Arché Porto is the Arché edition held annually within Porto/Post/Doc: Film & Media Festival, in articulation with Porto Industry Days.
Arché is the development and creative thinking space of Apordoc, within the context of Doclisboa – International Film Festival. In Porto, the programme takes the form of a lab dedicated to supporting film projects with a strong connection to reality, rooted in documentary practice, 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, a public project presentation and one-to-one meetings with invited professionals.
In 2026, Arché Porto takes place from 20 to 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 from 15 May to 15 July 2026.
Registration 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 may be submitted by authors who are nationals of Ibermedia Programme member countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Feature-length and short film projects in development are eligible, provided they have a strong relationship with reality and a documentary basis.
In 2026, within the framework of the partnership with ECAM – Escuela de Cinematografía y del Audiovisual de Madrid, the selection of a project developed by a former student of the Documentary Film course may be considered, provided that the application is submitted within the defined deadlines and complies with the same eligibility conditions as the other participants.
Each selected project must be represented by its director. Producers and screenwriters may participate subject to prior approval 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 from 20 to 25 November 2026.
Travel, accommodation and meal expenses are the responsibility of the participants. Participants must also ensure that they have health and travel insurance covering the full 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 biographical note of the director, producer and production company, where applicable.
The application must also include between 2 and 5 stills or visual references, a summary of the estimated budget, financing plan with indication of confirmed support, where applicable, and a motivation letter for participation in Arché Porto.
Where applicable, links to work-in-progress, 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 Arché Porto coordination, which may consult sector professionals whenever considered relevant.
The selection will take into account the artistic quality of the proposal, the singularity of the cinematic approach, the relevance of the project within the context of the programme, its stage of development and the relevance of participation in the lab for the project’s evolution.
Applicants will be notified of the results by email by 31 August 2026. In the case of selected projects, the information must remain under embargo until the official announcement by the organisation.
Projects participating in Arché Porto are eligible for the awards granted within the programme, to be announced by the organisation before the start of the activities.
More information about the regulations and the application form will be available soon.
For more information: arche@apordoc.org
Activity co-organised in collaboration with:
Apordoc
