Launched in 2016 by Catapult Film Fund & the True/False Film Fest, RCR unites nonfiction filmmakers and mentors for five days of screening and discussion. The tenth annual Rough Cut Retreat will take place July 20-24, 2025 at Hilltown Commons in Rensselaerville, New York.

While past RCR projects have been wildly different in form, there are a few common traits. First, projects need to be far enough along to make group viewing beneficial (scene collections do not work) but not so polished that they can’t be pulled apart and reconfigured if needed. Production should be at least 98% finished – while some projects have screened with a missing scene or two, more than that is likely a sign that you’re not ready for the retreat. Catapult & True/False prioritize work that displays an ambitious, idiosyncratic approach – films can be about anything, but are always engaged with the form of nonfiction storytelling.  

The Rough Cut Retreat was built with a focus on filmmakers who do not have established feedback networks. This can be for any number of reasons, including filmmakers who are relatively early in their careers and thus haven’t yet built a support network of peers. That said, If it’s helpful to have some concrete terms: if you’ve already made two or more features, then RCR is almost certainly not for you. If you can text one or more Oscar nominees and ask them to watch a cut of your film, the RCR is also probably not for you. If the project has already secured distribution through a major platform, that may hamper your chances of being invited, but is not reason for exclusion. 

Only projects with a realistic projection of a rough cut by mid July will be considered – Assemblies and Works-In-Progress are welcome at the time of application if you will have a <2.5 hour rough cut in time for the retreat. It is in no one’s best interest to be overly ambitious here – in fact, it can be almost detrimental to the process to share a film for this type of feedback too early. 

If the cut you bring to the retreat is over 2.5 hours, it will cut into the time allotted for group discussion of your project. Each project will have a set amount of time in the retreat schedule regardless of run time. With the current format of the Retreat, we cannot consider episodic content. We do not consider films with a projected completed runtime of under one hour. 

Applying to the Rough Cut Retreat is free until our regular deadline so we encourage you to apply as early as possible. If you cannot meet the regular deadline, there is a chance to submit a late submission for a $30 processing fee to cover the costs of reviewing your submission.  You’ll complete the application form, with two paragraphs describing your film and an online screener link of 5-10 minutes that best represents the project. Scenes are always better than sizzle reels. Longer work samples will be considered at the jurors’ discretion, but the first 10 minutes of all entries will always be watched. We will contact finalists for follow up calls in May, and at that point we will ask you to send your longer cut. Those longer samples will be evaluated for fit and final decisions will happen no later than June 1.

We will schedule a 20-30 minute phone call with you and 2 or 3 members of our team to hear more about where you’re at with the film, how you see it progressing, and what you hope to get from the retreat. Before the call, we will send along a few questions that will serve as a framework for the conversation so we don’t surprise you 🙂

Try to select one or two samples (no more than 10 minutes combined length) that encapsulate the soul of the film. By that we mean something that tells us something about you as a director and your story as a piece of cinema. Please do NOT send sizzle reels or trailers. You are welcome to send a longer cut of your film and specify a ten minute section you would like us to watch (if not specified we will watch the first 10 minutes).

If there are security concerns around sharing a cut, please contact us directly and we can work out a more secure submission protocol. 

Each invited project is assigned a “primary” mentor in advance of the retreat. That mentor will watch your film ahead of time and serve as an “older sibling” as you navigate the retreat. But, by design, all mentors work with all filmmakers over the course of the retreat. Mentors are not there to tell you “how” to make any changes, but more “guide” you to amplify your inner voice.

Each day we screen one or two projects and have long, in-depth group discussions about the projects. We include a lot of time for walks, swims, and casual conversations. Peppered throughout the retreat you’ll also have a series of one-on-one meetings with all of the mentors. And, of course, documentary fishbowl. 

Editing.

Short answer is “NO.” 

Projects that have already received support from Catapult or True/False are encouraged to apply to the RCR – though there are no guaranteed spots.

While the RCR is a project of Catapult & True/False, there’s no obligation to screen your films at True/False (though we certainly hope you apply) – and there should be no expectation of additional Catapult support following the retreat. RCR projects, when they do apply to T/F, are screened by programmers who haven’t seen previous cuts. 

For selected films, we ask that the Rough Cut logo be included in the final film. 

Absolutely not.

The RCR is, first and foremost, for directors. This is your chance to step away from your edit and get a sense of what other people are seeing in your film. We strongly discourage any editing at the retreat – instead take this time to try and gain perspective on your next steps. With all that said, you’ll know best whether you should attend solo or with an Editor or Producer. If you want to attend with a different team member than listed here, please provide additional details on why in your application and we will consider on a case-by-case basis.

Absolutely. That said, our screeners will be looking for significant editorial progress before recommending the film move forward in the process. 

No. However, travel expenditures for Rough Cut Retreat are based on the cost of domestic (US) travel only. International attendees will receive an equivalent partial stipend.