Young Horizons Lab 2025 rules

The Young Horizons Lab workshop is focused on live-action and animation film projects.

Within the programme we aim to help creators develop their treatment into the first or second draft of the script depending on the stage they enter the workshops.

The upcoming edition is open only for projects from Poland. Participants need to be Polish citizens or Polish residents.

During 3 on-site sessions participants with the support of tutor Philip LaZebnik will develop and work on the best structure of their projects. It will focus on group work, individual online consultation with tutor, as well as individual work of the participants between the sessions.

REGULATIONS

Submission dates

4 March 2025: Submission starts
4 April 2025, 17.00: Submission ends

Preselection: early April 2025
Online meeting wih preselected creators: early April 2025
Selection announcement: 10 April 2025

Young Horizons Lab is open to:

• People interested in writing and producing films for young audiences. Polish citizens or Polish residents only
• You can apply individually or in a team of two people
• You don’t need to have a producer on board

Eligible projects

• Live-action feature films (minimum 60 minutes) at early development stage (with treatment)
• Animated feature films (minimum 60 minutes) at early development stage (with treatment)

Working language

The working language of all workshop sessions is English. Participants are also obliged to deliver all materials, such as treatments, drafts in English.

Session dates

Applicants must confirm their full availability for all the on-site sessions.

1st session: 14-16 May 2025
2nd session: 6-8 August 2025
3rd session: October 2025

All sessions will be held in Warsaw.

The date of online consultations will be confirmed later between tutor and participant.

Aim of the workshop

The aim for participant is to finish the programme with a first draft of the script*.

*It depends on a number of factors, including the advancement of the project, and the amount of work and time the participant put into developing the script during the workshop.

Fee

Submission fee is 200 PLN excl. VAT (246 PLN incl. VAT).

Participation fee is 1700 PLN excl. VAT (2091 PLN incl. VAT). Once your project is accepted for the Young Horizons Lab programme, you will have 10 days to sign an agreement and pay the participation fee.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

1. SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION – Preselection

1. Prepare all the required documents and complete the online application before 4 April, 17.00. The link to the submission form will be published on https://industry.younghorizons.pl/lab/ website.

Required documents 

• Project description / synopsis (max. 4 pages)
• Short bio (max. half page)
• Motivation letter (max. 1 page)

2. Complete the payment for the submission (After submitting the form, you will receive a payment link within 2 working days.)

If you do not get a payment link, please contact -> Piotr Ogorzelski piotr.ogorzelski@nowehoryzonty.pl

IMPORTANT: We will inform the creators about the preselection results via email. Only creators of the preselected projects will take part in online meetings.

2. ONLINE MEETING – only for the preselected projects

Meeting with Philip LaZebnik and workshop organisers: early April (online).

This is a chance for us to ask you some questions about your project and get to know each other better. You can also prepare your questions for us.

3. Acceptance of the project

We will inform preselected participants about the final selection results on 10 April.

Contact to organisers: zofia.horszczaruk@nowehoryzonty.pl, magda.wylezalek@nowehoryzonty.pl