The industrial programme of the Message to Man International Film Festival will take place in St. Petersburg from October 20 to 22. Over the course of three days, the programme will feature more than 10 round tables, film screenings, pitching sessions, presentations, and other events dedicated to contemporary non-fiction cinema.
The programme includes pitches of non-fiction and experimental projects, presentations of documentary projects by online platforms, and discussions on film production and distribution. This year, particular attention will be paid to the development of post-production capabilities in non-fiction cinema and the role of AI in this process.
Over the past three years, the programme has brought together creators and producers of auteur and experimental cinema, as well as representatives of online platforms and social media, becoming a space for professional exchange and discussion of new industry trends.
The programme’s events are held with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives. The Message to Man International Film Festival is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, and the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture.
To participate, please complete the accreditation form on docindustry.ru by October 17, 2026.
Programme Schedule
October 20, Tuesday
“Community” Space on New Holland Island
11:00 AM — Round table “Made in St. Petersburg! Funding, Production and Distribution of Documentary Cinema in the Northern Capital.” Moderator: Andrey Apostolov.
1:00 PM — Round table “Developing Post-Production Capabilities in Non-Fiction Cinema and the Role of AI in This Process.” Moderator: Konstantin Nafikov.
3:00 PM — FPRK: Experimental Film Showcase. Moderator: Olga Filonova.
4:00 PM — Presentation of the experimental film programme by the “ЛУЧ” association, created in collaboration with the Ad Marginem publishing house. Moderator: Tikhon Pendyurin.
October 21, Wednesday
“Community” Space on New Holland Island
11:30 AM — Pitching session for documentary projects in production and post-production, “Message to Tomorrow 3.0.” Moderator: Andrey Apostolov.
3:00 PM — Presentation of Nina Romodanovskaya’s book Film Marketing for Producers, Directors and Screenwriters. A Film Marketing Navigator: From Idea to Audience, with the author in attendance.
3:30 PM — “Horizon” Experimental Projects Competition, supported by the KINORA Foundation and the LUCH film community. Moderator: Andrey Apostolov.
House of Cinema, Lilac Hall
6:45 PM — Screening of Songs of the Moon King, winner of the 2025 Experimental Projects Competition (directed by Nastasya Lapshina, Russia, 58 min.). Q&A with the filmmakers.
October 22, Thursday
Media Center of the New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre
12:00 PM — Presentation of documentary premieres from Russian online cinemas. Moderator: Susanna Alperina, film critic and producer.
4:30 PM — Presentation of RUTUBE’s opportunities for rights holders, studios, independent producers, and content creators. Moderator: David Kocharov, CEO of RUTUBE.
5:30 PM — Round table “Documentary Films on Platforms Five Years On: Changing Focus and Experimenting with Genres.” Moderator: Susanna Alperina, film critic and producer.
Avrora Cinema, Small Hall
7:40 PM — Special screening of the documentary Stories of Great Collections (Russia, 2026, directed by Roman Glova).
Organizers of the industrial programme: the Message to Man International Film Festival and Strana.DOC Club. Media partners: Profisсinema, Cinemaplex, Moviestart, and Kinobusiness Today. Industrial programme partner: RUTUBE.