Catapult Film Fund is an international grant based in San Francisco that supports early-stage documentary projects, focusing on research and development phases. For 2025, the application period is open from August 6 to September 8, 2025. Applicants must submit a letter of intent with a clear project description and sample audiovisual materials.
Winners receive funding to advance their projects and personalized virtual mentorship over several months. Although open to filmmakers worldwide, those outside the U.S. require a U.S.-based fiscal sponsor. Results are announced in late October or early 2026.
There is no in-person event for selected filmmakers, but remote support is provided. Catapult Film Fund is a valuable opportunity for nonfiction filmmakers seeking creative and financial backing in the early stages of their documentaries.
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Catapult Film Fund
The BIFF LAB call is aimed at Ibero-American fiction feature film projects in an advanced development stage. It supports creative teams composed of a director and a producer linked to production companies with at least three years of experience and a solid portfolio.
The event will take place in Bogotá, Colombia, from October 9 to 11, 2025, during the Bogota International Film Festival. Selected projects will participate in workshops, personalized mentoring, and meetings with industry experts to boost their development, co-production, and international visibility.
Applications are free and must be submitted exclusively through the official platform, including project details, participant profiles, timeline, and financing plan. Participants must speak Spanish and attend all event activities.
BIFF LAB provides selected participants with airfare, accommodation, and accreditation, but does not cover per diems or meals. The call opens August 11 and closes August 23, 2025, with results announced on August 29.
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BIFF LAB
The 3rd Queer Audiovisual Residency 2026, organized by Fundación Cuórum, is accepting applications until October 13, 2025. It is aimed at filmmakers and visual artists of any nationality with projects in development—including fiction, documentary, audiovisual essay, experimental, or hybrid formats, whether short, medium, or feature-length. The main goal is to strengthen project portfolios through conceptual, creative, and technical support, with a focus on inclusion, sexual and gender diversity, social justice, empathy, and critical thinking.
The program comprises two phases: a virtual phase from February to March 2026 with lectures and one-on-one mentoring; followed by a five-day in-person phase in November 2026 in Mexico City, offering professional guidance, specialized training, and networking opportunities. During this in-person segment, the Foundation will cover accommodation and meals for up to two people per project; travel to Mexico City is the responsibility of the participants. Additionally, selected projects must pay a one-time administrative fee of USD 200.
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Queer Audiovisual Residency
Women Work in Progress is an initiative of the Cerdanya Film Festival (Spain) aimed at female filmmakers under the age of 30 who lead audiovisual projects in post-production. The program provides mentoring, professional guidance, and the opportunity to present projects to industry experts, helping participants strengthen their projects and expand their opportunities for funding, distribution, and exhibition.
The call is open internationally and welcomes fiction, documentary, animation, series, and transmedia projects, provided they are in the post-production stage. Eligible formats include short films, feature films, and other audiovisual works covered by the program guidelines.
The submission deadline is April 15, 2026. Selected projects will participate in activities held during the Cerdanya Film Festival, taking place from August 1 to August 16, 2026, in Puigcerdà, Spain.
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FICC - Women WIP
The Extremadura Film Residency is an international development lab for feature film projects in the development stage. The program is open to filmmakers from Spain, Extremadura, Portugal, and Ibero-America, accepting fiction, documentary, and animation projects. Over the course of one year, participants receive tailored mentoring, script and project development support, in-person residencies, online consultations, and access to industry activities, including participation in MAFIZ at the Málaga Film Festival and other professional events.
The 2026–2027 call for applications is open from July 1 to September 1, 2026. The residency program runs from November 2026 through November 2027, combining on-site sessions with online mentoring. The program is exclusively focused on feature-length projects in development and is designed to strengthen their creative vision while supporting financing, production planning, and international market positioning.
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Extremadura Film Residency
