Our Short Film Fund initiative supports the production of a short film screenplay (20 pages max) or the completion of a short film (under 20 minutes) with a grant of up to £7,000 (approx $9,500), in-kind post-production services, festival strategy, production insurance, tax credit support, and career advice. Filmmakers can apply without a producer – we can help you find one if your project is selected.
Our goal is to create a funding opportunity where story is king. There are no boxes to tick apart from writing a great story that is viable for production. We are not afraid of being the first entity to provide funding for your project and become the first stepping stone for you to be able to raise further financing, if required.
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
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• Timeline •
Submissions open: 15th February 2026Early deadline: 15th March 2026Regular deadline: 15th April 2026Final deadline: 15th May 2026 – (midnight GMT)
- Longlist announced: 15th June 2026
- Finalists announced: 15th July 2026
- Winner(s) announced: 30th July 2026
• Awards •
- A cash grant of up to £7,000 (approx. $9,500*) offered by Unsolicited Scripts.
- Insurance: a production insurance package by Tysers Live.
- Colour grading by colourist Giulia Cavina from Goldcrest.
- Sound post by Daniel Bodsworth from Lipsync.
- A Festival Strategy package by world-leading festival strategist Film Festival Doctor.
- DCP creation: offered by Unsolicited Scripts.
- One-to-one Career Advice Meeting for the writer and director of the screenplay with Libby Gervais, Agent Assistant at Casarotto & Ramsay Associates.
- UK Film Tax Credit Support: the finalist will be briefed on how to make the most out of the Uk Film Tax Credit scheme, which allows you to get up to 42% of your production budget back.
- If the winning project is submitted by a writer based in the UK, Unsolicited Scripts can help find a producer, director, and crew.
*figures in USD($) are estimated based on the exchange rate on 20th January 2026. The exact amount may vary depending on the exchange rate applied by your card provider. You can check the latest mid-market rates for GBP/USD here.
• Jury •
Unsolicited Scripts
Unsolicited Scripts is a script consultancy company running initiatives to help new writers connect with independent producers and providing educational content for the wider filmmaking community.
Our goal is creating opportunities where the story is king and previous track record doesn’t necessarily matter. In order to do so, we mainly engage with up-and-coming independent producers who are more likely to engage with unrepresented writers, but we also occasionally collaborate with bigger companies looking for a specific kind of content.
In terms of script development, we focus on delivering high-quality feedback notes provided by experienced freelance script readers who are actively working for reputable production companies, studios and film funding institutions. Our promise is for your script to receive the same quality of evaluation it would get if an agent had sent it to a company, but with the added benefit of receiving back honest and actionable notes to help you improve the next draft.
Libby Gervais (Casarotto & Ramsay Associates)
Libby works in the Film & TV department at the literary agency Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, representing writers, directors, producers and literary properties, and scouting new talent. Her experience includes agenting and development, previously interning with the development team at Red Planet Pictures (Our House, Sanditon) and working as a script consultant on shorts, including the BFI Flare–premiering Please Carry On.
She has spent the past two years as Industry Workshop Coordinator at The Developing Room, where she leads workshops and events supporting emerging screen creatives. Libby is also the co-founder of AXIS: The POC Scripted Network, a collective championing people of colour working in scripted development. AXIS has collaborated with and received sponsorship from ITV, Fifth Season and Channel 4.
Giulia Cavina (Colourist)
Giulia is a freelance Colourist and in-house Assistant Colourist at Goldcrest London with three years of experience across large-budget features, premium dramas, as well as a range of short-form content. She works alongside top creatives, developing a visual approach that blends technical precision with a rich, photographic sensibility. Her caring and adaptable nature helps her build lasting relationships with collaborators, while continuing to develop her voice as an emerging Colourist in the UK scene.
Daniel Bodsworth (Post Sound)
Born and bred in the midlands, Daniel is a sound designer, editor, and re-recording mixer currently based in London. With over a decade of experience in audio post-production, his passion for crafting immersive soundscapes makes him a valuable asset to any production. Daniel has previously worked at some of the leading post houses in Soho, including Molinare, Lipsync and WB De Lane Lea where he honed his skills and collaborated a diverse range of films and television programmes in various capacities, from dialogue editing to ADR supervision, sound effect editing to re-recording mixing. His extensive background in the industry and dedication to his craft have established him as a trusted professional in the field.
The Film Festival Doctor (Festival Strategist)
Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith, The Film Festival Doctor, is a change agent. Her focus on film festivals and mental health is the first of its kind within the film industry. She creates new ways to approach festival strategies and redefine how to look after one’s mental health within the intense & rewarding world of the film festival circuit.
Rebekah and her hard-working team are committed to nurturing filmmakers in order to help them secure film festival screenings, win awards, and cultivate a positive recognition within the film industry. Currently, her company has won over 2,500 awards for their clients and four Oscar success stories. She has secured hundreds of festival screenings around the world for her clients and has supported over 850 international filmmakers, enlightening and inspiring their journey towards achieving their goals and following their filmmaking dreams.
Tysers Live (Production Insurance)
Tysers Live is a global division of Tysers Insurance Brokers dedicated to servicing the needs of the global entertainment industry with offerings in Music, Theatre, Live Events, Media & Film and Advertising & Commercials combining under one brand.
We bring together some of the world’s most passionate, knowledgeable, and skilled risk and specialty insurance professionals to manage the many issues facing our clients today. We cover all areas of the sector, including media, film, television, music, and events as well as more specific media sectors including freelancers, post-production, VFX, SFX, outside broadcast, facilities and hire companies & we design insurance programmes that are responsive to the emerging and complex needs and requirements.
Our credits include: The Brutalist, Baby Reindeer, Sex Education, How to Have Sex
• Previous winners •
MONKEY, written and directed by Charlotte Alexander
The night after a historic vote, a young Portuguese man awakens to find a stranger in his bedroom, plunging him into a harrowing nightmare where he must fight to prove his innocence and defend his freedom.
The project was awarded a cash grant of £5,000, a camera & lighting kit rental package by Hi-Ten, and post-production sound services by Daniel Bodsworth.
SCARS THAT DEFINE US, written and directed by Edward Worthy
With their water supply depleting, a southern black woman must overcome her own desires as she struggles to care for her elderly father’s open wound during the 2022 Jackson, Mississippi Water Crisis.
The project was awarded colour grading services by colourist Giulia Cavina from Goldcrest.
