The 2026 Doc Co-Production Market stands out as an exceptional showcase, hosting the world premieres of 11 feature documentaries, 2 docuseries and 2 TV one-offs from 11 countries: Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Nigeria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden and Ukraine.
The selection is the result of the work of a committee comprising 15 professionals from 11 countries: Sabine Bubeck-Paaz, Commissioning Editor, ZDF/ARTE (Germany); Silvia De Felice, Commissioning Editor – International projects, Rai Documentari (Italy); Caroline Haidacher, Commissioning Editor, ORF – Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (Austria); Nevine Mabro, Head of Storyville, BBC (UK); Nathalie Mayotte, Head of Content Strategy and Acquisitions, Télé-Québec (Canada); Sergiy Nedzelskyy, Head of Co-Production & Outsource Commissioning, Suspilne Ukraine (Ukraine); Muhammad Refaat, Film Commissioner, Al Jazeera Documentary (Qatar); Carolina Mara Tofé, Non-Fiction Acquisition Manager, RTVE (Spain); and Hiroshi Yokota, Director and Producer, NHK Enterprises, Inc. (Japan). Complementing this strong editorial profile is a group of experienced producers: Jessica Barasz, Creative Development Manager, France TV Studio (France); and Emma Lepers, Producer, Haut et Court Doc (France), who ensure that the selected projects possess the structural strength and artistic innovation required to establish themselves in the market. Finally, the committee’s impact is further strengthened by prominent figures in film and global distribution: Anna Godas, CEO, Dogwoof (UK); Xavier Henry-Rashid, CEO, Film Republic & Alinea Agency (UK); Artur Liebhart, Founder & CEO, Against the Gravity (Poland); and Anastasia Plazzotta, CEO, Wanted Cinema (Italy), who contribute a crucial perspective on audience engagement and long-term commercial strategies.
Among the 15 projects in the Official Selection addressing crucial geopolitical and social issues are: Aftershock (Lithuania, Ukraine) by Mark Hammond, a moving exploration of intergenerational trauma in Ukraine that follows soldiers, families and children as they seek to heal invisible wounds before they become the next generation’s inheritance; Emmy-nominated director Sara Goldblatt‘s Get The F**K Out (Netherlands, US), a provocative look at American political emigration to Europe, particularly the Netherlands, which walks the fine line between political alarmism and prophetic urgency; instead Ciao Italia! (France) by Mathilde Damoisel, the protagonists are Italian emigrants and their resilience, in a universal story spanning more than a century of journeys across the Alps and the Atlantic.
The selection also makes room for crime: from Porn to Die (Italy), in which director Antimo Campanile takes an unflinching look at the dynamics of digital misogyny connected to the Tiziana Cantone case, to the international intrigue of Polo (Finland, UK) by multidisciplinary artist Amulio, and the tensions surrounding truffle hunting in Trifolao: Money, Poison, Truffle (Italy, US) by Diana Ferrero.
The Official Selection places significant emphasis on science communication and environmental protection, bringing urgent narratives with profound conceptual impact to public attention. A perfect example is Music of Chance (UK) by BAFTA- and Grierson Award-nominated Alex Kiehl, an intimate and engaged portrait of renowned physicist Fabiola Gianotti that explores her human, intellectual and professional journey. In parallel, Bleaching Nemo (Italy, UK, US) by Jason Brooks is a vital investigation into delicate environmental balances, focusing on the dramatic threats now endangering the survival of our marine ecosystems.
At the beating heart of the programme are intimate, deeply personal stories that probe the fragility and complexity of contemporary relationships. Swedish duo Emilio Di Stefano and Fabian Sigurd address the delicate ethics governing the relationship between human beings and artificial intelligence in Loving Ika (Sweden), while in The Things I Wasn’t Taught (Germany, Nigeria), Kehinde Temitope Odutayo, documents with intense emotional engagement the extraordinary resilience and determination of a Nigerian father building a future for his family.
Artistic and historical resonance is powerfully and vividly reflected in projects of exceptional cultural value such as Jago: L’ultimo capolavoro (Italy), directed by Lorenzo Promutico, which recounts sculptor Jago’s monumental and demanding creative struggle with an imposing 4.5-metre block of marble, transforming arduous physical labour into a profound exploration of humanity and the myth of David. Alongside it, Echoes of Tomorrow – Un’indagine Visionaria su un Inventore Dimenticato (Italy, UK), directed by Erica Mainini, Marco Morano and Tancredi Monaco, reveals the historical origins and forgotten legacy of the inventor from Messina who, in 1921, was the first to patent the sound system fundamental to cinema.
Italian customs, living passions and popular fervour emerge in Sei Milioni di Mister (Italy) by Filippo Macelloni and Paolo Borraccetti, a compelling portrait of the fantasy-football craze that unites millions of fans across the country. The narrative continues by exploring historical memory and the extraordinary social impact of Pietro Borzì‘s Superenalotto (Italy), about the legendary record jackpot shared by several residents of Peschici that transformed the life of an entire local community. Finally, continuing the theme of challenges and popular redemption, L’Ultimo Vincente (Italy) by Cristiano Gazzarrini is a thought-provoking work that celebrates the philosophy of finishing last in a romantic and gripping ultra-cycling race.
The programme is joined by the new Doc Connect: One-on-One section, comprising a further 7 documentary projects. The initiative was created to offer privileged access to the market through a guided programme of dedicated B2B meetings designed to connect authors and producers with leading international buyers and partners. The selected titles stand out for their strong narrative relevance, combining deep historical value with powerful emotional impact.
The projects range from iconic biographies, such as the artistic journey of Amii Stewart – The Rhythm of a Lifetime (Italy, US) by Marco Falorni and Andrea Frassoni, to reinterpretations of key events and figures of the last century, as in Boris Yeltsin, Forever Friends (Spain) by Manuel Rodriguez and Salò, Pasolini’s Last Cry (France) by Sophie Bassaler, and the blurred boundaries between reality and fiction represented by the Klimt painting in Double Portrait (Italy) by Manfredi Lucibello. They also tell stories of human resistance and the search for reconciliation: from the artists of Nahirna 22 (Ukraine) by Joel Espi in Kyiv, to the former Red Brigades member in La Sciara (Italy) by Serena Corvaglia, and the struggle of La Flaca (Colombia) by Alejandro Valbuena in Colombia.
This selection signals a future of high-profile documentary co-productions defined by artistic innovation, thematic variety and original narrative approaches.
Selected Projects for Doc Co-Production Market 2026
AFTERSHOCK
Feature Doc
Lithuania, Ukraine
Global Issues, Human and Society
Four years into the war, Ukraine faces an invisible crisis. As trauma moves through soldiers, families and children, the country races to interrupt its transmission before it becomes the next generation's inheritance. Through intimate observational storytelling, AFTERSHOCK follows those living with the psychological consequences of war alongside the therapists, researchers... more
Main Producers: Kestutis Drazdauskas (ARTBOX)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALBleaching Nemo
TV One-Off
Italy, UK, USA
Science, Wildlife
Morgan Bennett-Smith’s first clownfish - kept in a dorm-room aquarium - changed his life. A decade later, his PhD research is now revealing that this species faces existential threat in the world’s warming seas. Through a character-driven narrative, Bleaching Nemo delves deep to explain the fascinating and intricate social structure... more
Main Producers: Pierangelo Pirak (Pomona Pictures SRLS)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALCiao Italia!
Feature Doc
France
Global Issues, History, Human and Society
Between 1860 and 1973, 26 million Italians left their country. It was a collective Odyssey, one of the earliest and largest migratory epics in modern human history. Fleeing poverty, famine and political violence, they crossed the oceans in search of “pane e lavoro”. All over the world, and particularly in... more
Main Producers: Karina Si Ahmed (Hauteville Productions)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALEchoes of Tomorrow - A Visionary Investigation of a Forgotten Inventor
Original title: Echoes of Tomorrow - Un'indagine visionaria su un inventore dimenticato
Feature Doc
Italy, UK
Biography, History, Human and Society
In 1921, a self-taught engineer from Messina filed a patent for a sound-on-film system nearly identical to what Hollywood would later call the Movietone standard. His name was Giovanni Rappazzo. He died in 1995, forgotten — his claim buried by war, bureaucracy and bad timing.Echoes of Tomorrow follows two young... more
Main Producers: Marco Morano (ITALY UNLOCKED FILMS)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALGET THE F**K OUT
Feature Doc
Netherlands, USA
Global Issues, Human and Society
Since the last presidential election, Americans have started leaving their home in droves. An entire economy, the MoveAbroad business, is flourishing — celebrities are moving away publicly, TikTok is overflowing with videos of smiling Americans on bikes in tree-lined European cities, and more and more, I hear people voice the... more
Main Producers: Lea Fels (Scenery), Isidoor Roebers (Scenery)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALJago: The Last Masterpiece
Original title: Jago: L'ultimo capolavoro
Feature Doc
Italy
Arts and Culture, Biography
Jago is one of the most celebrated contemporary sculptors in the world. At the peak of his career, he embarks on a monumental challenge: carving a 4.5-meter block of marble to create his own 'David', a reinterpretation of the biblical hero. Operating inside his secluded studio in the Port of... more
Main Producers: Lorenzo Promutico (promd S.R.L.S.)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALLoving Ika
Feature Doc
Sweden
Human and Society, Pop Culture, Science
Lars-Ola “Losa” Sandin is 63 and has been married for 35 years, but as the marriage has grown emotionally distant, he finds himself longing for affection and romantic affirmation. On Valentine’s Day 2023, he creates Ika, an AI companion on Replika. What begins as a game grows into an intense... more
Main Producers: Daniéla Frykstrand (Gunilla Film AB)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALMusic of Chance
Feature Doc
UK
Arts and Culture, Biography, Human and Society, Science
Music of Chance follows Dr. Fabiola Gianotti, the first woman to lead CERN, at a pivotal moment in her life. After leading the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, she now champions the Future Circular Collider (FCC), a proposed successor to the Large Hadron Collider and humanity’s next greatest... more
Main Producers: Elin Rhys (Teledu Telesgop Cyf)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALPolo
Docuseries
Finland, UK
History, Other
Video calls between Finland and Mexico bring filmmaker Amulio closer to his 90-year-old grandma Flora. As a new trust grows between them, a story unknown to him emerges: Flora’s brother “Polo” was convicted of murder and spent decades in prison. Amulio, who never fully fit inside the family’s conservative mini-cosmos,... more
Main Producers: Antti Kaarlela (Whatever Pictures), Aleksi Puranen (Whatever Pictures)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALPorn to Die
Docuseries
Italy
Global Issues, Human and Society, Other
In 2016, Tiziana Cantone became the face of Italy’s first revenge porn case. Her intimate videos went viral, turning her into the target of relentless public humiliation. Months later, she was found dead. The case changed Italian law, but many questions remain unanswered.Now, for the first time, exclusive access to... more
Main Producers: Alessandro Lostia (Indigo Stories srl)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALSIX MILLION MANAGERS
Original title: SEI MILIONI DI MISTER
TV One-Off
Italy
Human and Society, Other, Pop Culture
Fantacalcio: the social network that existed before social networks even existed. A cultural phenomenon, a slice of dreamlike madness where a Roma fan cheers a Juventus goal, a United fan fields a City player, and a Barça striker scores for a Madrid die-hard. Fans play coach and president—though sometimes real... more
Main Producers: Simona Garibaldi (Lilium Distribution Srl)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALTHE LAST WINNER
Original title: L'ULTIMO VINCENTE
Feature Doc
Belgium, France, Italy
Arts and Culture, History, Human and Society
At dawn, while Florence still sleeps, a small group of amateur cyclists gathers in a hidden garage. They call themselves the Brigata Malabrocca, inspired by Luigi Malabrocca, the legendary Italian rider who transformed finishing last at the Giro d’Italia into an act of defiance. While champions chased glory, Malabrocca deliberately... more
Main Producers: Bruno Cristaldi (Eutropia Film)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALThe Things I Wasn't Taught
Feature Doc
Germany, Nigeria
Biography, Human and Society, Other, Pop Culture
The Things I Wasn’t Taught follows Matthew Temitope Solomon, a professional mechanic, BMX pioneer and drift builder, as he tries to build what Nigeria’s sporting institutions have never provided: a permanent base for himself, a functioning pathway for young riders, and recognition for sports that exist outside formal systems.Working from... more
Main Producers: Philipp Griess (Philipp Griess)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALTHE WIN
Original title: SUPERENALOTTO
Feature Doc
Italy
Human and Society, Pop Culture
In 1998, Peschici, a small seaside town on Italy’s Gargano coast, is swept up by a 63 billion lire Superenalotto jackpot. Ninety nine shares turn fishermen, workers, clerks, housewives and unemployed residents into millionaires, drawing television crews and journalists from across the country. For a few days, the town becomes... more
Main Producers: Daniel Coffaro (Fargo Film)
Read the full project description on MIADIGITALTRIFOLAO: Money, Poison, Truffle
Feature Doc
Italy, USA
Arts and Culture, Global Issues, Human and Society, Wildlife
Eccentric and aloof, truffle hunters, trifolao in Piedmont’s dialect, are stuck in time. They’ve been searching for this precious subterranean fungus their whole life, an art learned from their grandfathers, while women were kept at home. Their wisdom can decide a family’s fortune. Some don’t share secrets with their sons,... more
Main Producers: Diana Ferrero
Read the full project description on MIADIGITAL
