Our BFI Film Academy: Micro Short Film Fund offers emerging filmmakers aged 16–25 the chance to bring their stories to life with a £1,000 grant and development support.
Applicants pitched original ideas and outlined how the fund would help their creative and professional growth.
We’re excited to introduce the 2025 recipients and their projects below!
Saleem Miah
Saleem is a filmmaker from Oldham and recipient of the RTS Beryl Vertue Scholarship, supported by Hartswood Films. His passion for film and television was ignited by his place on HOME's BFI Film Academy, which led to a place on the NFTS Film Academy as a screenwriter in 2022. He has just graduated from Manchester School of Art with a BA in Filmmaking, where he wrote and directed his graduate film Spice For Life, which starred Adam Hussain (Coronation Street) and Kirsty-Leigh Porter (Hollyoaks). Saleem is really passionate about telling more stories that centre often overlooked and underrepresented characters.
It’s quite often that voices like mine aren’t given access or opportunity, so it feels incredibly exciting that Film Hub North and BFI are giving someone like me the chance to keep making films and telling stories that haven’t been told before. I feel immensely grateful to be involved and can't wait to collaborate with the brilliant team at Film Hub North to bring this project to life.
I’m Good, Thanks A bold and creative short about what it feels like to be a young, working-class British Asian lad today, exploring themes such as masculinity and mental health.
Rayyannah Munye
Rayyannah is a writer, producer and director based in Manchester. She has experience across the fashion, commercial, and short film world which she is now looking to use in her work as a director.
I'm particularly excited about being able to make my film in the area I grew up in, Moss Side. I want to show people a different side to it and it's really important for me to use this opportunity to tell a story that typically would be set somewhere else.
Mysteries Of My Flesh Follows 13 year old Mina as she wakes up one day and finds that life has irrevocably changed.
Noor Sobka
Noor is a Northern, North African writer, performer and comedian with a particular interest in comedy and telling MENA (Middle East and North Africa) stories. Noor works across theatre and screen and is also a trained dramaturg and script reader.
I'm so excited to have the support of such a fantastic organisation. This is an invaluable opportunity and I quite literally would not be able to make this short without it. I hope this film amuses audiences, whilst also contributing to greater awareness of the issues it highlights.
Mourning Period A 5 minute comedy about a hilariously bad doctors appointment and a couscous choking incident, exploring themes such as women's health, fertility, cultural pressure and intergenerational relationships.
The Micro Short Film Fund grant is part of our BFI Film Academy programme for young filmmakers.
BFI Film Academy offers opportunities for ambitious 16-25 year olds, anywhere in the UK, to get to know more about film and how to forge a career in the screen industries. Sign up to our newsletter for more career-development news, opportunities and events.
