UK Global Screen Fund announces latest awards to support the UK’s independent screen sector

The BFI has made 19 new awards through its UK Global Screen Fund, supporting international opportunities for the UK’s independent screen sector. Financed through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the awards see a further £527,563 being allocated through the £7m per year fund’s International Business Development and International Distribution strands.

Financial support for International Distribution provides sales agents and producers from all over the UK with funding via three tracks:

• Film Sales, supporting UK sales agents to increase their international promotion and sales of UK feature film projects
• Prints and Advertising (P&A), supporting UK films to reach international audiences
• Festival Launch, supporting the festival launch of UK films in order to enhance their promotion, reach and audiences internationally

Financial support for International Business Development provides UK companies with funding via one of two tracks:

• Film Transformation, for internationally-focused transformational business strategies related to independent UK films, with strategies spanning three to five years
• General, for business strategies to create, acquire and/or exploit intellectual property (IP) across film, TV, animation, documentary and interactive narrative video games, with strategies spanning three years

Denitsa Yordanova, BFI Head of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds, said: “Supporting the global ambitions of our independent UK screen sector is critical in ensuring its continued success in the international marketplace. It is so exciting to see a breadth of UK companies devising unique growth strategies, alongside such a wealth of UK feature films being so well received on the international festival and market circuit. The UK Global Screen Fund is proud to back this latest batch of awardees and looks forward to following their success.”

Companies to receive UK Global Screen Fund International Business Development awards, via the Film Transformation track, are:

Modern Films

Support towards research and development, IP scouting and partnerships, along with training around international co-production. The female-owned and led independent film company champions diverse, distinct and impactful contemporary stories, working with rising and established talent from around the world to bring innovative global projects to local audiences. The company’s portfolio includes a mix of commercial and prestige projects, with successes such as Drive My Car, Four Daughters, Tish and Green Border.

Wild Swim Films

Support towards two key hires to allow the company to explore further international partnerships and opportunities. The female-owned independent production company has a set of inherently-international projects on its slate, reflecting a dedication to developing internationally appealing projects and expanding its footprint in significant markets. Recent credits include How to Have Sex, which went on to win the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes Film Festival in 2023.

Companies to receive UK Global Screen Fund International Business Development awards, via the General track, are:

Fennec Labs

Support towards the hire of a Senior Developer for the company’s VR game distribution platform Spawnpoint, to allow further expansion of its competitive feature offering as well as allowing the founder to spend more time identifying and acquiring internationally-attractive IP for the company’s own VR game development efforts. The Staffordshire-based games distribution company is focused on providing immersive freeroam Virtual Reality experiences to a global market, primarily for use in Location-Based Entertainment venues. Recent credits include their debut own-IP game: RE:COIL and the upcoming Dead Corps.

T A P E Collective

Support towards the consolidation of the company’s sales and distribution arm for Black and Global Majority projects. The company, recognised for its track record with emerging talent and as champions of race equity in film, has developed its remit from showcase and exhibition event organisers to co-producers, sales agents and distributors of films which may not have otherwise been seen in the UK. Recent credits include Cette Maison, Lingua Franca, Shabu and If the Streets Were on Fire.

The Illuminated Film Company

Support towards hiring a Development Executive, alongside marketing materials, IP acquisition and market attendance to help develop the company’s international strategy. The critically-acclaimed animation company, based in London, most recently produced UK-Polish co-production A Bear Named Wojtek and credits include recent success The Rubbish World of Dave Spud, Little Princess, War Game, T.R.A.N.S.I.T and Christmas Carol: The Movie.

Turnover Films

Funding towards the hire of a Development Executive and IP acquisition to support the company’s strategy to produce entertaining, character-led stories with universal appeal centred around people of colour. The film and TV production company aims to create projects with themes that resonate with a wide international audience. Credits include Rye Lane, BAFTA nominated for Outstanding British Film, Two Single Beds, a short film written by and starring Daniel Kaluuya and A Story of Bones, nominated for best documentary at Tribeca Film Festival.

UK Global Screen Fund International Distribution awards via the Festival Launch Support track have been made to support the following: 

7 KEYS

Written and directed by Joy Wilkinson. This directorial debut is a London-set sexy thriller, taking in the dark underbelly of a modern city where young people struggle to find their place – and to survive. Made on a micro budget, the Festival Launch Support grant contributed towards its world premiere in the Visions sections of South by Southwest Film & TV Festival (SXSW) in March, enhancing the profile of the title and its UK producers. The film is produced by Cassandra Sigsgaard and Dylan Rees and the award is granted to Jeva Films.

Bird

Written and directed by Andrea Arnold, the film follows 12 year old Bailey who lives with her single dad Bug and brother Hunter in a squat in North Kent. It stars Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski as well as young, first-time actors Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda. The Festival Launch Support grant contributed to its world premiere in competition at Cannes Film Festival, where it received the Citizenship Award. The film, produced by Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Lee Groombridge, has also secured a major sale, with Mubi acquiring rights for North America, Turkey, UK and Ireland. The award is granted to Cornerstone Films.

Doppelgängers3

Writtten and directed by Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stepanian. The experimental feature documentary looks at the future of space exploration from diasporic and queer eco-feminist perspectives and features a soundtrack from Pussy Riot. The Festival Launch Support award contributed towards its world premiere in the Visions section of South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, with the aim of generating a buzz around the title and securing international sales. The film is produced by Sandra Leeming, Luke Moody, Victoria Adam and Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stepanian and the award is granted to Lono Moon.

Restless

Written and directed by Jed Hart. This debut feature film is set in a fictional English town and focuses on a mild-mannered care worker who is drawn into an escalating war of attrition when the neighbour from hell moves into the house next door. The Festival Launch Support grant will contribute towards its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival next month, enhancing the presence of the film and its talent with the aim of generating buzz and securing strong international sales in key territories. The film is produced by Benedict Turnbull, Harri Kamalanathan, Iain Simpson, Jens Nielsen and Sophie Ede and the award is granted to Haus Pictures.

Santosh

Written and directed by Sandhya Suri. The directorial debut is a UK/French/German co-production which follows a young woman who becomes a policewoman in Northern India and finds herself plunged into a tortuous investigation alongside a charismatic inspector. The Festival Launch Support grant contributed towards activities connected to its world premiere in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, with the aim of promoting the title and its UK producers. The film is produced by Mike Goodridge, James Bowsher, Balthazar de Ganay and Alan McAlex and the award is granted to Good Chaos.

Sister Midnight

Written and directed by Karan Kandhari, this dark comedy follows the journey of a small-town misfit (Apte) in a newly arranged marriage who attempts to navigate an awkward spouse, nosy neighbours and her own feral impulses. The directorial debut is a UK/India/Sweden co-production financed by Film4 and BFI, awarding National Lottery funding. The Festival Launch Support grant contributed to activities relating to its world premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is produced by Alastair Clark, Anna Griffin and Alan McAlex and the award is granted to Protagonist Pictures.

The Boy And The Suit Of Lights

Written and directed by Inma de Reyes, this observational documentary follows a young boy growing up in a Spanish town with dreams of being a bullfighter, in an age when tradition and modernity are in constant conflict. The Festival Launch Support grant supported activities connected to its world premiere at Sheffield DocFest in June, where the film won the Grand Jury Award for the International First Feature competition. The film is produced by Aimara Reques and the award is granted to Aconite Productions.

The Damned

Written by Jamie Hannigan based on a story by Thordur Palsson, and directed by Thordur Palsson, this atmospheric period drama set in the 19th century is a UK/Iceland/Ireland/Belgium co-production supported by the UK Global Screen Fund. The Festival Launch Support grant contributed towards its world premiere within the Spotlight Narrative section at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. The film is produced by Emilie Jouffroy, Kamilla Hodøl, John Keville, Conor Barry, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page and Nate Kamiya and the award is granted to Protagonist Pictures.

The Stimming Pool

Written and directed by Steven Eastwood, Georgia Bradburn, Lucy Walker, Robin Knowles, Benjamen Brown and Sam Chown Ahern. Funded by the Wellcome Trust, this experimental documentary has been created by a collective of neurodivergent filmmakers in an attempt to provide an alternative and artistic take on what it’s like to live with neurodivergence in a chaotic world not made for those who are different. The Festival Launch Support grant contributed towards its world premiere at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival (CPH:DOX) in March with the aim of boosting its profile and helping to secure international sales. The film is produced by Chloe White and Steven Eastwood and the award is granted to Whalebone Films.

Timestalker

Written and directed by Alice Lowe. The historical sci-fi romantic comedy follows hapless heroine Agnes through time as she repeatedly falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death, gets reincarnated a century later, before meeting him again and starting the cycle anew. The Festival Launch Support grant contributed to activities connected to its world premiere in the Narrative Spotlight section at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in March. The film is produced by Vaughan Sivell, Mark Hopkins, Natan Stoessel and Tom Wood and the grant is awarded to Western Edge Pictures.

Two Strangers Trying Not To Kill Each Other

Directed by Jacob Perlmutter and Manon Ouimet. This debut feature is a UK/Denmark/US co-produced documentary about an aging artist couple, Maggie Barrett and Joel Meyerowitz, who, after an accident, face the inevitability of impermanence and seek a deep peace in their relationship while they still have time. The Festival Launch Support grant contributed towards its world premiere at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival (CPH:DOX) in the DOX:AWARD International Competition section. The film is produced by Manon Ouimet, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Jacob Perlmutter and the award is granted to Manon et Jacob.

A UK Global Screen Fund International Distribution award, via the Film Sales Support track, has been made to support the following:

Four Letters Of Love

Directed by Polly Steele and written by Niall Williams, the film is based on Niall Williams’ international best-selling novel. The Film Sales Support grant contributes towards promotional activities to increase the profile of the film in the international marketplace, with the aim of boosting sales and widening distribution outside of the UK. The film is produced by Debbie Gray and Douglas Cummins and the award is granted to Cornerstone Films.

A UK Global Screen Fund International Distribution award, via the Prints & Advertising (P&A) Support track, has been made to support the following:

Sebastian

Written and directed by Mikko Mä¨kelä¨. This second feature and UK/Finland/Belgium co-production stars Ruaridh Mollica as Max, an aspiring writer living in London, who begins a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel. The P&A Support grant contributes towards enhancing the film’s theatrical release across a grouping of six international territories, with the aim of increasing audiences, box office and financial returns in addition to boosting the profile of the key UK talent involved. The film, which releases in the US on 2 August, is produced by James Watson and the award is granted to Bê^tes Sauvages.

UK Global Screen Fund applications are now open, and assessed on a rolling basis, for:

• International Distribution Festival Launch Support
• International Distribution Film Sales Support
• International Distribution Prints & Advertising Support (P&A)

Applications for International Co-production funding will re-open in late September and applications for International Business development will re-open in 2025.