Film & TV Funding Award

The Film & TV Funding Award is an annual global grant opportunity presented by The Whickers to support emerging filmmakers with a passion for director-led documentary storytelling. The program awards a significant main production grant of £120,000 to one outstanding proposal, with an additional £25,000 development award given to a runner-up. Recognized as one of the most prestigious documentary funding awards internationally, this initiative supports innovative storytelling that captures unique perspectives, deep access, and the human spirit in an engaging and fair-minded way. Applicants must be first-time feature documentary directors or co-directors, submitting a proposal for a 50+ minute film. Projects must be in late development or early production stages, not in post-production. At the time of application, entrants are required to provide a teaser video of up to six minutes, a synopsis of the proposed project, a production budget, and confirmation of an executive producer. Applicants must also prove their ability to manage funds through a company, fiscal sponsor, or commitment to establish a limited company if selected. Applications must be submitted in English, and the audiovisual content must be either in English or subtitled accordingly. The award is structured to offer financial support across four stages of production. Initial funding of £30,000 is released upon agreement of deliverables, with subsequent payments tied to key production milestones: completion of principal filming, rough cut delivery, and final cut submission. The final £10,000 installment is released post fine cut. The total project budget must not exceed £500,000, and projects already receiving more than £350,000 from other funding sources are ineligible. For animated documentaries, exceptions to the £500,000 cap may apply based on budget transparency. Applications for the 2026 cycle open on 19th November 2025 and close on 30th January 2026. Five finalists will be announced in late April 2026 and must be available to travel to the UK in June 2026 to present their projects at Sheffield DocFest. The Whickers cover reasonable travel and accommodation expenses for the director or co-director of each finalist project. The winning project will be announced at the festival’s award ceremony. The evaluation process prioritizes original storytelling, access to compelling subjects, and a director’s ability to tell an authentic, engaging story without being partisan or agenda-driven. Applicants are expected to demonstrate strong creative vision, technical capability, and storytelling originality. Submissions are judged both on their written application and the audiovisual pitch. Applications must be completed and submitted via The Whickers' online portal. Due to high submission volume, feedback is not available for unsuccessful applicants. For questions or additional details, applicants may contact The Whickers through the listed email.

Prioritize unique access and compelling characters; ensure audiovisual pitch reflects tone and narrative clarity; avoid partisan messages; maintain professional storytelling vision.