The Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival has shared with Variety the projects being developed by participants in its 2026 Emerging Producers programme, each of whom delivered an "elevator pitch" for their work. Running since 2010, the scheme selects 18 rising documentary producers annually — 17 from Europe and one from a guest country outside the continent, with Japan holding that spot in 2026 — offering them training, networking and promotional support.

The programme has built a substantial industry resource, with its online portal now featuring more than 250 alumni profiles used by documentary filmmakers seeking co-producers. Among the projects revealed are "Glorious Utopia" (Slovakia), a study of the unofficial microstate Elgaland-Vargaland and its ageing "kings" that explores borders and identity; "Madam" (Czech Republic), an intimate drama following a dominatrix balancing her professional persona with questions of love, fertility and family; and "Story of the Painter Who Created a Photographer" (France/Slovakia), which traces the wartime bond between painter Ester Šimerová and photographer Martin Martinček through personal letters and archive footage.