About the development fund

The Uncertain Kingdom supports filmmakers whose work interrogates British culture; asking who we are, how we got here and where we are going.

 
 

The Uncertain Kingdom supports British cinema by funding filmmakers whose stories tell us about ourselves.

Seeking to address the challenges filmmakers face creating sustainable careers, the development fund supports filmmakers who have previously made at least one feature and have the vision for many more. We look for filmmakers who are committed to a filmmaking career who will best utilise our support at this point in their career.

We’re looking for stories - not issues - and are excited by nuance and specificity. The fund is commercial and looks for projects with a route to market.

The development fund opens for applications in May and November every year. We fund a maximum of £60,000 per round, divided between two to four projects.

Since launching the fund in 2021, we have funded eight features, including a magical realist interracial romance, a lyrical meditation on time, a post-apocalyptic adventure, a deeply personal portrait of a very famous woman, a rediscovery of a lost rock band, and a nightmare twist on a hunting weekend. Though the stories and styles vary wildly, all of them thrilled us with their originality, ambition and vision.

Applications are made via Zealous. Application guidelines are available on the how to apply page.