Festival regulations are available at http://docudays.ua/eng/regulations/
Non-fiction films of any genre or running time created no earlier than 2024 can participate in the competition programmes.
Only films not screened earlier in programmes of other Ukrainian festivals, on Ukrainian television, in Ukrainian cinemas, or on the internet are accepted for consideration in the competition programs.
Please, check the list of criteria for participation below.
Due to russia's full-scale invasion, cruelly launched on February 24, 2022 against the peaceful nation of Ukraine, we do not accept for consideration the films produced by the aggressor country and its nationals, as well as by countries directly supporting russia's barbaric actions: russia, Belarus, Iran.
Countries from the following list can submit films for free: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Central African Rep., Chad, Comoros, Congo, Congo Dem. Rep. of, Cook Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji Islands, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea North, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, São Tomé & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sudan South, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
In case of any questions, please contact program@docudays.ua.
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INTRODUCTION
The 23nd Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as the Festival) will be held in Kyiv on 5–12 June 2026. Due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by russia, the traditional dates of the festival have been temporarily changed. The festival is non-political and non-commercial. After it ends, NGO “Docudays” will present the best films in the regions of Ukraine within the Docudays UA Travelling Festival. Screenings will take place from October up until and including November.
OBJECTIVE
To facilitate the respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, to establish an understanding of human dignity as the highest value, to raise the level of civil activity in Ukraine, to promote the development of documentary filmmaking.
VISION
We are creating a society of free people.
MISSION
We create opportunities for everyone in Ukraine to watch talented and relevant documentaries about human rights. We shape an active civic position and respect for human dignity. We support the Ukrainian film industry.
The festival is non-political and non-profit.
ORGANIZERS
- Non-Governmental Organization “Docudays”.
- Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.
- Charity Organization “Charity and Health Fund”.
- Centre for Contemporary Information Technology and Visual Arts.
The Festival programme, guest lists, juries, topics of the seminars and masterclasses, etc., are formed by the Festival team, led by the Executive Director of NGO Docudays.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
- Non-fiction films of any genre or running time created no earlier than 2024.
- Only films not screened earlier in programs of other Ukrainian festivals, on Ukrainian TV, Ukrainian cinema and internet can participate in international competition programs.
- The premiere requirement of Docudays UA is the Ukrainian premiere. Exceptions can be made for non-competition programmes.
- There is no restriction on genre, running time or year of production for non-fiction films participating in the non-competition programmes. The topics for the non-competition programmes are defined annually by the Festival team. The films for the non-competition programmes are selected by the Selection Council based on the defined topics.
- A film is allowed to be submitted to the Selection Committee only one single time. If a film was not accepted for the competition, the application next year will not be considered.
- Films that were made to order, or represent report on activities of some organizations, or realization of certain projects, spread pronounced propaganda, lobby political or commercial interests, instructional and training films are debarred from participation.
- All hard copies and online-links to film copies sent to the Festival will be kept in the Festival's archives.
- The Festival has the right to use short fragments of selected films, not longer than 3 min., for Festival-advertising purposes.
- The festival has the right to upload all the films included in its film program to its online library. The resource is administrated by Docudays UA, starts functioning two weeks before the Festival, functions during the Festival and three monthes after the Festival. The purpose of the online library is to provide online access to the festival film program solely to the accredited participants and guests during the festival week. The term of a film’s storage in the online library is automatically extended to one year if the film’s rights holders do not express objections to it. Accordingly, the persons accredited by the festival get year-long access to viewing festival materials online (starting with the opening day of the Festival). The access is individual and cannot be transferred to third parties. None of the materials in the online library can be copied, published elsewhere, downloaded, posted, transferred, demonstrated, accessed by or distributed to any third parties.
- Application submission means you comply with the Festival Regulations and acknowledge the Festival right to use submitted materials for non-commercial purposes.
PROGRAM
Competition
The program features creative documentaries in which ethical and legal problems are revealed through expressive artistic means. The competition program consists of three sections.
DOCU/WORLD is the international competition of feature- and medium-length documentaries which are longer than 40 minutes.
DOCU/SHORT is the international competition of short documentaries which are up to 40 minutes long.
DOCU/UKRAINE is a national competition. It includes documentaries of varying lengths, created in Ukraine or in co-production with Ukraine. Films created by Ukrainian filmmakers and foreign production companies are also welcome to apply.
The Festival also awards a special prize to the winner among the films nominated for the RIGHTS NOW! award.
RIGHTS NOW! is a prize awarded to creative documentaries that explore and analyze the contemporary world and make a significant contribution to the discussion about human dignity, freedom and equality. Ten films from all Festival film programs can be nominated for it
Non-Competition
Every year, the Festival chooses the main topic whose different aspects are presented in the non-competitive programs. In addition, the Festival offers traditional programs: DOCU/BEST (international award-winning films), DOCU/ART (films that are focusing on art, artists and reflecting cinema as the medium), DOCU/YOUTH (the program for children and teenagers), and focuses on cinematographies of specific countries and/or regions of the world.
APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURES
The films that participate in the Festival’s competition programs are selected by the Selection Council. The Selection Council members include professionals in the documentary industry and human rights advocacy. The order of the screenings is determined by the Festival’s Program Department.
Applications are received in several stages:
• The eraly deadline is on September 30.
• The regular deadline is on November 30.
• The final deadline is December 22.
The consideration of applications for the Festival’s competition programs is performed for a fee. The payment must be completed online during the application process through the FilmFreeway service. The application fee is non-refundable. As they fill in the application, the applicants can select several nominations/competitions which they want to apply for.
CONDITIONS OF APPLICATION
You can only apply via the FilmFreeway service. Your application will be considered by the Selection Council only after it is completed and paid for online.
In the application form, you can upload the film directly with the application or provide a closed link in Vimeo/YouTube. Links to downloads in file-sharing services (WeTransfer, MegaUpload, etc.) will not be considered by the commission. Please make sure that your link works until the end of May 2026.
When you submit an application, you confirm that you agree with the Festival Regulations and give the Festival the right to use the materials you provided for non-commercial purposes.
All participants will receive an email about the results of the selection no later than April 17, 2026.
