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Documentary Current Opportunities

From UK funding opportunities and calls for delegations, to international training labs and co-production markets, we bring you the latest opportunities and deadlines to be aware of.

San Sebastian - WIP Europa

WIP Europa is the work in progress of the San Sebastian Film Festival, whose goal is to support European film production with a view to the completion of films at the post-production stage.

Deadline to Apply
3 July 2024

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BFI International Connections Fund – Group Attendance at San Sebastian Film Festival 2024

The BFI has developed an opportunity for UK producers to take part in a group attendance to the San Sebastian Film Festival’s Industria programme in Spain in September 2024. The festival and its industry section is a major meeting point for the European and Latin American film industries, playing a strong role in connecting potential co-producers and partners from both regions. The event welcomes filmmaking talent from countries including Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil, and is therefore an excellent gateway for UK industry to meet their European and Latin American counterparts and to gain insight into co-production opportunities with the regions served by the event.

Deadline to Apply
3 July 2024

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Biennale College Cinema - International

Biennale College Cinema has reached the 13th edition: a strategic programme for training new filmmakers from all around the world, which was already operating in the Art, Architecture, Dance, Music, and Theatre departments of La Biennale di Venezia. Biennale College fosters new talents, allowing them to work in contact with masters in order to develop “creations”.

Deadline to Apply
4 July 2024

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Production Finance Market - Film London

An annual two-day financing event for independent film held during the BFI London Film Festival. The market connects filmmakers and financiers from across the globe through one-to-one meetings as a way to navigate potential business partners and investment. The main strand accommodates feature film projects from established producers, including animation, with budgets above €1m, while the New Talent strand specifically targets filmmakers on their first feature. Documentaries are also welcome to apply and films reflecting a range of diverse perspectives and stories are positively encouraged.

Deadline to Apply
8 July 2024

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Doha Film Institute Producers Lab

This intensive programme takes place online and focuses on the creative, artistic and strategic aspects of producing a feature-length documentary and fiction films. Through intensive training exercises, group tutorials, tailor-made one-on-one meetings and master classes led by noted industry experts, participants will gain deeper insight into various elements of film producing and come to truly understand the role of a producer.

Deadline to Apply
24 September 2024

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Short or Feature Film Festival / XR Showcase Travel Grant - British Council

The British Council offers grants to help Short and Feature filmmakers, and XR creatives, travel to international events where their work is being screened.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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P&A Support - UK Global Screen Fund

The UK Global Screen Fund's P&A Support strand provides funding towards certain eligible P&A costs for the release of a single UK film across a grouping of at least four international territories

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Lab / Co-production Forum Travel Grant - The British Council

The British Council offers grants to help filmmakers attend international Labs to develop their projects and careers, and producers to attend Co-Production Forums.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Film Sales Support, International Distribution Fund - UK Global Screen Fund

The UK Global Screen Fund's Film Sales Support strand supports UK sales agents to increase their international promotion and sales of UK feature film projects. Funding relates to the international sale, marketing and promotion of a single eligible UK film in the form of non-recoupable grants

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Audience Projects Fund - BFI National Lottery

The BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund supports ambitious, audience-facing independent UK and international film and broader screen activity of national scale. The fund will support film exhibitors, film distributors, and other organisations delivering audience development activity with multi-year and short-term projects as well as research and development.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Marketing Support for Shorts - Northern Ireland Screen

Northern Ireland Screen can provide support for new and emerging writers, directors and producers to attend one screening of their Northern Ireland Screen supported live action, animation, factual, or fiction short film at an international Oscar or BAFTA accredited film festival.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Festival Launch Support, International Distribution Fund - UK Global Screen Fund

The UK Global Screen Fund's Festival Launch Support strand supports the festival launch of UK films in order to enhance their promotion, reach and value internationally. With this fund, you can apply for funding relating to the international sale and promotion of a single eligible UK film at an eligible film festival

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Market and Festival Attendance Fund - Screen Scotland

This fund aims to support the continued development of a skilled and diverse screen workforce, fostering real professional opportunities and sustainable careers by supporting the professional and creative development of both emerging and established filmmaking talent, and promoting their work and Scottish filmmaking internationally.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Established Filmmaker Feature Film Development - Ffilm Cymru

Ffilm Cymru develops world-class live-action, documentary and animated feature films that tell universal stories from unique perspectives.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Film Development and Production Fund - Screen Scotland

The Film Development and Production Fund exists to offer development and production funding for feature length films and documentaries being made by filmmakers based in Scotland.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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RAD Fund - BFI Doc Society

The BFI Doc Society RAD (Research and Development) Fund provides support of up to a maximum of £5,000 to first or second time feature length documentary directors or director/producer teams with a single feature documentary film in early development; or up to £10,000 to producers with more than one feature documentary film in early development with first or second time feature length documentary directors attached.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Slate Development - Northern Ireland Screen

Slate development funding is available to companies for 2 or more projects, which can be feature film, television (all genres and including pilots) and interactive content. The fund specifically excludes development support for local television output.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Features Fund - BFI Doc Society

The BFI Doc Society Fund supports and nurtures independent non-fiction films and immersive projects by UK filmmakers: prioritising expansive, director-led storytelling. Our funding is intended to be transformative and representative of all UK society.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Production Funding - Northern Ireland Screen

Northern Ireland Screen offers production funding in the form of a recoupable loan with profit participation or in limited circumstances a grant. The fund is intended to assist in completing budgets on productions which are almost fully financed. Funding is available towards the production of feature films, television drama, animation, factual and entertainment television and interactive content.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Feature Film Production - Ffilm Cymru

Ffilm Cymru invests in live-action, documentary and animated feature films led by Wales born or based writers, directors and producers. The Production Fund combines National Lottery funds delegated via Arts Council of Wales (ACW) and Welsh Government funds delegated via Creative Wales.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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Project Development - Northern Ireland Screen

Project development funding is available to companies for feature film, television (all genres and including pilots) and interactive content. The fund specifically excludes development support for local television output.

Deadline to Apply
Open Call

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San Sebastian - Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum

The Co-production Forum at San Sebastian International Film Festival is open to Latin American and European projects at the development stage. European projects must have a direct link with Latin America: involvement of a Latin American producer, shooting locations, actors in the leading roles or subject in the script.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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International Business Development Fund - UK Global Screen Fund

The UK Global Screen Fund's International Business Development strand aims to support the development of UK screen content businesses focusing on revenue generation through export and international expansion. Eligible companies can apply for funding between £50,000 and £200,000 in total over the three-year funding period, with support in the form of non-repayable grants

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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Locarno Documentary Summer School

The DSS program offers a one-of-a-kind experience that includes five half days of engaging lectures and carefully selected films from the prestigious Semaine de la Critique and the Festival's International Competition. By participating in this program, you will have the opportunity to engage in a stimulating exchange between the academic and film communities, immersing yourself in a dynamic dialogue that spans a wide range of topics - from theoretical reflection to creative practice.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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Short Film Funding - BFI NETWORK

This fund is open to filmmaking teams with directors based in England. It supports the production costs of standalone fiction films. These can be live action, animation or immersive/VR and must be no more than 15 minutes long. The fund is intended to stimulate new ideas and stories, so it does not support adaptations of existing material, apart from of the writer’s own previous work.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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Galway Film Fleadh Marketplace

The Marketplace takes place during the Galway Film Fleadh, and co-ordinates pre-scheduled meetings between a pre-selected group of producers with feature films, documentary and animation projects in development (and/or completed films) and invited film financiers, distributors, sales agents, broadcasters, film funds and major producers.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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Made of Truth Shorts Fund - BFI Doc Society

Made of Truth is part of BFI NETWORK and uses National Lottery funds to support all forms of short form non-fiction, including personal stories, hybrid work, artist films, essays, observational and social issue projects. The fund also considers VR and immersive projects which are firmly rooted in non-fiction.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

More info

MIT Open Documentary Lab

The MIT Open Documentary Lab’s Fellows Program hosts a limited number of distinguished artists, creative technologists, and scholars in residence or virtually who want to engage deeply with new documentary storytelling techniques and technologies in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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Marché du Film ImpACT Lab

The ImpACT Lab is designed to foster international co-production opportunities and guide producers to create more meaningful, sustainable and impactful films.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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EAVE Producers Workshop

EAVE is aimed at producers (fiction, documentary and TV series), who are already working in the film and television industries who wish to expand their operation internationally by increasing their knowledge of producing and co-producing in Europe and by building up a pan European professional network. Applications are also welcome from associated branches of the industry – e.g. commissioning, funding, legal and finance, festivals & markets, media administration.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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UnionDocs Summer Lab

The primary goal of both Summer Documentary Labs is to support the development of your project. We provide a framework of instruction, workshops, assignments, and deadlines; all designed to push your work forward. Group critiques with peers and one-on-one sessions with the lead instructor and mentors challenge you to clarify your interests and perspective.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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International Co-production Fund - UK Global Screen Fund

The UK Global Screen Fund's International Co-production strand supports UK producers to work on international television (documentary and animation only) and feature film co-productions. All projects should have strong export potential and international audience reach, and should be able to demonstrate the potential to generate revenues for the UK producer.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

More info

Ji-hlava Emerging Producers

Emerging Producers is an industry flagship project of the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival and the only one of its kind designed for documentary film producers in Europe. Every year we select 18 talented producers (17 European and one representing a guest country), which we provide with educational, networking and promotional support.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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IDFA Forum

IDFA Forum is one of the most influential meeting places for filmmakers, creators, producers, and industry representatives working on ground-breaking creative feature documentaries and new media projects. Created 30 years ago to bring together creative documentary makers with potential financial and sales collaborators, the IDFA Forum has grown into a world-leading space to explore coproduction, co-financing and distribution strategies.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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Rotterdam Lab

Rotterdam Lab is an annual training workshop for international film producers. Taking place during IFFR, the Lab hosts more than 70 producers nominated by partners from across the world. The aim is to offer emerging professionals the means to build and develop their network, providing confidence and skills to navigate the world of international film financing, sales and distribution.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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Dok Leipzig Co-production Market

The DOK Co-Pro Market features 35 international documentary and animated documentary projects in development and matches project holders with new partners for co-production, financing and distribution. Over two days, DOK Industry organizes 850+ curated one-on-one meetings and plenty of informal networking opportunities in a friendly and welcoming setting.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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IDFAcademy

Taking place every November during IDFA, IDFAcademy gives emerging international filmmakers the opportunity to meet a broad spectrum of highly esteemed documentary professionals willing to share their knowledge of the industry.

Deadline to Apply
Call Closed

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