As a part of CPH:FORUM we are presenting a selection of projects at a rough cut stage looking for distributors (including theatrical), sales agents, buyers, high profile festival premieres and other forms of exhibition.
The next edition of CPH:ROUGHCUT takes place during the Industry week as part of CPH:FORUM on March 16-19, 2026. The 5 selected projects presentations will take place on March 16.
CPH:ROUGHCUT will be moderated by Dani Carlaw, Head of Unscripted at Screen Scotland.
The selected projects for CPH:ROUGHCUT 2026 are:
DON’T LET THE SUN GO UP ON ME
Condemned to a life away from the sun, Fatimazahra lived at night with the "Children of the Moon". After her passing, her sister Meriem carries forward her dreams, creating a refuge, nurturing a close-knit community, and venturing into the polar night.
RESCUE
A kidnapping at sea splits a Yemeni family apart, as a mother’s fight for survival reveals the human cost of Europe’s border regime.
THE DAWN OF THE POST PLANTATION
In an epic uphill struggle a community of Congolese plantation workers free their land and restore the sacred forests after a century of repression, exploitation and exhaustion by the plantation system.
Ced'art Tamasala & Renzo Martens / Lea Fels, Isidoor Roebers, Hanne Phlypo & Heino Deckert / Scenery / VPRO, Clin d’Oeil Films, BBC & Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktion / Netherlands, Belgium, Democratic Republic of Congo, United States, Italy, Indonesia & United Kingdom
THE SIEGE OF PARADISE
In Cinque Terre on Italy’s northern Riviera, fewer than 3,000 locals face over four million tourists each summer. Over one stressful season, six lives unfold in parallel, in a sharply funny and surprisingly tender story of paradise under pressure.
Gar O'Rourke / Andrew Freedman, Jessie Hayden & Ken Wardrop / Venom Films / Dynamic Frame / Ireland & Switzerland
![WAR ON WOMEN [WT]](https://cphdox.dk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1888364-640x360.jpeg)
WAR ON WOMEN [WT]
When I discover my mother’s allegiance to a far-right movement, I embark on a global quest to expose an international network that is dismantling democracy and gender rights under the guise of "traditional family values".
Eligibility
Project profile: creative and visually strong documentary projects with international potential intended for theatrical release, TV broadcasting, or other platforms, or those aiming for a premiere at a top film festival.
Production Stage: Your project must be in the post-production or rough cut stage, with at least 80% of the material already shot.
Rough Cut Requirement: A rough cut file should be ready and available by end of January 2026 or latest March 2026.
Industry Focus: Projects should be actively seeking a high-profile festival premiere, looking for sales agents, distribution deals, broadcast or other exhibition opportunities for their films Priority will be given to those without a world sales agent.
Previous Participants: Projects that have previously been presented at CPH:FORUM are encouraged to apply.
Presentation Format & Audience
Each project will have a total of 20 minutes to present their project:
- 15 minutes: Screening of selected scenes/clips and presentation by the team
- 5 minutes: Q&A with the moderator
The audience of accredited industry professionals, including festival programmers, sales agents, distributors etc.
Meetings with Industry Representatives
Each project team will participate in highly curated meetings with industry professionals. These sessions are pre-arranged by the Forum team, taking into account the preferences and interests of both the project teams and the industry representatives to ensure meaningful and productive connections.
Additional Exposure
The full rough cut of each selected documentary project can be made available on CPH:MARKET, our curated online on demand professional screening platform, ensuring extended exposure to international buyers, sales agents, festival representatives, curators, journalists, and distributors.
The selected projects for CPH:ROUGHCUT 2025 are:
![FOUR BROTHERS [WT]](https://cphdox.dk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/1699593-640x360.jpeg)
FOUR BROTHERS [WT]
Since 2014, four orphan brothers struggle in war-torn Eastern Ukraine. Like other survivors they face their destroyed hometown Marinka's harsh reality, wrestling with loss and hope, as the conflict reshapes their lives and the world.
Pieter-Jan De Pue / Emilie Blezat, Bart Van Langendonck & David Dusa / Dark Riviera AB & Savage Film / Submarine, beetz brothers film production GmbH & Naoko Films / Belgium, Sweden, Netherlands & Germany
THE ALARMIST
THE ALARMIST is the story of Stav Shaffir, the youngest woman ever elected to the Israeli Parliament. Through her story, the film offers insight into what caused the downfall of the left wing and the early legitimization of the extremists who are now in government in Israel.
Jacob Tschernia & Tomer Slutzky / Kirstine Barfod / Drive Studios & Nordland Pictures / Denmark & United States
THE LAST NOMADS
A gripping family and environmental drama unfolds as semi-nomadic mother and daughter Gara and Nada defend their herding tradition and mountain from militarisation, as the story of violence against women echoes that of violence against nature.
Biljana Tutorov & Petar Glomazić / Biljana Tutorov / Wake Up Films / Ardor Films, Les Films de l'oeil sauvage, Cvinger Film & Stenola / Serbia, Montenegro, France, Slovenia & Croatia
THE SINNER
In his search for the Light, he was drawn into the Darkness. A former boxer-turned-vigilante, Petar Nizamov’s rise and fall unravels in The Sinner - a journey into the biblical battle of good and evil during the rise of the far-right across Europe.
VIRTUAL GIRLFRIENDS
They say you can't put a price on love—on OnlyFans, you can. This thought-provoking documentary reveals the consequences of selling and exposing your identity online and explores how virtual relationships impact real-life ones.
Barbora Chalupová / Pavla Klimešová / Helium Film / Super film & Soul Food / Bulgaria, Czech Republic & Slovakia
FUNDED BY
