The Oxbelly Retreat has opened applications for its 2026 edition, inviting screenwriters and fiction authors from around the world to apply until 14 January. The creative gathering will take place from 1–9 July at the Costa Navarino resort in Messinia, Greece, returning to a setting that has already become a hallmark of the programme. Founded in 2015 by Christos V. Konstantakopoulos, this annual retreat is dedicated to fostering creative development, collaboration and intercultural dialogue among storytellers, with two distinct tracks: one for screenwriters and another for literary fiction writers.

The Screenwriters Programme is aimed at filmmakers developing their second feature and offers personalised workshops with highly experienced advisors, along with activities involving professionals from other disciplines to encourage new narrative perspectives. In 2026, it will once again be led by Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude, known for titles such as Don’t Expect Too Much from the End of the World and Dracula. Meanwhile, the Fiction Writers Programme will select ten emerging prose writers, who will engage in craft sessions and mentorship guided by Nigerian novelist Chigozie Obioma, author of The Road to the Country.

Part of the creative process will include unstructured time for writing amidst Messinia’s natural surroundings. Both tracks will be complemented by evening events such as screenings, readings and interdisciplinary encounters with special guests, which in previous years have included figures such as Maren Ade, Paul Thomas Anderson, Willem Dafoe, Barry Jenkins, Charlie Kaufman, Dee Rees and Jane Campion. Participation in the retreat is fully funded, with all expenses covered for the selected fellows, thanks to the support of Faliro House, Costa Navarino and the Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, among other partners. The programme’s name derives from the nearby Voidokilia Beach, mentioned in The Odyssey as the birthplace of hospitality. Beyond the annual retreat, Oxbelly operates year-round to strengthen Greece’s creative sector, with initiatives such as the Ambassadors programme aimed at boosting international film-financing pathways. Applications for the 2026 Oxbelly Retreat are now open, and the submission process is free of charge.