DOCULAB: DOCUMENTARY LABORATORY

Call for entries for documentary projects in the editing stage

With the aim of supporting documentary filmmakers and their projects in the early stages of editing that require analytical and conceptual guidance, as well as assistance with the completion of post-production processes, the 18th edition of DocuLab: Documentary Lab, to be held as part of the 41st Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) from April 17 to 25, 2026, is now accepting submissions.

 

To register for DocuLab: Documentary Lab, you must complete the registration form available at the following link: https://vp.eventival.com/ficg/2026 between Wednesday, September 17, and Friday, December 5, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. (Central Mexico Time, GMT-6).

 

Fluency in Spanish is mandatory, and a good command of English is recommended, as some of the activities will be conducted in English. 

 

The selected projects will receive:

 

  • The opportunity to present their film to national and international professionals attending DocuLab.
  • Accommodation is available in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in a shared room for the duration of the program.
  • Accreditation with access to industry activities, masterclasses, screenings, and the Guadalajara Film Market.

 

Important: DocuLab will not be able to cover participants’ travel expenses to Guadalajara.

Requirements and documentation

  1. Citizens from any of the nineteen countries in Ibero-America who are involved in filmmaking—either professionally or as students—are eligible to participate. 

 

  1. The participating countries are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela, as well as the three countries of the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Spain, and Portugal. Although Puerto Rico is not legally part of the Ibero-American Summit, DocuLab is also opening its call for entries to filmmakers from this free state, due to the linguistic bond that unites us with them. 

 

  1. Applicants holding residency or dual citizenship from any of the aforementioned countries are also eligible, provided they submit the necessary documentation during the selection process. 

 

  1. Films that have been selected for or have participated in more than one specialized section of Work in Progress prior to DocuLab.

 

  1. The following information is required for registration: 

 

  • Create a profile on the Eventival platform (https://vp.eventival.com/ficg/2026) to access the registration form. It must be filled out completely, without omitting any required fields. 
  • Submit a password-protected link to the film clip for review. The clip must English subtitles. Download links (WeTransfer, MyAirbridge) are not accepted.

 

Important: The film submission must be no shorter than 60 minutes and no longer than 90 minutes, including credits. Documentaries outside this range, incomplete versions, or trailers will not be considered in the selection process.

 

  1. Applications that provide incorrect or false information regarding nationality or assembly stage, or those that are incomplete, will be rejected. 

 

  1. Only films that are in their first or second cut will be considered for this call for submissions. Documentaries that are in an advanced stage of editing or have been fully completed will not be accepted. 

 

  1. Submissions must be made individually. In the case of a co-directed film, only the submitting director will be invited. If additional directors wish to attend, all related expenses must be covered by the project team. 

 

  1. It is the responsibility of the individual concerned to ensure they have the passport, entry permit, and visa required to enter Mexico. 

 

  1. If selected, please send it to trafico@ficg.mx a digital file containing the film clip via an online platform (Vimeo, WeTransfer, Google Drive, MyAirBridge), as well as two Blu-Ray copies. Both the digital file and the Blu-Ray copies must include English subtitles. The deadline for submitting screening materials will be announced once the selection process is complete. 

 

  1. All shipping costs for exhibition materials must be covered by the participant and must be sent via private courier (Mexican postal services are not reliable for this purpose). 

 

  1. Submission to DocuLab is free of charge. 

 

  1. The selected projects agree to include the DocuLab and FICG logos in the final version and to provide the appropriate credits. 

 

  1. The selected projects will be eligible for various forms of support, including post-production funding and mobility grants.

How is the selection process carried out?

The selection of participants will be determined by the DocuLab Selection Committee, which is composed of a group of industry experts. The Committee will be announced once the results are published. 

Results

The results will be announced via email to those interested, who must confirm their attendance and participation.

Terms and Conditions

  1. By registering for this call for applications, the participant certifies under penalty of perjury that he or she is the legitimate owner of the rights to the information, documents, and content submitted, and that he or she has the necessary authorizations to participate in the program. 

 

  1. It is hereby agreed that if, as a result of the activity described herein, the participant infringes upon any third-party intellectual property rights, the participant shall be solely responsible therefor and hereby agrees to hold the FICG harmless from any liability arising from any potential claim regarding intellectual property or copyright.

 

  1. Participants grant the FICG a non-exclusive, royalty-free, and revocable license to use the information, documents, materials, and content submitted, solely for purposes related to evaluation, promotion, and dissemination, without this implying any transfer of economic or exploitation rights thereto.

 

  1. Participants authorize the FICG to use their name, likeness, business name, materials, and any general information contained in the submitted documentation for exclusively cultural, promotional, informational, or program-related purposes, without this giving rise to any obligation to provide remuneration, payment, or financial compensation. This authorization does not imply the transfer of intellectual property rights over works or projects.

 

  1. Registration and participation imply express acceptance of all provisions contained in the calls for entries, as well as guidelines, internal policies, and administrative decisions issued by the FICG, which will apply throughout all stages of the process. Failure to comply with one or more of these provisions may result in the cancellation of participation in the FICG or disqualification from the competition.

 

  1. The FICG has a zero-tolerance policy regarding any instances of disrespect, harassment, or situations that endanger the safety of guests, the organizing committee, the public, and volunteers.

 

  1. The Parties agree that the FICG shall be the owner of the rights to the logo of the call for entries, project, competition, award, and/or event in question, which may be modified if necessary. Use of the logo is subject to written authorization from the FICG.

 

  1. Participants are strictly prohibited from creating, printing, reproducing, or using any type of material—including, but not limited to, the image of the Guadalajara International Film Festival—without prior authorization.

 

  1. The evaluation and selection of participants will be carried out by a committee appointed by the FICG. The committee’s decisions are final and cannot be appealed. No individual feedback will be provided regarding projects that are not selected.

 

  1. Any situation not covered in these guidelines will be interpreted and resolved by the FICG, which reserves the right to make modifications, adjustments, or updates to these guidelines at any time, whenever it deems necessary for the proper implementation of the program. Furthermore, any dispute arising from the interpretation, application, or implementation of these guidelines will be resolved definitively and without appeal by the FICG.

 

  1. Participation, the awarding of prizes, selection, and/or screening of the project does not imply the existence of any employment, commercial, partnership, alliance, or corporate relationship between the parties; therefore, each party shall maintain, at all times, its independence from the other, as well as its legal personality, with each assuming the rights and obligations arising from independent legal acts vis-à-vis third parties. Similarly, nor shall it constitute a mandate or grant powers of representation of one party with respect to the other; therefore, participants may not present themselves as agents, representatives, attorneys-in-fact, or agents of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.

 

  1. It is the requirement and responsibility of the foreign national to have the passport, entry permit, and/or visa necessary to enter Mexico.

 

The PFICG, located at Av. Periférico Norte Manuel Gómez Morín 1695, Zapopan, Jalisco, will use your personal data for purposes related to your participation. Please review the privacy notice at: https://ficg.mx/es/avisos

 

For more information, please write to: doculab@ficg.mx

DocuLab: Documentary Laboratory

Rethink

Restart 

Re-Imagine

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT HERE

PRIVACY NOTICE: The Guadalajara International Film Festival, located at Avenida Periférico Norte 1695, Rinconada de Azalea, Zapopan, Mexico, will use the personal data collected for all the purposes described in this call for entries and will also retain the projects for documentation purposes. For more information about the processing of your data and the rights you can exercise, you can access the full privacy notice via the following link: https: https://ficg.mx/aviso-privacidad/