Inspiration Lab – MOLDOX Lab 2026
Do you have a documentary project you keep coming back to?
Perhaps the story is already there. Perhaps you know exactly why it matters to you, but you are still looking for the right structure, perspective, or way to present it.
Inspiration Workshop is an intensive, week-long programme for directors, producers, journalists, visual storytellers, and documentary filmmakers who are already developing a project and want to take it further.
With guidance from mentor Melody Gilbert, participants will have the time and space to take a closer look at their projects, ask important questions, receive feedback, and clarify both their creative vision and the next steps in their film’s development.
- Dates: 23–29 November 2026
- Location: Artcor, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
- Level: Advanced
- Mentor: Melody Gilbert
- Application deadline: 23 October 2026
- Working language: English
What does the workshop offer?
Inspiration focuses on developing documentary projects that are already in progress.
Throughout the week, participants will work on:
- the film’s core idea and central theme;
- their perspective as a filmmaker and personal motivation;
- the project’s structure and dramaturgy;
- the synopsis and project presentation;
- visual materials and the trailer;
- positioning the project in relation to audiences and the film industry;
- preparing to present and pitch the project.
An important part of the workshop will be exchanging feedback with the mentor and fellow participants, as well as learning from one another’s projects, questions, and experiences.
The workshop will conclude with a public presentation of participants’ documentary projects to an international jury, with the opportunity to win awards that support further project development. Participants will also have one-on-one meetings with international industry professionals.
Who is the workshop for?
Inspiration is intended for:
- directors;
- producers;
- journalists;
- visual storytellers;
- documentary filmmakers and other creators with previous experience in filmmaking or visual storytelling.
The workshop is particularly suited to you if you:
- are already developing a documentary project;
- feel the need to clarify your creative direction;
- need feedback on your story, structure, or perspective as a filmmaker;
- want to prepare your project for the next stages of development, production, or pitching.
You do not need to arrive with all the answers. The workshop is a space to take a closer look at your project, understand what it needs, and find a clearer direction for it.ly with a new project, however, preference will be given to participants that have not participated in the past LAB editions.
How will the workshop be structured?
The format will combine:
Theory + project development + feedback + mentorship + pitching to an international jury.
Throughout the week, each participant will work intensively on their own documentary project while also learning from the discussions, questions, and feedback shared with other participants.
The aim is not only to help participants present their projects more effectively, but also to help each filmmaker gain a clearer understanding of the film they want to make and why they want to make it.
About the mentor – Melody Gilbert
Melody Gilbert is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and an Alfred I. duPont Award winner who has directed and produced 20 documentaries. Her films have screened at international festivals and been distributed in various countries.
Alongside her filmmaking career, Melody has extensive experience mentoring emerging filmmakers and visual journalism students. She currently teaches at SUNY – State University of New York – and DCTV in New York, and previously taught at the American University in Bulgaria and Northwestern State University in Louisiana.
She also mentors documentary development and pitching programmes in Eastern Europe, including at the Balkan Documentary Center in Sofia and MOLDOX in Moldova. Melody is the founder of Documentary Boot Camp, an intensive programme designed to support filmmakers in their professional development.
How to apply
To take part in Inspiration Lab, complete the application form / https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/WSD03i2Y by:
23 October 2026
In the form, tell us openly about your documentary project, its current stage, and what you would like to develop during the workshop.
You do not need to present a “perfect” project. What matters to us is understanding your idea, your connection to the story, and the questions you are exploring right now.
For any questions, contact us at: