The BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund
The new BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund has £54 million to support UK films and talent over three years, guided by fund priorities of equity, diversity and inclusion; cultural and audience impact; talent progression; creative risk taking; UK-wide reach and sustainability.
£36.6 million is available for development and production funding for fiction feature films across four funding strands:
Discovery
For debuts with a budget level of up to £3.5m. Assessment of applications will focus strongly on the talent involved and their progression, as well as on the strength of the project itself.
The Fund is currently closed, with next funding round opening in summer 2023.
Impact
For more experienced filmmakers – second-time directors and beyond – working at any budget level, as well as directorial debuts budgeted over £3.5m. Funding awards will recognise the potential that projects have for impact at scale – culturally, socially, and commercially – as well as potential impact on the filmmaker’s careers.
This rolling fund is currently open.
Development
Flexible and broad fund in terms of the costs it will cover at all stages of development, it aims to support around 60-70 projects per year.
This rolling fund is currently open.
Creative Challenge Fund
Opening later in 2023, this will award funding to successful production companies and screen organisations to create time-specific labs and development programmes. These will aim to support a range of projects, helping filmmakers move their work forward in dynamic ways beyond script-based work.
Production funds accept applications for international co-productions, provided they meet the eligibility criteria and the fund priorities. However, minority co-productions should consider applying to the UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF).
Visit bfi.org.uk/filmmaking-fund and read the guidelines before making an application.
A further £17.4 million over three years will support documentary, shorts, talent development and immersive. Funding currently available for feature and short documentary via the BFI Doc Society Fund, and short film and talent development support via BFI NETWORK. Further funds will be announced later in 2023.
Please note that Filmmaking Fund Executives are unable to take meetings on projects that have not been received via the official application procedures.
For information regarding the kind of support the BFI Film Fund offers please go to the following websites:
Feature Films: bfi.org.uk/filmmaking-fund
For Documentaries: www.docsociety.org/bfi-doc
Image: Aftersun dir Charlotte Wells