DOCA - Documentary Association Georgia

What DOCA - Documentary Association Georgia does

DOCA (Documentary Association Georgia) is a membership-based non-profit professional association founded in November 2022 and headquartered in Tbilisi, Georgia. Its mission is to build a sustainable professional community for Georgian documentary filmmakers and to advocate for creative freedom, improved film policy, and audience growth. The organization serves Georgian documentary filmmakers and producers — primarily citizens who have worked on at least one documentary presented at an international festival, or who are involved in documentary distribution and promotion — by providing a portfolio of programs: film production cash prizes (10,000 GEL for 'Pure Voices' in 2024, plus 7,000 GEL each for two other projects), travel/mobility grants (4,000 EUR budget for Q1 2025), professional workshops led by figures such as Chairperson Salomé Jashi, an international Tbilisi-Nantes exchange residency in partnership with the French Institute and Festival des 3 Continents, IDFA and Berlinale delegation programs, a public Film Club with seasonal screenings, peer-to-peer discussion events, and research publications including the 'Georgian Documentary Film Industry Study 2024'.

The business model is a non-profit hybrid combining three revenue streams: (1) recurring annual membership fees of 150 GEL per member (~22 EUR/year), (2) donations from individuals and organizations, and (3) institutional grant funding from a consortium of international donors — the Netherlands Embassy, Human Rights House Tbilisi, IMS (International Media Support), New Democracy Fund, the EU's EU4Culture project, DANIDA, USAID, Goethe-Institut, the Danish Film Institute, and TBC Concept. The go-to-market motion is community-led: members are acquired through the website (doca.ge), peer referrals, workshops, and word-of-mouth within the Georgian film community, and the organization's international credibility — anchored by Salomé Jashi's films at Sundance, Berlin, and IDFA — drives both membership pipeline and donor relationships. There is no proprietary technology product; distribution is via the website, Facebook, Instagram, in-person events in Tbilisi, and recurring presence at international documentary festivals.

In 2023, DOCA publicly positioned itself as a defender of artistic freedom by issuing press releases against the Georgian Ministry of Culture's reorganization of the Georgian National Film Center and the Minister's attacks on documentary filmmakers, an event that also prompted a filmmaker boycott of GNFC funding and increased DOCA's role as an alternative funding and representation channel for the Georgian documentary sector.

Name

DOCA - Documentary Association Georgia

Legal name

DOCA Documentary Association Georgia

Website

https://doca.ge

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DOCA (Documentary Association Georgia) is a Tbilisi-based, membership-based non-profit association founded in November 2022 that supports Georgian documentary filmmakers through production grants, travel grants, workshops, international residencies, and delegation programs to festivals such as IDFA and Berlinale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services (Documentary Film Industry)

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grant Funding & Public/Nonprofit Financing (MPADAAAO), Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Documentary film association
• Filmmaker membership services
• Documentary film grants
• Film professional development
• Documentary film advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Tbilisi

HQ country

Georgia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: DOCA charges an annual membership fee of 150 GEL per member. The fee is paid after membership approval and grants access to all association benefits including grants, residencies, and networking.
2. Donations: DOCA accepts donations from individuals and organizations. Donations are directed toward film production cash prizes and travel grants for filmmakers.
3. Grant funding from institutional donors: DOCA receives funding support from embassies (Netherlands Embassy), international organizations (Human Rights House, IMS, New Democracy Fund), EU programs, and cultural institutions to fund its programs including cash prizes, travel grants, and residencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DOCA is a membership-based non-profit association that supports Georgian documentary filmmakers by providing film production grants and cash prizes, travel and mobility grants for international festivals, a film club with regular screenings, professional development workshops, an international exchange residency (Tbilisi-Nantes), peer-to-peer discussion events, and advocacy for creative freedom. Members pay an annual fee of 150 GEL and receive access to these programs alongside international industry exposure through partnerships with IDFA, Berlinale, Cinédoc, and ESoDoc.

Product overview

DOCA (Documentary Association Georgia) is a membership-based non-profit organization founded in November 2022 that supports Georgian documentary filmmakers. The organization offers a portfolio of services including a Film Club with regular screenings and filmmaker meetings, professional development workshops, film production and travel grants, exchange residency programs (Tbilisi-Nantes), international delegation programs (IDFA, Berlinale), peer-to-peer discussion series, and research publications on the Georgian documentary film industry. The organization operates on annual membership fees of 150 GEL and connects filmmakers with international industry opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DOCA Film Club Public film club featuring seasonal screenings of documentary films, post-screening discussions, and meetings with filmmakers. Open to members and the general public.
• Documentary Filmmaking Workshops and Courses Professional development workshops and courses for documentary filmmakers, including practical film development workshops led by international professionals (e.g., a 20-hour workshop by Salomé Jashi in June 2025).
• Film Production Grants and Cash Prizes Cash prizes and grants awarded to documentary film production projects, including awards tied to human rights and civic themes at Cinédoc-Tbilisi and ESoDoc pitching sessions, and production grants for films covered on election day.
• Travel and Mobility Grants Travel grants provided to DOCA members invited to attend international documentary festivals, pitching sessions, and training programs. A total budget of 4,000 EUR was allocated for January to March 2025, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Tbilisi-Nantes Exchange Residency A 10-day exchange residency program for Georgian and French documentary filmmakers, held in Nantes during the 3 Continents Festival. Covers international flights, accommodation, and per diem expenses for selected participants.
• International Delegation Programs (IDFA, Berlinale) Organized group delegations of Georgian documentary filmmakers to major international film festivals, including the delegation to IDFA 2024 in Amsterdam and a Georgian documentary program at the Berlinale Forum Special 2025.
• Research Publications on Georgian Documentary Cinema Industry research reports including the 'Georgian Documentary Film Industry Study 2024' and 'Georgian Documentary Film of 1990s and 2000s', published with support from the European Fund and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported filmmakers attending IDFA 2024 (European largest documentary film festival) via organized delegation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• French Institute (Institut Français)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025The French Institute supports DOCA's Tbilisi-Nantes residency exchange program. It co-funds the travel and living expenses of selected Georgian documentary filmmakers participating in the 10-day residency in Nantes during the 3 Continents Festival. The partnership is part of the sister-city agreement between Tbilisi and Nantes.
• Nantes City Hall (Mairie de Nantes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNantes City Hall is a key partner in the Tbilisi-Nantes exchange residency program. The city provides institutional support for the bilateral artistic exchange between Georgian and French documentary filmmakers.
• Nantes School of Fine Arts (École des Beaux-Arts de Nantes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Tbilisi-Nantes residency exchange, providing professional infrastructure and facilities for visiting filmmakers.
• Grande Ourse FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench production company collaborating in the Tbilisi-Nantes exchange residency, connecting Georgian filmmakers with French production networks.
• 3 Continents Film Festival (Festival des 3 Continents)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 3 Continents Film Festival in Nantes hosts the Tbilisi-Nantes exchange residency. DOCA selects a Georgian filmmaker to attend the festival, where they develop their project and network with the international documentary community.
• Tbilisi Architecture BiennialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOCA partnered with the Tbilisi Architecture Biennial to host a 3-day workshop on architecture and design of independent cinemas and cultural spaces, bringing together film distributors, cultural managers, and architects.
• Tbilisi City HallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTbilisi City Hall supports DOCA's workshops and cultural programs as part of its arts and culture funding portfolio.
• Goethe-Institut GeorgiencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Goethe Institute in Georgia supports DOCA's events and workshops, providing working spaces and programmatic collaboration, including the independent cinemas architecture workshop.
• French InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe French Institute in Georgia supports DOCA's cultural programs and residency exchanges through funding and institutional collaboration.
• TBC ConceptminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBC Concept, a cultural initiative by TBC Bank, supports DOCA's workshops and cultural programs as part of its arts patronage activities.
• 17/07 ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOCA collaborates with 17/07 Productions to select two participants from Georgia for the Locarno Film Festival's BaseCamp program in 2026. This open call targets emerging Georgian filmmakers aged 18-30.
• Danish Film InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Claus Ladegaard of the Danish Film Institute visited DOCA in November 2023 and delivered a keynote on leading a national film institute, sharing Danish film policy and support mechanisms.
• Rooms HotelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRooms Hotel supported DOCA's public talk with London Film School CEO Neil Peplow in April 2023, held at the Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum.
• Frontline Club GeorgiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrontline Club Georgia provided working space for DOCA's capacity building workshop in 2023.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Sakdoc Film: Sakdoc Film is a Georgian documentary production company co-founded by Salomé Jashi and Ketevan Kipiani (DOCA's Chairperson and Executive Director). Sakdoc is the production counterpart to DOCA's association role, with shared personnel and overlapping mission to advance Georgian documentary cinema.

Direct peers

• Documentary Association of Europe (DAE): DAE is an association of European documentary organizations focused on policy advocacy, fair pay, and industry standards for documentary professionals. DOCA operates at a national level with similar advocacy functions (creative freedom, film policy) that align with DAE's mission.
• International Documentary Association (IDA): IDA is the leading membership-based professional association for documentary filmmakers in the United States, providing grants, advocacy, and industry networking. DOCA mirrors this model at national scale in Georgia, with analogous mission to support and represent documentary professionals.

Others

• Georgian National Film Center (GNFC): GNFC is the state institution that funds and regulates film production in Georgia. DOCA has positioned itself as a counter-voice to GNFC's recent political direction, advocating for filmmaker protections and creative freedom in opposition to GNFC's government-aligned leadership.

Broad incumbents

• European Documentary Network (EDN): EDN is the pan-European organization supporting documentary professionals across multiple countries with training, pitching forums, and industry intelligence. DOCA engages with EDN-adjacent events (IDFA, Berlinale) and serves a similar member-support function but at a single-country scale.
• CinéDoc: CinéDoc is a France-based organization supporting documentary filmmaking through pitching programs and training (CinéDoc-Tbilisi, Cinédoc mentoring). DOCA collaborates with CinéDoc on pitching programs and grants, operating a similar filmmaker-support function at a smaller national scale.
• IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam): IDFA is the world's largest documentary film festival, organizing industry programs, pitching forums, and delegations. DOCA's IDFA delegation program (November 2024) mirrors IDFA's industry-support function at the festival level, leveraging IDFA as a platform for Georgian filmmaker visibility.
• Sheffield DocFest: Sheffield DocFest is a major UK documentary festival and industry platform connecting filmmakers with international opportunities. DOCA's delegation and pitching programs (IDFA, Locarno, Berlinale) operate in the same ecosystem of festival-based industry support for documentary talent.
• Doc Society: Doc Society is a global non-profit that supports impact-driven documentary filmmaking through funding, mentorship, and distribution. DOCA shares the mission of supporting documentary as a tool for social change, though DOCA operates as a country-level membership association rather than a global impact producer.

Emerging players

• ESoDoc: ESoDoc is a European training initiative for social documentary filmmakers offering pitching and development programs. DOCA partners with ESoDoc on its Tbilisi pitching sessions and awards (2,500 EUR cash prizes), operating at the intersection of training program and industry platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/georgia.doca
• Instagraminstagram.com/doca_georgia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/doca-documentary-association-georgia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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