Throughout this year-long programme, filmmakers will gain first-hand experience working alongside Oscar-nominated documentarian Rithy Panh to advance their projects. The world-renowned storyteller will guide participants in his method of narration, working with memory, culture, and identity to gain an in-depth understanding of personal traditions, celebrations, community, and oral histories. His teaching techniques build on the foundations of cultural memory to capture ephemeral moments through film. Participants will be encouraged to deepen their own narratives that explore the idea of identity and origins by truly living, working, and breathing with their subjects.

This lab runs from 8 September 2025 to September 2026 with in-person and online sessions and is designed for emerging filmmakers working on their next short or first feature film. Those with documentary, fiction, and hybrid projects at the development, production, or early editing* stages may apply.

Dates: September 2025 – September 2026 (including in-person and online sessions)