BFI increases its support of UK documentary filmmaking, investing £7.2m of National Lottery funding over three years

BFI increases its support of UK documentary filmmaking, investing £7.2m of National Lottery funding over three years.

BFI announces it will continue to prioritise dedicated support of the UK documentary filmmaking sector, thanks to National Lottery funding. As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding plan 2026-29, Doc Society will receive £7.2m over three years as BFI’s UK-wide delegate partner to distribute documentary funding across features, immersive, shorts and support talent development – an uplift of 20% from the previous three-year period.

The increased investment allows for an expansion of feature production and development finance, enabling Doc Society to increase the spectrum of support available for documentary filmmakers. In addition to a new immersive fund, a dedicated development fund for feature length documentaries will be introduced. An expansion of production support via two dedicated funding strands – one for emerging directors and one for mid-career to established filmmakers – will also address the issue of talent progression and career sustainability in the documentary sector. The Made of Truth: BFI Doc Society Short Film Fund will also continue in partnership with BFI NETWORK, to support emerging storytellers from across the UK.

In addition to awards and funding via the BFI Doc Society Fund, the ongoing talent support programme will continue, including the RISE Producer Programme for emerging first-time feature documentary producers and the Matchmakers regional networking sessions, in addition to new ‘Doc Dialogues’ strand – a year-round open-access series of online sessions focused on professional development needs.

The funding for three years from April 2026 will see Doc Society continue to build on the success they achieved as the BFI’s delegate partner for documentary since 2018. Recent highlights include Myrid Carten’s three-time BIFA-winning A Want in Her which is also nominated for Best Debut at the upcoming BAFTAs. Other recent and upcoming highlights include: Built by Sound, a mixed-reality immersive experience which premiered as part of Bradford City of Culture 2025; the premieres of two Doc Society-supported films at Berlinale 2026 – Finlay Pretsell’s Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon which will World Premiere and Riding Time, directed by Roopa Gogineni and Farhaan Mumtaz, which screens as an International Premiere; and two World Premieres at next month’s CPH:DOX – Rachel Taparjan’s Something Familiar which screens in main Competition, and Jeanie Finlay’s All Rivers Spill their Stories to the Sea screening in F:ACT Award Competition.

Mia Bays, Director of the BFI Filmmaking Fund, said: “Independent UK documentary is one of the most vital, truthtelling forces in our cultural life. At a time when the world is noisy, fractured and fastmoving, our filmmakers are creating work that cuts through, connects us and helps us understand who we are. To maximise the impact of BFI National Lottery funding for the sector, we are increasing funding for non-fiction by 20% and continuing our partnership with an organisation that brings deep, genre specific expertise, global reach and a longstanding commitment to documentary excellence. Our renewed strategy sharpens our priorities for this field, and in Doc Society we have a partner whose integrity, passion and unwavering belief in the power of documentary will help strengthen, grow and champion this tenacious sector across every part of the UK.”

Luke W. Moody, Head of BFI Doc Society Fund, said: “Documentary cinema and immersive forms invite us into worlds to reflect, refract, and reconcile with the reality we share. The BFI Doc Society awards and talent development programme are here with an open door to expand the spectrum of support, creative risk, and talent across all the UK.”

Shanida Scotland, Co-Executive Director and Head of Film, Doc Society said: “Over the last 21 years Doc Society has proudly championed and advocated on behalf of independent documentary filmmakers and storytellers and brought people together to unleash the transformational power of the documentary form — documentary expands how we see the world, our place in it and inspires audiences everywhere. Alongside the BFI, and awarding National Lottery funding, we are proud supporters of work that continually pushes at the boundaries of form, artistic expression and creative risk taking and we are thrilled to continue to support independent filmmakers and immersive storytellers to achieve their best work across the U.K.”

BFI Doc Society Fund will be opening for applications early in Spring 2026 with recruitment starting imminently for Talent Development Manager and Production Assistant roles.