Ji.hlava unveils the 2026 roster of Emerging Producers

by Martin Kudláč

20/08/2025 - The documentary festival has revealed a fresh selection of faces for its flagship programme at Sarajevo, introducing a new generation of promising documentary producers

Ji.hlava unveils the 2026 roster of Emerging Producers

The Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival has officially announced the 2026 cohort of Emerging Producers, unveiling the names during a special presentation that took place as part of the Sarajevo Film Festival’s industry programme. The initiative, now entering its 14th edition, continues to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming European documentary film producers, fostering international collaboration and professional development across the continent and beyond. After the 2025 edition of Emerging Producers, 17 producers from across Europe have been selected for the 2026 iteration, alongside one participant from Ethiopia, this year's guest country. The selection reflects both geographical diversity and a broad range of creative and production perspectives within the evolving landscape of documentary filmmaking.

Launched in 2012, Emerging Producers is the only European training and networking programme tailored specifically to the needs of documentary producers. The year-long initiative provides workshops, industry mentoring, networking opportunities and promotional support designed to equip producers with the tools and international networks necessary to navigate the global documentary market. The programme unfolds across three sessions: the first during the 29th Ji.hlava IDFF (24 October-2 November), the second during the 76^th edition of the Berlinale (12-22 February 2026) and the third, spring, session at a venue yet to be announced.

The inclusion of Ethiopia as guest country marks a continuation of Ji.hlava’s efforts to broaden the geographical scope of the programme and to build bridges with documentary producers from underrepresented regions. In recent years, Emerging Producers alumni have gone on to premiere projects at major festivals including IDFA, CPH:DOX, the Berlinale, Visions du Réel and Locarno. The 2026 line-up is sure to continue this legacy.

Here is the list of 2026 Emerging Producers:

Maarten D'Hollander (Belgium)
Production company: Krater Films

Nahusenay Dereje (Ethiopia)
Production company: Nubia Media and Communication

Azra Djurdjevic (Switzerland)
Production company: Filmgerberei

Caroline Drab (Sweden)
Production company: BCD FILM AB

Tomáš Gič (Slovakia)
Production company: Silverart

Pavla Klimešová (Czech Republic)
Production company: Helium Film

Maria Krauss (Poland)
Production company: Plesnar & Krauss FILMS Sp. z o.o.

Ringailė Leščinskienė (Lithuania)
Production company: Zero Copy

Bernardo Lopes (Portugal)
Production company: Omaja

Julie Meigniez (France)
Production company: Talweg

Eugene Rachkovsky (Ukraine)
Production company: Tabor