UK Global Screen Fund: International Co-production strand

What is the grant available for?

Eligible companies can apply for funding of up to £300,000.

This strand aims to:

• support international co-production feature film projects of any genre, and animated and documentary television co-production projects, with strong export potential and international audience reach (projects should have revenue-generating potential for the UK producer)
• increase the visibility, level of financial and creative input, revenues and international track record of UK producers
• support UK producers seeking to collaborate with international partners in new markets that they have not worked in before, as well as those wanting to strengthen ties with existing international partners in familiar foreign markets, thereby supporting reciprocal relationships

In making awards, the UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF) seeks to ensure a UK-wide benefit and address geographic imbalance within the industry.

Their assessment will therefore consider: 

• where the applicant UK production company and individual UK producer(s) are based
• where projects are shot and/or made 
• how projects reflect the culture and talent of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the English regions outside Greater London

Support will be in the form of non-recoupable grants.

Any eligibility criteria

This strand is open to independent UK producers with demonstrable production experience. An eligible project must:

• have at least 60% of the overall finance secured (in addition to any prospective contribution from this strand and UK tax relief)
• secure, or have already secured, at least one other source of UK funding (in addition to any prospective contribution from this strand and UK tax relief)

Applications must be made by an independent UK production company, led by at least one individual UK producer, both of which meet the Eligible Applicant criteria in respect of the following forms of content:

1. feature film co-productions, in any genre (including drama, animation and documentary) and in any language, where the UK producer is a “minority” co-producing partner (i.e. the contribution of at least one of the other co-producing partners is greater than the overall contribution of the UK producer)
2. television co-productions, in the animation and/or documentary genres only, but in any language, where at least two (for “minority” UK co-productions) or three (for “majority” UK co-productions) broadcasters are contributing to the finance plan

Applicants can seek funding towards the UK producer’s creative contribution to the project during production and/or post-production, depending on the needs of the project and the structure of the co-production itself. For projects where the UK producer’s creative contribution will only be during post-production, UKGSF assessment will look at whether there is a balanced and proportionate artistic, creative, technical and/or financial overall contribution from the UK. They cannot accept applications from projects that have commenced production and are seeking completion funding. For the avoidance of doubt, they will not support fiction or animation productions that have already started shooting or principal animation.

To be eligible to apply to the International Co-production strand, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• you are applying through a limited Company registered and centrally managed in the UK and in good standing, whose core business is producing independent narrative content for cinema/commercial online release or television broadcast
• the lead UK applicant’s company is not a company in which more than 25% of its shares are held, directly or indirectly, by one or more of the following third parties:

1. a non-UK corporate entity
2. a television broadcaster/SVOD platform or operator
3. a company defined as a large company under the Companies Act 2006

• the lead individual UK producer connected to the applicant company can give evidence of demonstrable production experience. This is defined as having a personal on-screen Producer credit on at least one project that:

1. meets the definition of narrative-driven screen content (as defined in Eligible Content below)
2. has had commercial distribution, or broadcast in the UK or internationally

Your project must also meet all of the following criteria below which are relevant to your project:

All Projects

• My film project (excluding animation and documentary film projects) has not commenced principal photography and is set to commence principal photography before 28 May 2024
• My animation project (whether film or TV) is set to commence principal animation before 28 May 2024
• My documentary project (whether film or TV) is due to be completed before 28 March 2025
• The project has secured or will secure at least one other source of funding on the UK financial share, in addition to any prospective contribution from the UKGSF International Co-production strand and/or the UK Tax Relief. In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, this may include a VOD platform, provided that the VOD platform is not acquiring worldwide rights on a buyout basis.

Who provides the grant?

UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF)

How to apply for the grant?

​​If this is your first application for BFI funding, you’ll need to create an account in order to apply.

They are using a new system for 2023 applications. If you used their old system to apply for funds, you’ll need to create a new account. If you would like to access a previous application, contact UKGSF at ukglobalscreenfund@bfi.org.uk.  

To complete the application form you will need to supply:

• full details of the eligible company and content 
• why and how the content shows export and revenue-generating potential 
• distribution approach and target audiences, markets and territories 
• script, treatment for documentary, animation / storyboard for animation
• preliminary production package, including production schedule, budget and timeline
• split budget detailing expenditure per country and how UKGSF funding will be spent on UK elements of the budget
• full finance plan

Click here to find out more on how to apply.