LIM² | LESS IS MORE × OIFF

BOOSTING IDEAS WORKSHOP

Rules and Regulations

1.  OVERVIEW

The Boosting Ideas Workshop is a four-day story-development lab presented in Kyiv by the Odessa International Film Festival (OIFF) together with LIM² | Less is More, the flagship programme of Le Groupe Ouest. The lab focuses on the creative process that comes before writing. At the heart of its method lies a simple conviction: limitation is not an obstacle but a creative engine, and the strongest films are shaped before a single page of script is written. For Ukrainian filmmakers working in conditions of uncertainty, interruption, and scarcity, this prewriting approach offers a way to turn constraint into creative fuel and to build stories strong enough to travel.

2.  ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPANTS

2.1 The workshop is open to Ukrainian scriptwriters, directors, and creative producers working in both fiction and documentary.

2.2 Up to 12 participants will be selected to take part in the workshop.

2.3 Participation is granted through an open application process. The supervising mentors and organizers reserve the right to select participants based on the submitted materials.

2.4 By submitting an application, applicants confirm that they meet the eligibility requirements and agree to abide by these rules and regulations.

3.  APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

3.1 Applications must be submitted through the application form at https://new.oiff.com.ua/ website.

3.2 Scriptwriters and directors apply with one or several early-stage projects, that they wish to explore during the week. Applying with an advanced script is not advised.

3.3 Creative producers apply without a project.

3.4 Applications should include the materials requested by the organizers, which includes a short personal introduction, a CV or biography, a project note or set of ideas (for scriptwriters and directors), and relevant work samples.

3.5 Applications will be reviewed by the supervising mentors and the organizers, who will select participants based on the quality and suitability of the submitted materials.

3.6 Applications must be submitted no later than 12.07.2026. All applicants will be notified of the selection decision by mid August. Selected participants will receive onboarding information, including details of any obligatory online session and pre-workshop preparation tasks.

4.  WORKSHOP STRUCTURE AND METHOD

4.1 The workshop runs over four consecutive in-person days in Kyiv and is dedicated to the creative process prior to writing, following the LIM² | Less is More method.

4.2 Work takes place through a combination of group sessions and individual or small-group consultations with the mentors.

4.3 Participants are expected to engage actively with their own material, with the material of fellow participants, and with the exercises and discussions proposed by the mentors throughout the four days.

4.4 The workshop may serve as a springboard for participants to be shortlisted for the annual LIM² programme. Selection for the workshop does not guarantee selection for the annual programme, which is governed by its own separate process and criteria.

5.  PRE-WORKSHOP PREPARATION

5.1 Selected participants may be required to attend an introductory online session prior to the workshop. The date and time will be communicated upon acceptance, and attendance, where required, is mandatory.

5.2 Participants are expected to complete any preparatory tasks set by the mentors and to arrive ready to work on their project or ideas from the first day.

5.3 Participants are expected to communicate actively and constructively with the organizers and mentors during the preparation phase.

6.  ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

6.1 All selected participants are required to be present in Kyiv for the full duration of the workshop (30.08 - 02.09)  and to attend all scheduled sessions.

6.2 Participants must arrive on time for all scheduled activities and follow the instructions of the mentors and organizers.

6.3 Failure to attend without prior notification to the organizers may result in withdrawal of the participant’s place, without compensation or further obligation.

7.  MENTORSHIP AND FACILITATION

7.1 The workshop is led by Antoine Le Bos (screenwriter, founder, and artistic director of Le Groupe Ouest) and Vassili Silovic (writer and director of documentary films).

7.2 The organizers reserve the right to make changes to the line-up of mentors or facilitators where necessary, and will inform participants of any such changes.

8.  LANGUAGE

8.1 The working language of the workshop is English.

8.2 Participants are expected to be able to discuss their projects and take part in sessions in English.

9.  PARTICIPANT CONDUCT

9.1 All participants are expected to treat fellow participants, mentors, and organizers with respect and professionalism at all times.

9.2 Discriminatory, harassing, or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the workshop.

9.3 Feedback and discussion of projects should be professional, honest, and supportive of each participant’s creative process.

9.4 Participants must follow the instructions of the mentors and organizers and respect the confidentiality of projects and ideas shared by others during the workshop.

10.  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

10.1 All creative work developed during the workshop — including ideas, story concepts, notes, and any related materials — remains the intellectual property of the participant who created it.

10.2 Ideas and projects shared by participants during the workshop are confidential and must not be used, reproduced, or shared outside the workshop without the creator’s consent.

10.3 By participating, participants grant the organizers a non-exclusive right to reference the workshop and, with the participant’s consent, to mention selected projects for promotional or educational purposes related to the workshop and its partners, with appropriate credit.

11.  PRIVACY AND IMAGE RIGHTS

11.1 The organizers may photograph or record workshop activities for documentation and promotional purposes.

11.2 By participating, participants consent to being photographed or recorded during workshop activities, unless they formally opt out in writing before the workshop begins.

12.  HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE

12.1 Participants are responsible for their own safety while travelling to, from, and during the workshop.

12.2 In the event of an emergency, participants should contact local emergency services immediately and notify the organizers as soon as possible.

 

⚠  WARTIME SAFETY — KYIV

The workshop takes place in Kyiv during an active period of armed conflict. All participants must be aware of and comply with the following safety rules at all times.

Air raid alerts.  Upon hearing an air raid siren or receiving an alert via the official Kyiv air raid warning app, all workshop activities must cease immediately and all participants must proceed to the nearest designated shelter without delay.

Curfew.  Participants must comply with any curfew orders in effect in Kyiv at the time of the workshop. The organizers will communicate current curfew hours prior to and during the event.

Organizer authority.  The organizers reserve the right to suspend, relocate, or cancel any workshop activity at any time in the interest of participant safety. Participants must follow all safety instructions issued by the organizers without delay.

 

13.  COMPLIANCE

13.1 All participants must comply with applicable Ukrainian laws and regulations during the workshop.

13.2 The organizers reserve the right to amend these rules and regulations at any time. Participants will be notified of any changes in advance.

13.3 The organizers reserve the right to remove any participant who violates these rules, without compensation or further obligation.

13.4 By participating in the workshop, each participant confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to these rules and regulations.