Applications open for IGNITE Documentary Talent Development Programme
Date Posted: August 25, 2023
Applications for the IGNITE Documentary Talent Development Programme are now open, and will now be accepted until Friday 29th September at 5pm. Successful projects will be announced in mid-October.
IGNITE is a talent development programme directed towards emerging Irish and Northern Ireland documentary filmmakers embarking on their first or second non-fiction feature film. This cross-border partnership aims to foster a new generation of documentary filmmakers, and is an innovative collaboration between the island’s first and newest film festivals, Cork International Film Festival and Docs Ireland.
Applications are accepted in English and as Gaeilge, with a particular interest in Irish language projects:
- ENGLISH FORM (+ Diversity Form)
- FOIRM IARRATAIS (+ Foirm Éagsúlachta)
- IGNITE 4 Guidelines (in English)
- IGNITE 4 Guidelines (as Gaeilge)
Year FOUR of the IGNITE Documentary Talent Development Programme follows the success of three previous additions, through which sixteen feature documentary projects from emerging filmmakers were developed through training, workshops and one-to-one mentoring.
This is a project-led scheme, which supports the progression of the selected projects and their teams through training focused on the development process of documentary from inception to exhibition. The scheme fosters a new generation of creative nonfiction talent from all over Ireland to pursue their first or second feature, and to provide them with a platform to develop the spectrum of skills and knowledge required to succeed as a feature documentary filmmaker on an international level.
During this comprehensive training initiative, participants will gain a grounding in all facets of project development. They will acquire market knowledge of the documentary industry, learning about the current trends in non-fiction film production, and an expansive understanding of the sector. The programme will include workshops, masterclasses, and in person conversations with established documentarians, broadcasters, funders, sales agents, and other industry professionals. All training will take place in a relaxed learning environment to allow for maximum learning potential and the opportunity to network and foster new relationships.
The IGNITE programme will provide a long-term engagement, comprising:
- Training days at Cork International Film Festival in November 2023, and Docs Ireland in June 2024
- Regular online training days from November 2022 – June 2024
- The opportunity to attend Sheffield Doc Fest in June 2024
The IGNITE Documentary Talent Development Programme is supported by TG4, the Arts Council of Ireland, Screen Ireland, Screen Skillnet, Northern Ireland Screen and Arts & Business NI.
For further information, and to apply, please visit corkfilmfest.org/ignite/ or https://docsireland.ie/industry/ignite-talent-development/.
