Apply for a Short or Feature Film Festival / XR Showcase Travel Grant

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Darren Emerson's In Pursuit Of Repetitive Beats VR project travelled to SxSW with a Travel Grant

We offer grants to help Short and Feature filmmakers, and XR creatives, travel to international events where their work is being screened.

  • Short Film Grants – attendance at an eligible festival to support a short film screening, for new/emerging writers or directors (those who have yet to have a feature film produced and distributed in the UK), and for producers of any experience level.
  • Feature Film Grants – attendance at an eligible festival to support a feature film, for producers.
  • XR Grants – attendance at an eligible festival/showcase event with an interactive/immersive/XR project, for XR creatives.

What can I apply for?

You can use our Travel Grants as a contribution towards your visit to a festival or showcase which is screening your work (as long as the event itself isn't already funding your visit).

You can use the grants for:

  • Travel
  • Accommodation
  • Disability access support

In addition, for a limited number of XR Technical Grants, you can use our grants towards:

  • Preparing your instructions for the exhibition of your piece
  • Integrating your work with a festival’s online platform
  • Developing the accessibility of your piece and producing accessibility assets
  • Versioning for exhibition

The competition for the very limited number of XR Technical Grants available will be high, and assessment of these applications is made by a jury of industry experts. Please contact us before you make an application at Films@britishcouncil.org

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The 'Stop Dead' team - Douglas Cox, Emily Greenwood and Jude Goldrei - enjoy the Sitges Film Festival spotlight with help from a Travel Grant

Where can I travel to?

If you are using a screen reader you may prefer a plain text version of the Key List, downloadable here:

This list is reviewed regularly. Please note we cannot offer discretionary Grants for events that are not on our current Key List. We do review our lists at regular points each year.

Can I apply with a Feature Film?

While we have previously supported Short filmmakers we can now offer additional grants to producers of Feature films that have been invited to screen (as World, European or N American premiere) at selected festivals indicated on our Key List (scroll down).

For other festivals, classed as the world's premiere festivals and markets, feature filmmakers looking for festival travel support should instead apply to BFI's UK Global Screen Fund (GSF) rather than our Travel Grant Fund.

GSF can fund you if your film/project has been selected for its World, International, North American or European premiere in an official category/competition, at 25 different events.

Check the guidance notes on our Key List to see which fund can support you.

How much can I apply for?

Grants are a contribution towards travel and accommodation costs, and for selected set-up costs related to XR works.

  • Awards for Short and Feature Film Festival Grants range from £100- £1,500 but will not normally exceed £750
  • Awards for XR projects are divided into two tiers: Travel only (£100 – £1,500), and a very limited number of Travel/Technical Grants for larger scale showcasing, capped at £7,000
  • Each film or project can receive a maximum of three grants
  • Each film or project can receive a maximum of one grant per event
  • Grants are designed as a contribution towards ONE person's travel, with the UK as the starting destination
  • The Grant amount we offer for any one festival, in any one year, will be the same for every film/project we support

Please note that Grants will rarely cover the full cost of your trip and amount we can offer each year is dependent on the number of UK projects selected.

Am I eligible?

  • Applications can be made by a project's director, producer or writer, who must be aged 18 or above.
  • All applicants must have had their short/feature/XR project selected by at least one of the festivals or showcases on our Key List, and must provide evidence of selection.
  • All applicants must have submitted details of their film or project on our UK Film Database.

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CopyrightBritish Broadcasting Corporation Monegram Limited

Muna director Warda Mohamed travelled to Berlinale 2024 with a Travel Grant

Access and support

We're committed to making our funding accessible to all. You can get help if you need support to make an application and if you have specific access needs for your festival visit.

If you prefer to listen to an audio recording of our Guidelines please click below:

And if you'd like to listen to an audio recording of the Terms and Conditions please click here:

You can ask for:

  • our funding guidelines in other formats, like large print
  • support to understand these guidelines
  • support to complete an application form
  • funds to facilitate travel with a BSL interpreter or access worker.

Please talk to us about what additional help may be available by emailing Films@britishcouncil.org

Sustainability

As a Travel Grantee you will need to plan your visit travel with the environment and the climate crisis in mind. We can offer additional funding to filmmakers who travel to European festivals and events overland.

Our new Green Grants guide will be available to download shortly to help plan your travel.

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Dragon Boys director Tom Ringsby travelled to Tribeca with a Travel Grant

How to apply

Before you begin, download and read the Travel Grant Fund guidelines.

If you're eligible to apply, it shouldn't take longer than ten minutes to complete your application. You will need:

  • a copy of your event acceptance letter or email
  • an online link to your film, and password if applicable.

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