Regulations

1. Arché is the space for creative development and reflection of Apordoc – Association for Documentary Film, within the framework of Doclisboa – International Film Festival (Lisbon, Portugal).

2. Arché Porto is the edition of Arché held annually as part of the Porto/Post/Doc: Film & Media Festival, in conjunction with its professional program, Porto Industry Days.

3. In 2026, Arché Porto’s activities will take place from November 20 to 25.

4. Arché Porto consists of a project development workshop and a public project presentation session followed by one-on-one meetings.

5. Arché is aimed at film projects with a strong connection to reality, of a documentary nature, that explore the potential and limits of this very nature.

6. Arché is exclusively dedicated to national filmmakers from member countries of the Ibermedia Program, namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

7. In 2026, as part of the partnership with ECAM – Escuela de Cinematografía y del Audiovisual de Madrid, consideration will be given to selecting a project developed by a former student of the Documentary Film course, provided the application is submitted within the defined deadlines and subject to the same eligibility conditions as the other participants.

8. In 2026, the application period for Arché no Porto/Post/Doc runs from May 15 to July 15.

9. Registration is free.

10. Registration for Arché requires completing the form and submitting the materials listed on the Registration page.

11. Project selection will be carried out by the Arché Porto coordination team, which may consult industry professionals whenever deemed relevant, taking into account the artistic quality of the proposal, the uniqueness of the cinematic approach, the project’s relevance within the program’s context, the stage of development, and the importance of participation in the lab for the project’s evolution.

12. Applicants will be notified of the results by email by August 31. For selected projects, the information must remain under embargo until its official announcement by the organization.

13. Travel, accommodation, and meal expenses are the responsibility of the participants.

14. Participants are responsible for ensuring they have health and travel insurance for the entire duration of the activities.

15. Participants must ensure they are available during the dates of Arché Porto. Participation in all activities is mandatory.

16. Feature-length and short film projects are accepted.

17. Each selected project must be represented by the director. Producers and screenwriters may participate, subject to prior approval by the organization and depending on the program’s capacity.

18. Selected participants authorize the organization to use the promotional materials provided for the purpose of publicizing Arché Porto, including the catalog, website, social media, press, and institutional materials.

19. All films completed after participating in Arché Porto must include the following credit: “Project presented at Arché Porto, at Porto/Post/Doc: Film & Media Festival” + Arché Logo. Logos can be downloaded here.

20. In the case of projects that win an award at Arché Porto, the logo of the award partner must also be included in the film’s credits.

21. Submission of a project implies knowledge of and acceptance of these regulations.

22. The management of Apordoc and the management of the Porto/Post/Doc festival will decide on all matters not covered by these regulations.

23. Projects participating in Arché Porto are eligible for the awards presented as part of the program, which will be announced by the organizers prior to the start of activities.