Sharjah Art Foundation invites local and international filmmakers to apply for the seventh edition of the Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) Short Film Production Grant. Offered in conjunction with SFP—the Foundation’s annual festival of independent cinema and moving image—the grant provides funds for the completion of short films that test the boundaries of contemporary filmmaking. Grant recipients will premiere their completed films at a future edition of SFP.
The Short Film Production Grant is open to all independent filmmakers without restrictions of age, region or genre. For the purpose of this grant, a short film is defined as a work with a total runtime of 50 minutes or less, including the credits.
The recipients will share a total of 120,000 AED (approximately 30,000 USD); the monetary amount and the number of awardees will be determined on an as-needed basis. The deadline to submit the application is 11:59 pm UAE time (GMT +4) on 24 June 2024.
New this year, one Emirati awardee will receive funding through a partnership between Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and the Foundation. Created to enhance independent Emirati cinema, this initiative offers 25,000 AED to an Emirati filmmaker jointly selected by the two institutions. Conditions, requirements and the deadline for Emirati applicants are identical to those for other applicants.
Applicants are required to submit a recorded three-minute pitch (see application information below), through which they will be assessed on the overall vision for their film, including genre, theme, structure and plot; the originality of their script; and their creative and technical skills.
