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.
Events
We’re holding a series of free events to help Northern filmmakers with their Short Film Fund applications.
Online Filmmaker Roundtables
Online Filmmaker Roundtables give writers, directors, and producers the opportunity to connect with Film Hub North's filmmaker development team over Zoom.
We're hosting two roundtables focusing on the Fund: we'll explain what the fund is and how it works, giving insights on how decisions are made, what we look for in projects, and how you can stand out from other applicants.
Monday 16 February, 12:00 - 13:00
Sign up
Wednesday 4 March, 12:00 - 13:00
Sign up
BFI NETWORK Filmmaker Mixers
BFI NETWORK Filmmaker Mixers are informal monthly meet-ups for filmmakers across the North of England. These events bring local creatives together and offer opportunities to grow your network, find new collaborators, and connect with the filmmaking community. There’s no set agenda – come along, introduce yourself to someone new, and start a conversation.
Attendance is free, but you’ll need to sign up in advance.
York, City Screen Picturehouse
Wednesday 18 February 2026, 18:00 - 20:00
Sign up
Liverpool, Picturehouse At FACT
Wednesday 18 February 2026, 17:00 - 18:30
Sign up
Manchester, HOME
Wednesday 25 February 2026, 18:00 - 20:00
Sign up
One-to-ones
We’re offering one-to-ones with our BFI NETWORK Talent Executives to help navigate the application process, understand the available support and ask any questions you might have about the BFI NETWORK Short Film Fund.
One to Ones are 30 minutes each and available in the following slots:
Wednesday 18 February, 15:00 – 17:00
Liverpool, Picturehouse At FACT with Ben Taylor
Wednesday 4 March, 14:00 – 17:00
Sheffield, Showroom Cinema with Ben Taylor
Book now
Online slots for Access One to Ones will be available soon. These will be specifically for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent filmmakers based in the North. In the meantime you can learn more about getting access support to apply for BFI funds
here.
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
