The BFI has dedicated a portion of its International Connections Fund to support UK screen industry professionals to attend international markets, festivals and other international events identified by the BFI as key opportunities. This will lead to increased international collaboration across the screen sector by building global networks for UK screen professionals.
We aim to support UK screen professionals and talent to:
- Build mutually beneficial creative relationships
- Discover new funding
- Discover new distribution opportunities
This will have ongoing reciprocal benefits for industry professionals and give them the potential to scale-up projects and reach new audiences.
The BFI will organise Group Attendance at specified strategic markets, festivals or other events that it identifies as relevant around the world resulting in ‘in-kind’ awards to those selected applicants. We have allocated an annual budget of £150,000 covering attendance of at least four professionals at a minimum of four key events each year.
The selection of events for Group Attendance will be determined by the BFI to ensure engagement with:
- Countries with significant collaboration potential and strong prospects of mutual benefit (for example countries with which the UK has co-production treaties)
- Countries/events which are less known to UK professionals where the aim is to discover new opportunities and open up new networks for collaborations
- Countries/events where organisations are pro-actively seeking collaboration with the UK and the BFI believes this collaboration beneficial to the UK screen industry
We can help applicants who have access requirements and need some support to make an application. See access support for BFI funding applicants.
Since the very first National Lottery draw in 1994, public support – raised directly through National Lottery ticket sales – has funded more than 670,000 projects, raising more than £46 billion for good causes. As a recipient, it is important to publicly acknowledge the source of this funding throughout the lifespan of the project. Effectively communicating that it is supported by BFI National Lottery funding ensures those engaging with the work recognise the value and benefit of this unique Good Cause funding. Therefore, if your application is successful, you will be responsible for prominently crediting BFI National Lottery funding and thanking National Lottery players. As such, you are encouraged to ensure that elements of your project/s which have the potential to engage a broad public audience are capitalised on, in order to communicate this message. More details will be supplied once an award has been made.