BFI NETWORK England Short Film Funding supports the production of fiction shorts in live action, animation and immersive/virtual reality from filmmaking teams based in the North of England.
The fund supports the production costs of standalone fiction shorts that showcase new perspectives and original storytelling from Northern filmmakers.
Applicants can apply for between £5,000 and £25,000. Projects must be no longer than 15 minutes in length and teams must consist of at least two people across the three creative roles of writer, producer and director (director-producers are not eligible). The fund is designed to stimulate original ideas and stories, so it does not accept adaptations of existing material.
Funding is supplemented by creative oversight from our BFI NETWORK Talent Executives. Our team works with filmmakers before and during production and can offer guidance on:
- Finding regional and national screening opportunities
- Ways to meet potential collaborators for your project
- Developing festival strategies
- Gaining wider industry exposure for your work.
Applications will open in February 2026.
In the meantime, you can read the current
funding guidelines on the BFI NETWORK website to ensure your project is a good fit for the fund. Please note that these are subject to change and new guidelines will be available when the fund reopens.
If you're looking for a producer for your short, read our resource
'Where Do I Find a Producer?' for advice on where you can find them and how best to approach. For the Short Film Fund you can work with producers across the UK so you don’t need to limit yourself to the North.
Further support
If you have access requirements and need some support applying for funding, you can request help through the
BFI Access Support Scheme. If your director is based outside of England, or your project is a documentary, visit the BFI NETWORK funding finder to find relevant opportunities.
Image (c) Courtney Sherives
