Female Film Club Returns to Cannes With Expanded Short Film Fund (EXCLUSIVE)

The Female Film Club has unveiled the second edition of its Global Short Film Fund at the Cannes Film Festival, with an expanded prize package worth €33,000 ($38,600) and three new industry partners: AI filmmaking platform IMGN.AI, post-production house Disauthority and virtual production company Mo-Sys.

The fund – announced by Variety at Cannes 2025 – is again co-powered by actress and FFC Bulgaria co-founder Krassimira Belev, who operates through her production company First Draft, which she co-founded with Anton Belev. She backed last year’s inaugural edition, whose winner, Lisa Cole’s “Filthy,” was announced at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2025. This year’s winner will also be revealed there, in October 2026.

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“Supporting Lisa Cole’s film ‘Filthy’ through last year’s Female Film Club Global Film Fund was incredibly meaningful because it showed what can happen when support moves beyond good intentions and turns into action. This is the kind of opportunity I wish had existed at the start of my career, and I am proud to support the fund for a second time, helping create real opportunities for women whose stories deserve to be seen,” Belev said.

Cole added: “The Female Film Club Global Fund believed in ‘Filthy’ when it was just a dream on a page. Being their inaugural recipient, chosen by an incredible international panel, was validation that stories like mine matter and resonate across borders. Female Film Club understands that uplifting female filmmakers requires more than just funding. They’re committed to our continuing education and emotional well-being, and recognize that we need community, not just capital, to thrive. This award didn’t just fund my film – it reminded me I’m not alone in this fight.”

The prize package comprises a €10,000 ($11,700) production grant, €15,000 ($17,600) in post-production services from Disauthority, and €8,000 ($9,400) in virtual production support from Mo-Sys, which includes access to the company’s London studio and one-to-one consulting. The winner also receives full access to the IMGN.AI platform for scheduling, storyboarding and character development, a year’s FFC Members Club membership, and introductions to the FFC industry network. Shortlisted filmmakers receive €600 ($700) in Mo-Sys group consulting support; every applicant gets a free IMGN.AI account and three months of FFC Members Club membership.

“We have built a community across more than 70 nationalities. We know exactly where the gaps are and we know what is missing is not talent. It is access. The FFC exists to close that gap, no matter where you are in the world,” co-founder Nicole Lieberman said.

The fund is open to filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, aged 18 and over, and registered in FFC’s free networking space. Eligible entries are short films of up to 30 minutes in any genre; applications must include a screenplay no longer than 35 pages, a budget, a character prototype and script coverage generated via IMGN.AI. English is required for all submitted materials.

Early bird submissions open May 26, with final submissions closing Sept. 5. The long and short list will be notified Sept. 20, ahead of the winner announcement at an FFC event held during the BFI London Film Festival.

“Last year we asked whether the industry was ready to back female filmmakers at this scale. The response was incredible. This year we built on that with something more substantial, and one clear intention: no applicant leaves empty handed. Every element of this fund is designed to carry a filmmaker from script to screen with the kind of support that is usually reserved for those who already have access to it,” co-founder Liza van der Smissen said.

The Female Film Club was founded by van der Smissen and Lieberman and operates across more than 70 nationalities through a Members Club, live events and film funding initiatives.