The First Flights Short Film Fund supports emerging filmmakers worldwide in bringing original short films to life and testing creative ideas that could develop into future feature films.
The fund welcomes live-action, animation and documentary projects across all genres, offering non-recoupable grants towards production costs.
Projects can be submitted as standalone short films or as proof of concept for a future feature, giving filmmakers the opportunity to develop their storytelling and bring their ideas to the screen.
Funding
Selected projects can receive grants of up to US$10,000Â towards production.
Applicants may request partial funding for a larger budget or full financing if the total project budget falls within the fund's maximum limit.
All grants are non-recoupable. Projects must be scheduled to enter production within six months of the application deadline.
Eligibility
The fund is open to emerging filmmakers from anywhere in the world. Applications may be submitted by a project's writer, director or producer.
Eligible projects must:
Be live-action, animated or documentary short films of any genre.
Have a planned running time of under 30 minutes.
Be submitted in English.
Be original projects with a completed script of no more than 30 pages.
Application requirements
Applications must include project details, a logline of up to 30 words, a 250-word synopsis, a director's vision statement, a completed script, the director's biography, a project budget and a lookbook. A sizzle reel may also be submitted optionally.
Applications are assessed on originality, creativity, plot, pacing and structure, character development, entertainment value and effectiveness of the film's message.
Application information
Deadline:Â 31 October 2026
For more information and to apply, click here.
Your funding experts
InterArts Funding offers its expertise to assist you in applying for grant opportunities (including this one), leveraging our extensive experience to enhance your chances of securing the grant. It is important to clarify that InterArts Funding is an independent entity and is not affiliated with any specific funding organisation. While we have a commendable track record of success, we cannot guarantee the approval of your application. Grant outcomes depend on various factors beyond our control.