As a member of the European festival network Moving Images – Open Borders (MIOB), FilmFestival Cottbus is once again co-organising the Lab of Cultural, Creative and Festival Journalism, now entering its fifth edition. The programme invites students and recent graduates in cinema, journalism and related fields who are interested in gaining practical experience in cultural and film journalism.
Selected participants will benefit from free, personalised mentoring with experienced experts in cultural journalism, combining professional training with hands-on festival experience. As part of the programme, participants will attend one of two participating MIOB festivals in person:
FilmFestival Cottbus, November 3–8, 2026, Cottbus, Germany
Scanorama Film Festival, November 11–16, 2026, Vilnius, Lithuania
The Lab is organised in collaboration with Cineuropa, one of the leading platforms dedicated to European cinema. The most outstanding contribution produced during the programme will be selected by a committee and published on Cineuropa.
Application deadline: September 18, 2026.