival dates and the industry components have been directly confirmed by Ji.hlava. The text presents potential co-production value as a function of the programme, not as a completed deal.
- Confirmed Ji.hlava’s 30th edition showcases 350 films. — The official announcement lists 350 films in competition and non-competition sections.
- Confirmed The programme includes 106 world premieres, 28 international premieres and eight European premieres. — These figures appear in the official festival publication.
- Confirmed The festival takes place from 23 October to 1 November 2026. — The official festival page and external festival information list these dates.
- Confirmed The industry programme runs from 27 to 30 October and includes project presentations, matchmaking and a Creative Europe MEDIA session. — This is stated in the official Industry Programme 2026.
- Confirmed The New Visions Forum focuses on European, American and Eastern and South-eastern Asian projects. — Ji.hlava describes the forum and market as a platform for these regions.
Editor’s note
The numbers of films, premieres and industry components have been confirmed by the festival organisation and Cineuropa. There are not yet any public results on deals or funding during the forthcoming edition.Sources
- Ji.hlava Turns 30! Line-up Unveiled — Ji.hlava IDFF
- Industry Programme 2026 — Ji.hlava IDFF
- Ji.hlava’s 30th-anniversary programme spotlights documentaries that changed the world — Cineuropa
- Ji.hlava opens €110,000 documentary support call — Cineuropa