The UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF) has invested a further £2.2m into the UK’s independent screen sector in its latest round of awards, with Neon Films and Elation Pictures among the recipients.
The BFI has made an additional 26 awards through the international business development strand, which has now awarded £9.1m to date. The UKGSF is financed through the DCMS, with awards administered by the BFI.
Companies to receive funding from this wave of awards include Nicky Bentham’s Neon Films, whose feature Brides is world premiering in Sundance. The £55,000 award, through the film transformation track, has been put towards the hire of development personnel.
UKGSF was recently awarded an additional £7m for the coming year from the DCMS, as outlined at the Creative Industries Growth Summit held last week (January 17) in Gateshead.
The fund has also published a multi-year evaluation, looking into the impact and economic value of the fund from its launch in 2021 to 2024. The evaluation, undertaken by BOP Consulting, found that every £1 of UKGSF funding generates £22 of net benefit.
The international business development strand is designed to help UK companies achieve new business partnerships, enhance their profile and reach in the global marketplace and increase revenue generation through export and international expansion.
Awards are in the form of non-recoupable grants ranging between £50,000 and £200,000, via either the film transformation (internationally-focused three-five year business strategies in independent film specifically) or general (business strategies to create, acquire and/or exploit intellectual property in all screen sectors across three years) tracks.
UKGSF re-opening dates for 2025 are: February 6 for international co-production, April for international business development and a rolling basis for international distribution.
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