A kimff Foundation initiative · Third edition, 2027
By South Asians,
for South Asians.
The Kathmandu Doc Lab is a documentary incubation lab and pitching forum for South Asian filmmakers. Nine projects, three South Asian mentors, six days in Kathmandu, then a live pitch and an online pitch to the international industry.
Two editions, 2025 and 2026
What the Lab has delivered so far
122
Applications
69 in 2025, 53 in 2026
18
Projects selected
Nine in each edition, from five countries
59+
One-on-one industry meetings
35+ in 2025, 24 in 2026
8
Development awards
Four at each live pitch
Why the Lab exists
South Asia is full of stories. Getting them made is the hard part.
How the Lab works
From a project in development to a room full of funders
Open call
Filmmakers from across South Asia apply. Nine projects are selected.
Pre-lab workshops
Online sessions on writing, budgets and the international industry.
Six-day lab
Mentorship, pitch training and masterclasses in Kathmandu, ending in the Live Pitch.
Live Pitch
Before a jury and a public audience in Kathmandu, with development awards.
Online Pitch
To international funders and broadcasters, then one-on-one meetings.
Alongside Observer Programme: emerging filmmakers, mostly from Nepal, sit in on the Lab and spend time with the mentors.
In their words
“Kathmandu Doc Lab is not just a lab; it’s a launchpad.”
Rintu Thomas, mentor, Academy Award-nominated director
“The mentors created an atmosphere of trust and collaboration. There was no sense of competition, only mutual support.”
Gia Singh Arora, filmmaker, India
The editions so far
Two editions in. The third is next.
Second edition, May 2026
Kathmandu Doc Lab 2026
Nine projects from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Mentors Anam Abbas, Arun Bhattarai and Sarvnik Kaur. Four awards at the live pitch, then an online pitch to eight international industry representatives and 24 one-on-one meetings.
First edition, May 2025
Kathmandu Doc Lab 2025
Nine projects chosen from 69 applications. Mentors Anam Abbas, Arun Bhattarai and Rintu Thomas. A live pitch in Kathmandu and an online pitch to twenty industry representatives from around the world.
After the Lab
Our projects keep moving
Where the projects went next, after they left Kathmandu.
2025 cohort
Echoes Underneath: Industry Award, Edinburgh Pitch
An Eventual Calamity of Time: IDFA Bertha Fund
Mannu Mon: Docs Producing South
A Weaver Bird’s Nest: Green Stories
Traces of Her: Docedge Kolkata
2026 cohort
Moving Mountains: Audience Award, Edinburgh Pitch
In Between Rains: Sheffield DocFest South Asia showcase
Industry access
Who our filmmakers pitch to and meet
Also in the room: NHK, Chicken & Egg Films, Words+Pictures, Seesaw Pictures, EURODOC, and independent producers from India and France.
Filmmakers
Applications open in January 2027.
For South Asian directors developing a first or second feature-length documentary. Apply with a project, or join as an observer.
Funders and industry
Help fund the third edition.
Fund an edition, sponsor an award or a filmmaker, or join the online pitch and meet the projects one-on-one.
Founding support, 2025 to 2026
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) backed the Doc Lab through the kimff Foundation and helped build it from its very first edition. 2026 award partners: Documentary Association of Pakistan and Nepal Film Initiative.
