1. Film profile. DOC.Coimbra - International Documentary Film Festival is interested in documentaries that reflect the complexities of the contemporary world and its relationship with the past. We are mainly looking for films that deal with social, political, and cultural themes, but which at the same time demonstrate technical excellence and challenge the boundaries of documentary language.
2. Festival dates. DOC.Coimbra 2026 – 3rd Edition – will take place from March 17th to 22nd, 2026, in the city of Coimbra, Portugal.
3. Acceptance of the Rules. The submission of a film to DOC.Coimbra implies knowledge and acceptance of these rules.
4. Films. The Festival accepts short films (up to 49 minutes) and feature films (over 50 minutes), with no restrictions on themes or countries. Only films completed after January 1, 2024, are eligible.
5. Priority and originality. Priority is given to world premieres (films never before screened), international premieres (films screened only in their country of production), and Portuguese premieres (films never before screened in Portugal). Films already screened on television channels, streaming services, or available without passwords on platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo, will be disqualified.
6. Registration - Registration for all categories opens on June 10, 2025, and closes on November 30, 2025. Registrations can be made through the FilmFreeway and FestHome platforms, or directly through the festival website doccoimbra.com. Registration fees range from €7 to €30 depending on the category and date of registration, as described in the table below:
7. Registration Material - Participants must submit copies of their films via a password-protected link or through the platforms mentioned in the previous item. All films that are not in Portuguese or English must be submitted with English or Portuguese subtitles.
8. Selection - After all films have been reviewed by the festival selection committee, the films selected to participate in the festival will be notified of their selection. The expected date for the announcement of the selection is February 9, 2026.
9. Selected Films - Selected films will have 15 days after being notified to confirm their participation and submit screening copies. Copies must be in h264 (ProRes 422) or DCP format, with 2.0 or 5.1 stereo audio, clean (without subtitles). All selected films must submit English subtitle files in SRT format. The festival does not guarantee any payment of screening fees or technical production costs related to the screening of films in competition.
10. Participation in the Festival - All selected films will be entitled to two nights' hotel accommodation for one member of the crew, a festival pass entitling them to attend all sections, a festival kit, and will be invited to all parallel social activities, such as the festival party and official dinner.
11. Award Categories. The festival award categories are as follows:
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12. Awards. The festival offers a “Cravo de Ouro” trophy for each category and gifts provided by supporting companies. There is no provision for cash prizes. Should the possibility of offering cash prizes arise, this information will be disclosed on our website and social media.
13. Questions. If you have any questions regarding these rules, please contact the festival team at info@doccoimbra.com. The Festival will decide on all matters not covered by these rules.
