BFI unveils strategic plans for the expanded UK Global Screen Fund as budget increases from £7m to over £18m per year for 2026 to 2029

The BFI has announced strategic plans for the expanded UK Global Screen Fund, following its budget increase from £7m to over £18m per year for 2026 to 2029. Financed through the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), this enhanced investment into the UK Global Screen Fund was confirmed last June as part of the Screen Growth Package, to develop international business capabilities, enable co-productions and showcase independent UK screen content worldwide, driving ambitions to enhance the UK’s position as a top global creative superpower.

Following extensive and continued consultation with industry – including an enhanced UK Global Screen Fund Strategic Advisory Group formed of representatives from trade bodies, national and regional screen agencies, and individual practitioners spanning film, TV, animation, documentary and games – the 2026 to 2029 strategic plan builds on the successful interventions made since the fund launched in 2021 to boost international development, production, distribution, and promotional opportunities for the UK’s independent screen sector. 

The expanded UK Global Screen Fund will invest in the following areas:

Alongside the existing Festival Launch and Prints & Advertising (P&A) strands, additional funding targeted at UK sales agents and UK video games developers will be introduced via:

• Film Sales Minimum Guarantee, supporting UK sales agents to secure international sales rights for UK films, with the aim of improving the UK sales sector’s competitiveness, and bolstering stronger relationships between UK producers and sellers
• Video Game Release, supporting UK video game developers to mount release campaigns for their games in international territories, through marketing, promotion and localisation, with the aim of increasing circulation and sales potential

Enhancing existing support for minority feature film co-productions and minority/majority TV co-productions in animation or documentary only, the schemes will be formally separated into:

• Minority Co-production, continuing to support feature film (all genres) and TV (documentary and animation only) 
• Majority Co-production, launching in September to support animation and documentaries, across film and TV, designed to provide tailored intervention for majority funding

Expanding on current support for UK screen content businesses across film, TV, animation and interactive narrative video games to enhance their international activities, three distinct tracks set to launch in April will provide fewer barriers to entry:

• Transformation, supporting radically transformative business strategies, now available across the whole screen sector, having previously been available only to film
• General, funding business strategies to create, acquire and/or exploit intellectual property (IP), covering all eligible screen sectors, including factual entertainment, for increased international revenue, audiences and profile
• Challenger, a £50,000 award with optional additional mentorship component introduced for earlier-stage screen companies 

New funding for development will be added to the range of UK Global Screen Fund interventions, with support for projects with international audience potential offered through:

• Slate Fund, for slates of 3-5 projects (feature-length live action, animation and documentary for theatrical; TV documentary and animation only), supporting later stage costs following initial development

The international promotion of the UK screen sectors will see all activities consolidated under one combined ScreenUK umbrella, encompassing the ScreenUK Industry physical presence at key international festivals and markets (previously supported by BFI National Lottery funding), plus the digital presence of ScreenUK Industry and the ScreenUK consumer campaign, launched in 2022 to showcase and celebrate UK screen content and talent to global audiences. A new combined delivery model, for which a procurement process is currently underway, will deliver benefits relating to cost-efficiency, consistency and brand awareness over the three-year programme of external promotional activities. Ongoing, the BFI National Lottery UK Focus Fund will continue to support the one-off delivery of UK-focused activity at established international festivals, markets, co-production forums or other industry events or platforms with international reach dedicated to screen content. 

“I am delighted that the government’s decision to expand the UK Global Screen Fund with such a significant increase in investment allows us to further boost opportunities for the UK’s extraordinary independent screen sector, with enhanced and vital support for international growth and collaboration,” said Denitsa Yordanova, Head of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds. “It has been a pleasure working with government and consulting with our talented creative industries to formulate our plans for the fund and we are extremely grateful for the ongoing support, critical input and expert insights of our Strategic Advisory Group in particular. We very much look forward to following the impact of our filmmakers and creative screen businesses as they continue to build on the UK’s global success and create world-class content.”

Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray said: “The UK Global Screen Fund has already had a hugely positive impact, propelling distinctive British stories like I Swear and Pillion onto the world stage and showcasing the strength of our independent filmmaking.

“By tripling its annual funding to £18 million as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government is backing the next wave of writers, directors and producers from every corner of the UK. This investment will empower them to reach global audiences, drive economic growth and cement our reputation as a film powerhouse.”

The next UK Global Screen Fund Town Hall meeting will take place online on Thursday 26 March at 11.00am – 12.15pm, outlining the latest plans as well as sharing other news, including recent awards and activity supported by the fund. Register in advance to join the meeting. 

• International Co-production – closing at midday on 9 April
• International Distribution Prints & Advertising (P&A) – assessed on a rolling basis
• International Distribution Festival Launch – re-opening 1 April assessed on a rolling basis

Applications for 2026 to 2029 funds will open on a staggered basis over the coming months with a final timetable to be announced in due course. Detailed informational webinars will accompany the publication of guidelines relating to each strand.