Arché Porto is the Arché edition held annually in the context of Porto/Post/Doc: Film & Media Festival, in articulation with Porto Industry Days.
Arché is the space for development and creative thinking created by Apordoc, in the context of Doclisboa, International Film Festival. In Porto, the programme takes the form of a laboratory dedicated to supporting film projects with a strong relationship with reality, rooted in documentary practices, and exploring the possibilities, tensions and limits of that relationship.
Over several days, the selected projects take part in a development workshop focused on writing, narrative structure, visual approach, authorial thinking and the clarification of each proposal’s needs. The programme combines critical work, specialised mentoring, public project presentations and one-to-one meetings with invited professionals.
In 2026, Arché Porto takes place between 20 and 25 November. The activity is part of Porto Industry Days as a space for authorial development, critical listening and contact between creators, producers and industry professionals.
OPEN CALL
Applications for Arché Porto 2026 are open between 15 May and 15 July 2026.
Submission is free of charge and requires the completion of the online form and the submission of all requested materials. Applications that do not comply with the requirements established in the regulations will not be considered.
WHO CAN APPLY
Applications are open to filmmakers who are nationals of countries that are members of the Ibermedia Programme: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Feature-length and short film projects in development, with a strong relationship with reality and a documentary basis, are eligible.
In 2026, within the framework of the partnership with ECAM, Escuela de Cinematografía y del Audiovisual de Madrid, one project developed by an alumna or alumnus of the Documentary Film course may be considered for selection, provided that the application is submitted within the defined deadlines and is subject to the same eligibility conditions as the other participants.
Each selected project must be represented by the person responsible for directing it. Producers and screenwriters may participate subject to prior validation by the organisation and according to the programme’s capacity.
FORMAT
Arché Porto consists of a project development workshop, a public presentation session and one-to-one meetings with invited professionals.
Participation in all activities is mandatory. Selected participants must ensure their availability between 20 and 25 November 2026.
Travel, accommodation and meal expenses are the responsibility of the participants. Participants must also ensure that they have health insurance, travel insurance and, when applicable, personal accident or work insurance for the entire period of the activities.
APPLICATION MATERIALS
The application must include a project dossier, in Portuguese, Spanish or English, in PDF format, with a maximum of 8 pages.
The dossier must include the title, long synopsis, director’s note, references to the visual treatment, current stage of development, project needs, statement of intent, relevance of the proposal, and a biographical note on the person responsible for directing, the person responsible for production and the production company, when applicable.
The application must also include between 2 and 5 stills or visual references, a summary of the provisional budget, a financing plan indicating confirmed support, if any, and a motivation letter for participation in Arché Porto.
When applicable, links to work-in-progress materials, rushes or previous works may be included. Audiovisual materials must be subtitled in English, Portuguese or Spanish when spoken in other languages.
SELECTION
The selection of projects will be carried out by the coordination of Arché Porto, which may consult sector professionals whenever deemed relevant.
The artistic quality of the proposal, the singularity of the cinematic approach, the relevance of the project within the context of the programme, the stage of development and the relevance of participation in the laboratory for the evolution of the project will be considered.
Applicants will be notified of the results by e-mail by 31 August 2026. In the case of selected projects, the information must remain under embargo until its official announcement by the organisation.
Projects participating in Arché Porto are eligible for the awards granted within the context of the programme, to be announced by the organisation before the beginning of the activities.
REGULATIONS AND FORM
The full regulations and application form are available online:
For more information: arche@apordoc.org
Activity co-organised in collaboration with:
Apordoc
