Currently 39 active paid film and video grants, fellowships and residencies. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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The Netherlands Film Production Incentive is the Film Fund's automatic cash rebate for feature films, animated films and documentaries, returning up to 35 percent of qualifying Dutch production costs. It is designed to keep production spend in the Netherlands and is assessed on a points system rather than artistic panel review. WHO CAN APPLY: only Dutch producers representing independent production companies. The company must be legally registered in the Netherlands (including Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) for at least two years, operate continuously in film or audiovisual production, and be represented by a producer who has produced at least one majority film with a budget of EUR 500,000 or more that had a Dutch cinema release. PROJECT THRESHOLDS: feature films and animated films need a minimum production budget of EUR 1 million and at least EUR 150,000 in qualifying costs; documentaries need a minimum budget of EUR 250,000 and at least EUR 100,000 in qualifying costs. FURTHER CONDITIONS: a guaranteed Dutch cinema release with a minimum 12-week window, at least 50 percent of the budget unconditionally promised in writing by third parties, at least two unaffiliated financiers, and a minimum score of 75 points on the automatic assessment system. Deadline 26 October 2026 at 17:00 CET.
The High-End Series strand of the Netherlands Film Production Incentive extends the Film Fund's 35 percent cash rebate to high-end drama, documentary and animated television series, returning up to 35 percent of qualifying Dutch production costs. WHO CAN APPLY: independent production companies based for at least two years in the Netherlands, an EU member state, the EEA or Switzerland, producing audiovisual content on a continuing basis, and represented by a producer who has produced either a majority film with a minimum budget of EUR 500,000 and a Dutch cinema release, or a majority television series in the same category. Note that despite the broader basing rule, only applicants from the Netherlands, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba may actually apply. PROJECT THRESHOLDS: minimum production budget per broadcast minute varies by category, at EUR 4,000 for documentary and EUR 8,000 to EUR 12,000 for drama and animation. FURTHER CONDITIONS: at least 50 percent of the production budget secured in writing from third parties, a guaranteed television or VOD broadcast in the Netherlands (or in two or more countries for co-productions), and a minimum score of 75 points on the automatic assessment system. Deadline 26 October 2026 at 17:00 CET.
Scotland's leading short film festival marks its 20th edition in March 2027. International entries compete for the Bill Douglas Award for International Short Film; films must be completed after 30 September 2025 and run 40 minutes or less. Deadlines: earlybird 4 August 2026 (GBP 10), regular 22 September 2026 (GBP 14), late 27 October 2026 (GBP 18).
AFTER THE PALACE: Resonance 2026 is an international video mapping competition and outdoor showcase that asks digital media artists to creatively reinterpret the dissonant heritage of socialist-era architecture in the context of the history, cultural identity and memory of Krakow's Nowa Huta. Artists, animators, motion designers, creative teams and studios worldwide are invited to create original site-specific projections for the courtyard facade of Building Z of the New Administrative Centre, formerly part of the Lenin Steelworks. Organised by the University of the National Education Commission in Krakow as part of the international artistic and research project unLoc. TECHNICAL: 2D/3D video mapping with sound, 1 to 8 minutes, MP4 (H.264/AAC) in 4K at 25 fps, minimum 40 Mbps, audio 48 kHz/16-bit, built on the dedicated building mapping matrix from the document package. Generative AI tools are permitted provided their use is fully disclosed in the application form and the applicant holds rights to the source materials. TIMELINE: submission deadline 30 October 2026, 23:59 CET; results by 10 November; outdoor showcase and award ceremony 23 November 2026 in the courtyard at 1 Ujastek St, Krakow. TO APPLY: submit the online application form with a download link to the work; the full regulations and mapping matrix are at unloc.art. Contact unloc@uken.krakow.pl.
First Flights funds emerging filmmakers worldwide making live action and documentary shorts in any scripted genre (scripts up to 30 pages). The autumn 2026 round awards up to GBP 7,000 / USD 10,000 in cash toward production costs, plus two Kodak awards of five 400ft rolls of 16mm film stock with complete processing, and one USD 10,000 post-production package from Periscope. Selected filmmakers also receive festival submission assistance and distribution opportunities through partner organizations. APPLY with project details, logline, synopsis, director's vision statement, completed script, director biography, budget and lookbook (sizzle reel optional); independent judges score originality, creativity, plot, pacing, characters, entertainment and message, with interviews for long-listed candidates. Production must begin within six months of the deadline. ENTRY FEE: tiered, GBP 30 until 30 September or GBP 40 until the final 31 October 2026 deadline.
Movies that Matter, the human rights film festival in The Hague (19-27 March 2027), is open for 2027 submissions. The festival screens poignant fiction films and revealing documentaries that stir debates about human rights, sustainability and the fight against injustice, and feeds several competitions: the Grand Jury Documentary Competition (eight documentaries, EUR 5,000, winner eligible for Academy Award consideration for Best Documentary Feature), Grand Jury Fiction (EUR 5,000), Shorts (EUR 1,500), plus Activist Lens, Justice Frame, Dutch Focus, an Education Award and an Audience Award. ELIGIBILITY: films of any length, completed or world-premiering in 2026 or 2027, addressing human rights and/or social or environmental issues; English commentary/dialogue or English subtitles required; the film must not have been released in Dutch cinemas, broadcast on Dutch television, made freely available online, or submitted to the festival before. A world premiere is not required but may be taken into account in selection. FEES: EUR 25 normal fee until 30 September 2026, EUR 35 late fee from 1 October; final deadline 1 November 2026. Selection is announced at the end of February 2027. Submit via the festival's own submission database at database.moviesthatmatter.nl. Note the festival also runs a separate Take on Film & Impact industry programme (deadline 11 October 2026) for feature documentaries in late/post-production, but it carries no cash and participants fund their own travel, so it is not listed on the desk.
The European Media Art Platform (EMAP/EMARE) is a network of leading European media-art organisations offering fully funded two-month production residencies for artists working with digital media, including media art, bio art and robotic art. Each residency provides a EUR 4,000 grant to the applying artist (including subsistence), a EUR 4,000 project budget, host-provided accommodation, travel covered according to EU ceilings, and access to technical facilities and media labs; a collaborating artist receives an additional EUR 2,000 (EUR 6,000 total for a duo). Residencies take place at one of 15 host institutions across Austria, France, Slovakia, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia, Germany and Poland. ELIGIBILITY: applicants must be EU residents or taxpayers in an EU member state, or residents/taxpayers of one of the eligible non-EU countries (Netherlands-based artists qualify). Undergraduate and Master's students are not eligible; PhD candidates and emerging artists of any age and academic background may apply. IMPORTANT: applicants must apply as a duo or collective, or propose a collaborative project, rather than as a purely solo applicant. The 2027 open call runs from 3 September 2026 to 6 November 2026 at 14:00 CET. Apply online at call.emare.eu. No application fee.
The Oregon Media Arts Fellowship, run by the Portland Art Museum's Center for an Untold Tomorrow with the Oregon Arts Commission, gives Oregon media artists money to create or complete new work. Eligible work is artist-driven moving image, sound, digital or time-based media: narrative, documentary and experimental film, animation, video art, artist-made television, audio and podcasts, immersive and interactive media, web-based and digital work, AR, VR and mixed reality, and emerging forms. Review criteria include sustained professional achievement and potential future contribution to the field. ELIGIBILITY: artists aged 18 or over who have lived in Oregon for at least one year as their fixed, permanent principal home, not enrolled in a creative degree programme, and who have not received a Media Arts Fellowship or any Oregon Arts Commission fellowship in the previous five years; one application per year, joint applications split a single award. DEADLINE: 15 November 2026 (no time stated; late applications are not guaranteed processing).
Small project grants for socially engaged art; the 2027 cycle covers film/video and theater projects, a fit for experimental film and video work with a social edge. Two-step process: mail in an application request form first, then submit the full proposal via the portal. ELIGIBILITY: US residents with a Social Security number, or US-based nonprofits and fiscally sponsored projects. TIMELINE: request forms accepted 14 September through 20 November 2026 (postmark by 25 November); completed proposals due 16 December 2026, 5pm EST.
Sadler's Wells Digital Stage commissions three new Dance on Screen films of up to four minutes on the theme The Future Remembers, asking artists to consider legacy, responsibility and the futures we are creating together. WHO: filmmakers and dance artists of any style working across dance and moving image, aged 18 or over, applying as individuals, groups or companies; international applicants are welcome and filming can happen anywhere. WHAT YOU GET: a flat GBP 6,000 per commission regardless of team size, which must cover equipment and any external filmmaker or producer; a Sadler's Wells producer helps shape the idea and source collaborators, and the in-house filmmaker may support editing. Finished films premiere at the Dance Digital Film Festival in November 2027. APPLICATION: online form describing your practice and the idea; shortlisted artists are interviewed in early December 2026. Contact digitalstage@sadlerswells.com. DEADLINE: midnight, 22 November 2026.
A development lab for XR and new media projects at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival's industry section AGORA, for emerging storytellers working across film, digital media, new technologies and performing arts. Lead mentor: Vassiliki Khonsari (co-founder, iNK Stories). Up to five projects are selected. FORMAT: online preparation and project-enhancement workshop in mid-January 2027, then the lab in Thessaloniki on 6-11 March 2027 with industry meetings scheduled from professionals' requests and the AGORA team, plus online meetings on 12 March. ELIGIBILITY: teams of at least two creative members (creator-creator or creator-producer), any development stage; one lead can submit up to two projects; previously rejected projects only with substantial changes. Both core members must attend the January workshop and at least one must attend the full lab. Completed projects must credit the lab. APPLICATION: English online form (not editable after submission) plus one English PDF with logline, synopsis (max 2 pages), format and audience thoughts, team bios, financing plan if available, visual material and past work. Notification early January 2027. DEADLINE: 25 November 2026. Contact: Rafaela Karagianni.
The 17th Open City Documentary Festival takes place at venues across London in April 2027, presenting international contemporary and retrospective non-fiction film, audio and cross-media work alongside filmmaker Q&As, panels, talks and workshops. The festival nurtures experimentation within the expanded field of non-fiction cinema, from artists' moving image to documentary, the essay film, audio and cross-media works; recent artists screened include Sky Hopinka, Onyeka Igwe, Luke Fowler, Ana Vaz, Jessica Sarah Rinland and Morgan Quaintance. ELIGIBILITY: non-fiction film and video, cross-platform projects and audio works completed after 1 January 2026; no strict premiere requirement, but works not yet publicly screened in London are prioritized. All selected filmmakers receive screening fees: GBP 275 for works over 60 minutes, GBP 140 for works over 40 minutes, GBP 70 for works under 40 minutes, GBP 100 for cross-platform projects (all incl. VAT). Submissions via FilmFreeway with tiered entry fees (lower before the early deadline). EARLY DEADLINE: 25 September 2026. FINAL DEADLINE: 27 November 2026; all entrants notified by 22 February 2027.
The 30th Roze Filmdagen, Amsterdam's LGBTQ+ film festival, is accepting short films, feature films, documentaries and animations with a clear connection to LGBTQ+ themes and sexual, gender and cultural diversity, for its edition of 10-21 March 2027. AWARDS: Jury and Audience Awards with cash prizes in three categories (best feature, best documentary, best short) and the Hivos-initiated Free to be Me Award, also with a cash prize; the festival nominates for the Iris Prize in Cardiff. Submit via FilmFreeway. DEADLINE: 1 December 2026.
The MEDIA Slate Development call (CREA-MEDIA-2027-DEVSLATE) funds established European independent production companies to develop a slate of audiovisual works with cross-border potential: fiction, animation, creative documentary and immersive projects. WHO: a single applicant only, an independent European production company with a recent international track record; a company can coordinate only one of Slate Development, Co-Development, mini-slate or Video Games and Immersive Content Development in the same year. WHAT YOU GET: a slate grant of EUR 90,000 to EUR 510,000, built from fixed lump sums per project type, from a total budget of EUR 22,374,320. APPLICATION: via the EU Funding and Tenders portal. DEADLINE: 1 December 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels).
BFI Flare, the UK's longest-running LGBTQIA+ film festival, is open for submissions to its 40th edition at BFI Southbank in March 2027. CATEGORIES (new length bands this year): short films of 35 minutes or less, mid-length films of 36 to 60 minutes and feature-length films over 61 minutes, each open to UK and international work. Check eligibility against the 2027 guidelines and regulations PDF on the BFI page, then submit through the online form. DEADLINE: online forms and screeners by 4 December 2026, 17:00 GMT.
Annual screenwriting fellowship from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) administered through The Black List, awarding $20,000 each to three writers to revise a feature screenplay or pilot that engages with climate change in a compelling way. Submission and selection happen on The Black List platform; applicants should review program eligibility and any associated hosting/submission fees on blcklst.com before applying. Strong fit for narrative writers using fiction to dramatise climate, ecology, energy, or environmental-justice themes (rather than documentary). 2027 CYCLE: submissions are open until 4 December 2026 and are capped at a maximum of 500, so early entry is advised. All accepted submissions receive a free script evaluation and one free month of script hosting on the platform. Fellows also receive consultation with NRDC's Rewrite the Future team, which works to transform the onscreen portrayal of climate change beyond dystopia and apocalypse toward solutions, plus six months of mentorship from an established screenwriter; past mentors include Lucia Aniello, Dustin Lance Black, Roxane Gay, Nick Kroll and Daniel Scheinert.
The Palestine Film Fund, set up by the Palestine Film Institute in 2025 so that Palestinians can tell their own stories, gives financial and professional support to Palestinian filmmakers worldwide in two rounds a year. This is the autumn round. WHAT IS FUNDED: short films up to 30 minutes at development, production or post-production stage, and medium or feature-length films at development or post-production stage only; fiction, documentary, animation, hybrid, experimental and essay forms are eligible, series are not. WHO: the director must be Palestinian, living in Palestine or the diaspora, with a recognised link to Palestine, and aged 18 or over; a non-Palestinian producer may apply if the director is Palestinian. Feature and medium-length applicants need at least one previously directed short. Only producers (or director-producers) may apply for post-production. One project per director per cycle, and not while holding an active PFF grant. WHAT YOU GET: up to EUR 3,000 (short, development), EUR 7,000 (short, production or post), EUR 5,000 (feature, development) or EUR 15,000 (feature, post-production). APPLICATION: online form in English or Arabic; questions to fund@palestinefilminstitute.org. DEADLINE: 4 December (the fund page gives no year; read as 2026 from the round schedule; past rounds closed at 23:59 Palestine time).
Go Short, the international short film festival in Nijmegen, is open for entries for its 19th edition (6 to 11 April 2027). A small, approachable Dutch festival that programmes fiction, documentary, animation and experimental shorts. COMPETITIONS: the European Competition (fiction, documentary, animation, experimental), the Dutch Competition, and the New Arrivals Competition for European film school projects, plus a Music Video Competition and a separate strand for video games, VR/XR, performances and installations, which makes it a natural target for expanded-media and installation-based video work. DEADLINES AND FEES: early bird 15 September 2026 (EUR 12.50 per film; EUR 8 per installation/VR/game project), regular 15 November (EUR 15 / EUR 10), late 15 December 2026 (EUR 20 / EUR 12); music videos EUR 7.50 flat. Awards include Best European Short, Best Dutch Short, the New Arrivals Award and an Audience Award. Read the festival regulations for length and completion date requirements before submitting.
The European Media Art Festival (EMAF) in Osnabrueck invites submissions for its 2027 edition in three sections: Film (experimental films of all lengths and any theme), Installation (installative, interactive, spatial or sculptural media art works) and Expanded (performances, live events or workshops). WHAT YOU GET: all films selected for the International Selection are equal winners of the EMAF Award with EUR 400 prize money each; films in the Features section (over 60 minutes) receive a EUR 250 screening fee; curated programmes pay EUR 80-250 depending on length; installations and expanded projects receive a EUR 500 fee with production costs paid by the festival. Selected artists are invited to the festival with free accreditation, three hotel nights (potentially longer if setting up is required) and a contribution to travel costs. RULES: maximum 2 works per artist; only works completed in 2026 or 2027 are eligible; no premiere status required; works entered at previous editions will not be reconsidered. Films up to 60 minutes are viewed for the International Selection, films over 60 minutes for Features. Installation entries should relate to the 2027 festival theme of the archive (as an instrument of knowledge production, a site of critical intervention and a space for alternative visions of the future); Installation and Expanded entries must include a comprehensive description, tech rider, cost calculation and visual materials. Non-English-language works must have English subtitles for the selection screening. Submit digitally via the EMAF registration portal (no DVDs or physical media). Selection decisions are emailed from mid-March 2027. DEADLINE: the call closes as soon as 2,200 entries have been received, or at the latest on 15 December 2026, so submit early. No entry fee.
One of the best-known international artist residencies: established artists live and work in Berlin for a year (six months for film) and become part of the city's cultural scene. Applications are open in literature, music and sound, and film; visual arts fellows are nominated by a jury and cannot apply. ELIGIBILITY: established artists with their own voice and standing, no upper age limit; students and recent graduates are not eligible (doctoral students are). German nationals and artists residing primarily in Germany are excluded, with narrow exceptions for German dual nationals abroad and recent arrivals. Alumni cannot reapply. Window opened 19 October 2026; deadline 15 December 2026, 23:59 CET.
NewImages Festival, the Paris festival for XR and immersive creation, opens three competitions for its 2027 edition. XR COMPETITION: works completed in 2026 or 2027 in VR, AR, mixed reality, narrative video games and hybrid performances; Grand Prize EUR 6,000, Impact Award EUR 3,000; fee EUR 75 Early Bird / EUR 100 Last Call (individual talents EUR 45 / EUR 60). FULLDOME COMPETITION: native fulldome (360-degree projection) works completed after 2023; Dome Award EUR 3,000; same fees as the XR Competition. VIRTUAL WORLDS COMPETITION: social VR platforms, independent worlds, multiplayer art spaces and interactive installations in virtual environments; Virtual Worlds Award EUR 3,000; free to enter. No premiere status required for any competition. Selected works receive festival presentation, two accreditations and industry visibility. Separate Industry Days calls (XR Development Market with a EUR 1,000 Best Project Award, Immersive Art Fair, XR Partners, Industry Sessions) run on the same dates. DEADLINES: Early Bird 10 December 2026, Last Call 22 December 2026.
One-off film grant awarding a single filmmaker $4,500 to support an independent narrative project in 2026. Application is free to submit. Centerpiece of the application is a production book built on the IMGN platform: script breakdown, schedule, coverage, and pre-visualization for the project (tutorials are provided inside the application). Eligibility: US-based filmmakers in the 50 states plus DC, aged 18 and older. If the project is already completed before funds are disbursed, the grant is paid as a reimbursement upon submission of a final cut of the film. Winner announced and funds disbursed by end of January 2027.
The MEDIA strand's Innovative Tools and Business Models call (CREA-MEDIA-2027-INNOVBUSMOD) funds tools and business models that strengthen the competitiveness of the European audiovisual and video games industries. WHAT IT FUNDS: tools for subtitling, accessibility, discoverability and recommendation; automated rights management and data analytics; business models linking festivals, cinemas and VOD; new modes of production, financing or distribution using AI, big data, blockchain, virtual worlds or NFTs; and greening the audiovisual and video games industry. WHO: a single organisation or a consortium of two or more, established in a MEDIA country; individuals cannot apply. WHAT YOU GET: grants at an 80 percent funding rate from a total budget of EUR 14,000,000. APPLICATION: via the EU Funding and Tenders portal. DEADLINE: 14 January 2027, 17:00 CET (Brussels).
The 73rd International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (27 April to 2 May 2027), one of the oldest and most influential short film festivals, opens its call for films across five competitions: International (max 35 minutes, produced outside Germany, German festival premiere required), German (max 45 minutes, produced in Germany, no premiere requirement), NRW (max 45 minutes, produced or co-produced in North Rhine-Westphalia), International Children's and Youth Film, and the MuVi Award for music videos produced in Germany (max 15 minutes). ELIGIBILITY: works produced after 1 January 2026; screening formats 35mm, 16mm, Super 8 and DCP (MuVi: DCP). PRIZES: from the EUR 8,000 Grand Prize of the City of Oberhausen and EUR 4,000 Principal Prize through German, NRW, children's/youth, FIPRESCI, Ecumenical and audience prizes, awarded to the directors, plus European Film Awards and ECFA nominations. FEES: the first five submissions per submitter are free of charge; from the sixth, a EUR 20 handling fee per film applies. HOW TO SUBMIT: online entry form with preview link via kurzfilmtage.filmchief.com; selection results announced mid-March 2027. DEADLINE: 18 January 2027 for all competitions (17:00 UTC per the listing), except the MuVi Award: 22 February 2027. No extensions.
Screen Australia's Global Fellowships support Australian screen practitioners (producers, directors, writers and development executives) pursuing international professional development and career acceleration through placements with leading global screen organizations. SUPPORT: up to 10 fellows annually, each receiving a non-recoupable grant of AUD 80,000 for a single continuous placement of up to 6 months, or AUD 100,000 for multiple placements over up to 12 months, plus up to AUD 5,000 for carers' and/or accessibility costs. ELIGIBILITY: Australian citizens or permanent residents (sole traders) or incorporated Australian companies with an ABN; applicants must secure their own fellowship opportunity with host organizations and mentors (Screen Australia does not broker placements) and be eligible for required visas. ASSESSMENT: track record and professional achievement, quality of the fellowship opportunity, career impact, and anticipated benefit to Australia's screen sector, weighted equally. HOW TO APPLY: one application per deadline via Screen Australia's funding portal. Notification 2 April 2027. DEADLINE: 11 February 2027 at 5pm AEST.
The MEDIA Co-Development call (CREA-MEDIA-2027-CODEV) supports European independent production companies developing a work together: feature films, shorts, series, creative documentaries and narrative VR or immersive projects intended for cross-border audiences. WHO: consortia of at least two independent European production companies from two MEDIA countries; the coordinator needs a recent international production track record (since 2020). A company can coordinate only one of CODEV, Slate Development, mini-slate or Video Games and Immersive Content Development in the same year. WHAT YOU GET: a lump-sum grant at a 70 percent funding rate of up to EUR 120,000 for two partners plus EUR 60,000 per extra partner, or up to EUR 200,000 plus EUR 100,000 per extra partner for drama series budgeted at EUR 20 million or more; total budget EUR 12,500,000. APPLICATION: via the EU Funding and Tenders portal. DEADLINE: 2 March 2027, 17:00 CET (Brussels).
The New Media Film Festival in Los Angeles champions stories told with new technology and was among the first festivals to screen AI-generated content; it has a dedicated AR / MR / AI / TECH category. Open worldwide in all formats. Deadlines: 6 December 2026 (USD 80), 6 February 2027 (USD 85), final 6 April 2027 (USD 95).
First edition of a competitive film festival in Arboga, Sweden, run by production and distribution company Dorobantu Film & Television, dedicated to the concept of art for art's sake: original, innovative films whose main goal is creative contribution rather than commercial entertainment. AWARDS: Great Ars Award for Best Film (SEK 4,000 plus trophy); Best Feature Film and Best Short Film (SEK 2,000 plus diploma each); cash prizes split equally between director and producer and paid within six months after the festival. Official diplomas for Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Debut Film and a Special Award for Outstanding Creation across both sections. DISTRIBUTION: every submitted film, not only selections, is considered for potential film sale or distribution agreement proposals. SCREENING: selected films get one public screening at the festival plus secure jury and press screenings. FORMATS: shorts (1 to 59 min) and features (60 min and up); fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and hybrid; any production year and premiere status; TV series, educational and advertising films excluded. FEES: USD 5 to 17 for shorts and USD 6 to 18 for features depending on deadline tier. FINAL DEADLINE: 19 April 2027; results by 19 May 2027.
The Creative Innovation Lab (call CREA-CROSS-2027-INNOVLAB) funds innovative tools, models and solutions applicable across the audiovisual and other cultural and creative sectors. Every project must involve the audiovisual sector (video games included) plus at least one of music, books or museums. The 2027 call is explicitly aligned with the EU Apply AI Strategy, including AI for content discoverability, and covers virtual worlds, AI-, data- and blockchain-based business tools (rights management, monetisation, data analytics) and greener practices. WHO: a single organisation or a consortium of two or more, established in a Creative Europe country; individuals cannot apply. WHAT YOU GET: an actual-cost grant at an 80 percent funding rate from a total budget of EUR 7,183,502, with financial support to third parties of up to EUR 60,000 each allowed. APPLICATION: via the EU Funding and Tenders portal. DEADLINE: 22 April 2027, 17:00 CET (Brussels).
The British Council's standing Travel Grant Fund helps early to mid-career UK filmmakers and XR creatives represent their work abroad, build networks, reach new audiences and raise the international profile of new and emerging UK film and immersive talent. Supported by BFI National Lottery funding in partnership with BFI NETWORK and the BFI International Fund. WHAT IT FUNDS: travel to attend international film festivals, showcases, training and development labs, and co-production forums, across five strands: short film festival grants, feature film festival grants, interactive/XR grants (including VR, immersive storytelling experiences and installations), lab grants and co-production forum grants. AMOUNTS: short and feature festival grants GBP 150 to 1,500 (typically up to GBP 750); XR travel-only grants GBP 150 to 1,500; large XR grants GBP 1,500 to 5,000; lab grants up to GBP 6,000; co-production forum grants up to GBP 2,000. WHO CAN APPLY: UK residents or citizens aged 18+; applicants can be directors, producers or writers attached to the selected project. KEY CONDITIONS: the festival, lab or forum must appear on the British Council's Key Lists of eligible events, and the project must be registered on the British Council's UK Project Database. DEADLINE: rolling, no fixed deadlines; submit at least two weeks before the event starts (retrospective applications for past events are not accepted). Free to apply.
Impact is the higher-budget production strand of the BFI Filmmaking Fund and carries the largest award available in the current BFI portfolio at up to GBP 1.25 million. It sits above the Discovery strand in scale, serving experienced directors with production budgets from GBP 1 million to GBP 15 million, and debut directors whose budgets exceed GBP 3.5 million. UNLIKE DISCOVERY, Impact accepts applications on a continuous rolling basis with no round structure and no published closing date, though applicants must submit at least 20 weeks before principal photography begins. SELECTION is explicitly criteria-driven: projects must address at least three of the BFI's stated aims, covering equity and inclusion, audience or cultural impact, talent development, creative risk, production activity across the UK nations and regions, and environmental sustainability. ELIGIBILITY: applications must come from a limited company registered and centrally managed in the UK, so individuals cannot apply. A dedicated producer is always required, though unlike Discovery the writer and director may be the same person. Directing credits must be evidenced. No explicit nationality or residency test for the director or writer is published. NOTE: the BFI cautions that maximum-level awards are rare, so realistic requests will typically fall well below the GBP 1.25 million ceiling.
Development Funding is the earliest-stage strand of the BFI Filmmaking Fund, supporting original live action and animated feature films through script and package development to the point where they are viable candidates for production finance. It is aimed at distinctive fiction projects from what the BFI calls 'adventurous storytellers', across a wide range of genres rather than a single house style. UNLIKE DISCOVERY, it does not operate in rounds: applications are accepted year-round, with the only fixed interruption being an annual closure through the month of April, plus occasional short pauses during periods of high demand or holidays. ELIGIBILITY: the application must be made by a producer through a limited company registered at Companies House, so unincorporated individuals are ineligible. Nationality and residency requirements are not published on the fund page. NOTE: award amounts are not published, so the ceiling should be treated as unknown rather than assumed. Successful applicants are required to publicly acknowledge National Lottery support in project credits and materials.
The Audience Projects Fund distributes GBP 19.7 million of National Lottery money over three years to widen UK audiences for film and immersive work, covering exhibition, distribution, festivals, touring programmes and sector-support initiatives. It reopened in November 2025 and runs continuously with no closing date, which makes it one of the more accessible large BFI pots for organisations working on the audience-facing rather than production side. AWARDS are tiered: small pilot projects receive GBP 10,000 to GBP 20,000, while full projects can receive GBP 20,000 to GBP 500,000 per year, with immersive projects permitted to include up to GBP 150,000 of production cost inside that envelope. ELIGIBILITY is strictly institutional. Applicants must be legally constituted organisations centrally managed in the UK and not more than 50% foreign-owned. Eligible types include limited companies (not classed as 'large' under the Companies Act 2006), community interest companies, LLPs, UK local or statutory authorities, and registered UK charities or trusts. Individual practitioners cannot apply. Applicants must evidence experience in marketing, festivals, distribution, immersive installations, cultural programming, touring or sector support. TIMING: there are no deadlines but lead times are enforced. Single-film distribution projects must apply at least 10 weeks before release; all other projects at least 16 weeks before the project starts.
The rare BFI stream that individuals can apply to directly. Individual Skills funding supports training and professional development for people working, or intending to work, in the UK screen heritage sector, the field concerned with preserving, digitising and widening public access to screen archive collections. ELIGIBILITY: applicants must be 18 or over, working or intending to work in the UK screen heritage sector, hold a UK bank account, and be eligible to work in the UK. TIMING: applications are rolling with no deadline, but must be submitted at least eight weeks before the training starts. All funded activity must be completed by 31 March 2029, the end of the current National Lottery funding plan period. CONTEXT: the wider Screen Heritage Fund has three strands. Project funding, open to legally constituted not-for-profit organisations operating a screen archive or collection network, runs year-round with a 16-week lead time and prioritises collections that better reflect the diversity of the UK. Resilience funding for the 2026-29 cycle closed on 31 March 2026 and is not currently accepting applications. NOTE: award ranges are not published on the fund overview page.
Field of Vision is a filmmaker-driven documentary unit that creates and commissions original short-form and feature nonfiction visual journalism. It funds and commissions filmmakers, often as assignments, and supports projects in development and production (it does not acquire finished films). SUPPORT: commissioning fees and production funding; specific amounts are not published publicly. ELIGIBILITY: filmmakers of all experience levels, within and outside the United States. APPLICATIONS are accepted on a rolling basis, with no fixed funding cycles or deadlines. Submit via the Field of Vision submissions page.
The Basel House of Film, run by the Verein Filmhaus Basel und Umgebung, offers a three month residency for emerging artists working in film and television. Residents receive housing at the Filmhaus in the Basel old town plus a stipend to cover travel and living costs. There is no obligation to produce work, and residents can use the open schedule to write a script, prepare a film, draw storyboards, or edit. The facility includes a clubhouse, meeting room, office space, a small cinema with VR equipment, and an editing and grading suite. The program targets up and coming filmmakers, and both national and international applicants are welcome. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through the online form, followed by a CV, motivation letter, and portfolio sent to the residency email.
Pulitzer Center reporting grants supporting in-depth international journalism on under-reported global issues. Open to reporters, photographers, audio and video journalists, and documentary filmmakers worldwide. Grants cover the hard costs of reporting projects. ELIGIBILITY: professional journalists and visual storytellers anywhere in the world; both freelance and staff. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis via the Pulitzer Center grant portal.
The BFI Doc Society Features Production Fund (delivered via BFI with Doc Society as delegate partner) supports UK filmmakers producing non-fiction feature films intended for theatrical release. Two strands: Directions (first- or second-time directors) and Momentum (established talent). AMOUNT: up to £150,000 non-recoupable grant (the total Doc Society contribution per project cannot exceed £150,000). ELIGIBILITY: UK-based filmmakers, both emerging and established directors; experienced and debut producers eligible; projects must meet at least three of six stated priorities: equity/diversity, audience impact, talent development, creative risk, UK-wide access, and environmental sustainability. PROCESS: two-stage — submit an Expression of Interest, then a Full Application if invited. Rolling intake year-round. Opened May 2026. APPLY via BFI Doc Society website. Contact: hellobfi@docsociety.org.
Screen Australia supports Australian producers attending competitive overseas pitching forums to secure financing and partnerships, and above-the-line creatives invited to premium international talent labs for professional development and networking. SUPPORT: up to AUD 6,000 (or AUD 12,000 for teams) for events of up to 14 days; up to AUD 10,000 for talent labs or fellowships over 14 days and under 12 months; up to AUD 20,000 for programs over 12 months; one grant per 12-month period except in exceptional cases. ELIGIBILITY: individuals must be Australian citizens or permanent residents with an ABN; companies must be incorporated and conducting business in Australia with central management and control there, hold an ABN, and be GST-registered if required; applicants need an invitation to a qualifying event (the guidelines list eligible opportunities). HOW TO APPLY: rolling, via the SmartyGrants application portal, at least three weeks before the event start date (six weeks recommended); applications cannot be retroactive. Decisions take approximately three weeks.