ROLLING DEADLINES

• The Black Artists Grant (BAG) is a £500 no-strings financial support to help UK-based Black creatives. Whether you’re in need of new equipment or to fund your latest project, learn more and apply here.

• Submit your documentary for Educational Distribution with GOOD DOCS! If your latest doc is based on education and engaging with students about rarely heard stories then this is where your next application should be. Find out more here.

• The Pulitzer Center provides grants to cover the hard costs of reporting projects. Grants are open to all journalists: writers, photographers, radio producers, and filmmakers; staff journalists as well as freelancers. Deadline is rolling, find out more here.

• The Sustainability Prize, launched by Creo and Sony, offers filmmakers passionate about communicating key themes linked to the Sustainable Development Goals with $5,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, and promotion across Sony’s channels. The work of the winners will also get the chance to be honored at a showcase hosted by the United Nations Foundation and Sony Pictures. Apply here.

• Field of Vision has relaunched their *free* mentorship & consultation service! Filmmakers from around the world can sign up for consultation about Professional Development, Technical Assistance, Pitch Training, Story Development, Distribution Strategy, and more. Sign up today!

• The Undocumented Filmmakers Collective is providing an unrestricted grant for UFC members. The grant can be used for any production costs, festival fees, or even some much needed self care! Applications are open and rolling for the rest of 2025. Submit here.

• Artist Fellows at the Postcard Cabins Artist Fellowship use nature as the ultimate canvas to explore their creative sides. From painters to chefs to sculptors, the Artist Fellowship program provides a free overnight escape to nature for artists looking to harness their talents in a focused environment. Apply here.

• The Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund aims to respond to global events that directly impact the wellbeing of creators, focusing its support on an ongoing issue in order to drive positive impact over a period of time. Adobe is currently focusing their Community Fund efforts on providing support to creators who have been directly impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Learn more.

• The BFI Doc Society Fund supports and nurtures independent non-fiction films and immersive projects by UK filmmakers: prioritising expansive, director-led storytelling. They offer both a shorts fund and a features fund. The Fund offers support of up to €150,000 for feature documentaries and immersive non-fiction projects. Apply here.

• Panavision’s New Filmmaker Grant Program offers grants for camera equipment and post-production services. The equipment grant provides use of Panavision digital or film camera packages, while the post-production grant works with Light Iron to provide new filmmakers with access to final color and finishing services. Only available in the US. Apply here.

• Sunny Side of the Doc is launching the Sunny Academy, a brand-new support program for emerging documentary talent. Learn all they have to offer here.

WORKSHOPS

• Spring Filmmaking Workshops at DCTV: Looking to expand your media skills? DCTV’s Workshops offer hands-on training in cinematography, editing, documentary filmmaking, and more—taught by industry professionals. Whether you’re an aspiring storyteller or a working creative, these workshops provide essential tools to bring your ideas to life. See the list of classes and sign up here.

FUNDING & FELLOWSHIPS

• July 2: Back for its seventh year, the Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant is awarded to self-identified lesbians for making visionary moving-image art. Work can be experimental animation, experimental documentary, experimental narrative, cross-genre, or solely experimental. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash grant and a series of individual studio visits with the staff members of Queer Art. Learn more.

• July 2: The Illuminations Grant for Black Trans Women Visual Artists is an annual $10,000 grant awarded to provide critical support to Black trans women whose work has often been under-recognized in the visual art field. Winning artists and finalists will receive additional professional development resources and further guidance to bolster their creative development in the field. Apply here.

• July 7: The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund (DFF) supports engaging documentaries in post-production which exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters, and an original, innovative visual approach. Since its launch in 2011, the SFFILM Documentary Film Fund has distributed more than $900,000 to advance new work by filmmakers nationwide. The Documentary Film Fund grants its support to approximately 3-4 projects each year with grants of $10,000 – $15,000. Learn more.

• July 11: Submissions for the 4th Edition of the AuthenticA Series Lab are open! This six-month programme will support the development of series scripts for four screenwriters from African countries and the diaspora. With a combination of online and in-person sessions, this is your chance to enhance your skills and represent authentic, up-to-date viewpoints of the continent. Don't miss this opportunity to grow your craft and contribute to the African film industry! Apply here.

• July 14: TDE Films has officially opened submissions for its Short Film Fund. The Fund is open to all short films, but narratives addressing real-life events are highly encouraged to apply. Directors must have at least 2 completed narrative short films with festival acceptances. This fund is designed to build a tight-knit, standout creative community within the film industry. Apply now.

• July 15: Euro Doc has an open call for their Amazonia-Caribbean Workshop — for producers based in French Guiana, Suriname, Brazil and the Caribbean. This intensive 5-day workshop focuses on the development of a documentary project. More here.

• July 16: The Mountainfilm Commitment Grants are focused on supporting documentary filmmakers in the production or post-production stages. Mountainfilm promotes and encourages diversity behind the camera and welcomes applicants from any country. Awards will range from $1,000-$5,000. Apply here.

• July 18: Inside Out’s RE: Focus Fund is offering direct support to women, non-binary, and trans filmmakers creating 2SLGBTQ+ stories. Short films may receive up to $2,000 CAD and feature films up to $3,000 CAD. Submissions must be in post-production and feature 2SLGBTQ+ content. Submit here.

• July 20: Catalyst is an intimate cohort-based program that will provide 15 selected emerging filmmakers with a full VIFF 2025 Artist and Industry Premium Pass, one-on-one mentorship, a professional development stipend to help offset any economic impact from attending the festival, and 10 exclusive facilitated group sessions covering all stages of production to kick-start their independent filmmaking careers. Participants are selected based on their demonstrated pursuit in creating boundary-pushing and ambitious work. Apply here.

• July 21: The Jackson Wild Curiosity Emerging Filmmaker Grant is offering one selected Fellow funding up to $1,000 per finished minute of film, comprehensive mentorship from Curiosity’s team, global distribution on Curiosity Stream and Curiosity Channel, and valuable experience working directly with a commissioner. More information here.

• July 21: If you’re an independent artist looking for support telling a story that bridges the worlds of science and culture, the Sandbox Fund wants to hear your story. The Sandbox Fund offers grants, engagement events, and other opportunities for independent artists seeking to explore the intrinsic link between science and culture through innovative storytelling. The fund offers support to projects at all stages of development, production, and post-production. Average grant sizes are up to $40,000 for projects in development and up to $100,000 for projects in production and post-production. Learn more.

• July 30: The Bronx Documentary Center is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 BDC Films Fellowship Program! This year-long program supports early-career Bronx documentary filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds. Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend, weekly filmmaking courses and workshops, equipment access, an editing suite, and a peer support network. Fellows will participate in a final film screening in May 2026. Apply here.

• July 31: The AXS Film Fund is for creators of color in documentary filmmaking or nonfiction new media who identify as living with a disability. While they prefer that a person of color living with a disability is a key contributor to the project, they welcome diverse teams to apply. Each year they award up to five creators with grants of up to $10,000 each to assist them in finishing their projects in any stage of production. Apply here.

• July 31: Verzió DocLab is a 5-day-long documentary development workshop for directors, producers and editors, focusing on story development and editing, with the goal to support emerging European documentary filmmakers. The 10th edition will take place 8-12 November, 2025 at the Budapest Campus of the Central European University. This intensive 5-day-long program is designed for first or second feature-length documentary film directors, and the editors and producers of their projects. Learn more.

• August 25: The Inspiration Forum is the platform of the International Documentary Film Festival Ji.hlava for joint reflection on the contemporary world. Their IF Lab initiates interdisciplinary cooperation and the creation of artistic projects. They are seeking 9 participants from European countries from various fields (art, film, architecture, design, sociology, ecology, biology, technological innovation, etc.), who will form interdisciplinary teams during the project’s implementation stage. Learn more.

• September 30: The Reel Sisters Micro Budget Film Fellowship offers women of color a chance for $5000 to produce a short film or web series pilot. The pilot episode of your web series or short film will air on Reel Sisters Tea & Cinema virtual series and have a world premiere in their annual international Oscar qualifying film festival. Scripts must be written or co-written by a woman of color of nonbinary filmmaker of color. Apply here.

FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS

• June 27: Showcase your film in an incredible coastal destinations at the Newport Beach Film Festival! Internationally recognized as one of Southern California’s leading film events, the Festival hosts eight days of 350+ film screenings, 58,000+ attendees, engaging networking opportunities, industry seminars, incredible nightly galas, private receptions, entertainment, and more. Accepted films will be considered for audience awards, jury awards, and outstanding achievement in filmmaking recognitions. Learn more.

• June 27: The Arab Film Festival, the flagship event of the Arab Film and Media Institute, is the longest running independent film festival of its kind in North America. The festival’s mission is to present the best of contemporary films that illuminate the richness of Arab culture through authentic narratives and images. Awards include Best Documentary Feature and Best Short Film. Submit your project here.

• June 30: ​​The Oregon Documentary Film Festival screens independent documentary films, series, and experimental films. There are sixteen award categories for submissions, including awards for micro films and series episodes. Submit here.

• June 30: The Women Calling the Shots showcases short films made by women filmmakers and will take place at the 33rd Annual Hamptons International Film Festival (October 3-13, 2025). A partnership between HIFF and New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT), this long-running series gives voice to the creative visions of women through film and video, including scripted, documentary, animation, and experimental works. Apply here.

• June 30: The MIT Museum has an open call for innovative public films (and more) that explore humanity's relationship with the theme of TIME. Got a documentary that relates? Learn more and apply here.

• July 1: The New York Indie Shorts Awards are receiving applicants for a range of short film genres, including student shorts, foreign shorts, animation shorts, and music videos. Accepted submissions will also be considered for technical and performance awards. Apply here.

• July 1: DOK Leipzig Film Festival 2025 has opened its submissions! They are looking for documentary and animated films of any length that have not been shown publicly before October 1, 2024. DOK will also showcase XR works during its DOK Neuland submission, opening its doors to VR experiences, participatory films, performances, games, and more! The festival takes place from October 27th to November 2nd. Apply here.

• July 3: IDFA DocLab invites artists to apply for consideration with their XR and new media projects, live performances, and other interdisciplinary documentary artworks. For the DocLab competitions and exhibition programs, IDFA welcomes immersive and interactive projects that use new media and emerging technology to tell stories and reflect on reality. This includes a wide range of formats such as immersive narratives, spatial creations, web-based experiences, digital art, games, audio narratives, physical installations, and artworks that leverage AI and other advanced technologies. Submit here.

• July 7: Double Exposure Film Festival, a project of the investigative news organization 100Reporters, celebrates the finest new films inspired by the investigative instinct. It combines film screenings for the public with a professional symposium for journalists and visual storytellers. The films presented at Double Exposure include new narrative and documentary works that are either about investigative journalism or journalists, based on investigative reporting, or films that are investigations unto themselves. Learn more.

• July 10: The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is held annually in November in Amsterdam, Netherlands and showcases documentaries from around the world. They highlight documentaries that are bold, creative, and original from filmmakers globally. Apply here.

• July 15: Submit your documentary to the 34th annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (October 10 - 18, 2025). HSDFF offers multiple awards categories and is a designated Academy Award®-qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Documentary Short Subject. VCers also get a 20% submission discount! Apply now and use code VideoConHSDFF34.

• July 31: Got a short doc? Submit it to Pittsburgh Shorts. Got a feature-length doc? Submit it to Three Rivers Film Festival. Both fests are in Pittsburgh, PA and run back-to-back in November.

• July 31: The Marrakech Film Festival is now accepting submissions for the 22nd edition that will take place from November 28th to December 6th, 2025. The Festival is open to feature films (fiction, documentaries, animation and experimental films) with a minimum duration of 65 minutes. Learn more.

• August 1: Subtropic Film Festival has opened its submissions for bold, original, and thought-provoking short films. Short documentaries, narratives, experimental films, and animated shorts are welcome to apply. The film festival will take place in West Palm Beach, Florida from November 7-9. Apply here.

• August 1: The Singapore International Film Festival is accepting film submissions for their 36th edition happening from November 27 - December 7, 2025. They welcome Asian feature films and Southeast Asian short films to be part of our Official Selection and Competition sections. Enter here.

• August 1: DOC NYC just opened submissions for PITCH DAY, giving you a chance to present your work-in-progress documentary live on stage and receive expert feedback + exclusive consultations from industry reps and specialty companies. Previously known as Industry Roundtables/Only in New York, the event features 18 projects pitched on stage to a panel of industry professionals and a live audience on Thursday and Saturday, November 13 and 15, 2025 in Manhattan. Pitch here.

• August 7: Submissions are now officially open for the 2026 edition of the Prague Film Festival taking place April 14–19, 2026, in the heart of one of Europe’s most cinematic cities.Whether you’re an emerging voice or an established auteur, this is your chance to showcase your work to an audience of film professionals, distributors, critics, and passionate cinephiles from around the world. Enter here.

• August 10: Submissions for Doha Film Festival 2025 are now open for short films in the following categories: International Short Film Competition, Ajyal Film Competition, and Made in Qatar. The competitions feature cash prizes. Learn more and apply here.

• August 15: Got a science doc? Each October, Labocine’s Science New Wave Film Festival presents 64 visionary films from around the world that push the boundaries of scientific storytelling. Celebrating its 18th edition, this annual festival is held in New York and on the Labocine platform, uniting filmmakers, scientists, and audiences in a vibrant celebration of the convergence of science and cinema. Submit here.

• August 15: The Academy Award-qualifying 2026 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is now accepting submissions! Big Sky seeks documentary films of all lengths, genres, forms, and subject matters. The 23rd annual BSDFF will take place February 13-22, 2026, in Missoula, Montana. Awards include Best Mini-Doc and the Big Sky Award, which is reserved for films of any length that artistically honor the character, history, tradition, and imagination of the American West. Learn more.

• October 28: The 19th edition of Glasgow Short Film Festival will take place 18-22 March 2026. GSFF competitions are comprised of submitted films, and other elements of the festival programme also draw from submissions. They are accepting submissions for the Scottish Film Award, open to films where one or more key role is a resident of Scotland, and the Bill Douglas Award for International Short Film Award, open to all films that do not qualify for the Scottish Film Award. Apply here.