FAQ

What is Arché?
Arché is a space that aims at film projects development, taking place every year in October, in the scope of Doclisboa International Film Festival (Lisbon, Portugal). It consists of a 10 days programme and includes project development workshops with tutors, a pitching session and a series of one-to-one meetings with film professionals for 12 selected projects. It is organised by Apordoc – Associação pelo Documentário (the Portuguese Association for Documentary)

What is RAW?
RAW: Residencies Arché→Work is a programme organized between Arché and Márgenes Film Festival (Madrid, Spain). It is an itinerant programme of several weeks that includes the participation in Arché, an artistic residency in Lisbon and the participation in Márgenes/Work – Márgenes’project development lab. RAW programme has two different strands: the Creation Residencies, aimed at film projects, and Criticism Residencies, aimed at film criticism or research projects.

Who does it target?
Arché, as well as the Creation Residencies of RAW, aims at directors with a film project in any stage of development (writing and development stage, projects in the editing process or first cuts). Criticism Residencies of RAW target young film critics and researchers. Arché and RAW are exclusive to participants from countries that are part of the Ibermedia Programme (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela).

What are the project development workshops?
The Arché workshops are working sessions where participants discuss and deepen the thematic and formal aspects of their films, as well as narrative strategies to implement in their projects through research materials, footage already shot or current versions of the script and/or treatment. In the case of projects in the editing stage or first cuts, it also involves the viewing and discussion of the cuts and footage. Participants are divided in groups of 4 and each group works with a tutor during 4 days, collectively but also individually with the tutor.

How will the pitching session and the one-to-one meetings work?
The pitching session is a moment for the public presentation of the participant projects, exclusively open to film professionals with a Doclisboa Film Festival accreditation. Each participant will have 10 minutes to pitch their film, in English. Participants may screen their film’s trailer or teaser, excerpts of footage already shot or other materials considered relevant by them. The one-to-one meetings are 15 minutes individual meetings with film professionals invited by the Arché team.

When will Arché take place and what activities will be held in 2023?
You can find the dates and activities of Arché 2023 here and here the dates and activities of RAW 2023. Complementary activities will be announced in September.

Can I participate online?
No. The participation in Arché requires the presence of all participants in Lisbon during the whole time of the programme.

Is there any participation fee?
No, the participation is free of costs. Arché will grant a participation fellowship to each participant project, with the support of the Ibermedia Programme, in which most of the costs are included (to check what is included in the participation fellowship please read the rule number 12 of the Arché Regulations and, in the case of RAW, the rule number 9 of the RAW Regulations. Participants must cover their travel expenses.

The country of production of my project is a member of the Ibermedia Programme but I am of another nationality. Can I participate?
No. Only nationals from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela (Ibermedia Programme member-countries) can participate.

I’m from one of the Ibermedia countries but the country of production of my film is not a member of the Programme. Can I participate?
Yes.

Can short film projects participate?
Both features and short-length films can participate in Arché. Only feature films can participate in the RAW programme.

Is there an age limit on applying?
There is no age limit.

Is it mandatory to have a production company?
No, projects without a production company can participate.

The producers of the film are allowed to participate in Arché and RAW?
Yes, producers and/or other members of the films’ teams can participate but only one participation fellowship per project will be granted, to the director. Other members of the films’ teams can take part in the activities but they must cover their expenses.

In what languages will the activities be held?
Workshop will be held mainly in Spanish and Portuguese. The pitching session will be held in English. The one-to-one meetings will be held either in English, Spanish and Portuguese, according to each professional invited.

How and until when can I apply?
Calls for projects for Arché and RAW 2023 are open until May 31st. All information regarding Arché submissions can be found here and here regarding RAW submissions.

Can I apply to Arché and RAW at the same time?
Yes, but the submissions must be done separately (please see the Arché submissions page here, and RAW submissions here.

Can I submit more than one project?
Yes.

When will the results be announced?
Applicants will be notified about the results until July 31st 2023 in the case of RAW and until August 15th in the case of Arché.

For further questions, please contact
Arché: arche@apordoc.org
RAW: arche@apordoc.org or work@margenes.org