Submissions open for Cypher Cinema

With a development contribution and a workshop and coaching program, the Fund wants to stimulate the influx of new voices and perspectives that contribute to a diverse, accessible film culture.

The scheme focuses on developing a short film with international ambition in the category fiction, animation, documentary and/or experimental. The selected makers work on the development of their film for a year, independently and with workshops, meetings and coaching. Collaboration, dedication and creation are central to this.

They are looking for self-taught makers who did not graduate with the direction of a final exam film from an accredited HBO vocational training, but who do have demonstrable experience as a director of, for example, commercial assignments or television projects. In addition, scouts selected by the Fund will actively search throughout the Netherlands for special makers who can submit an application for Cypher Cinema.

Funding Information

• The following contributions can be requested for Cypher Cinema:
  • Amount to be requested: € 10,000 per project (€ 8,500 for the self-taught director (with creative team/collective), € 1,500 for the producer).
  • You will spend this contribution on the development of the film plan into a treatment or scenario for an original and independent film production of at least 5 and at most 30 minutes (fiction, documentary, experimental film) or at least 1 minute (animation).
  • Cypher Cinema offers a development budget for up to 10 projects.

Who is the scheme for?

• They are looking for unconventional, short films by self-taught directors or collectives that:
  • Not graduated from an accredited higher professional education film course with the direction of a final exam film;
  • Have demonstrable experience as a professional director of audiovisual work (think of commercial assignments or television projects) or have worked as head of department;
  • Have the ambition to further develop and profile themselves as a film director;
  • Work and/or live in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (including the Caribbean part of the Kingdom).

Eligibility Criteria

• A self-taught director/collective who has demonstrably made previous work. By this they mean at least:
  • 1 independent film production (i.e. 1 non-commissioned film production);
  • or 2 commercial audiovisual works, commissioned by 2 separate clients. Think of: commercials, music videos, corporate films, and other commissioned cinematic work.
• Applications can be made with or without a producer. If selected, the maker or collective without a producer will be supported during the process in finding a producer.
• A producer who has completed a recognized vocational training for film or has been primarily responsible as a producer of at least one independent film production within the category for which the application is now being submitted (fiction or documentary). This previous work has demonstrably been realized and released in the professional film and television sector.
• The producer must be established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a member state of the EU, EEA or Switzerland. In addition, the producer must be registered with the Chamber of Commerce, but does not have to be a legal entity (so a general partnership or sole proprietorship is also permitted). A producer and affiliated companies/entities may submit a maximum of two projects per application round.

Application Requirements

• Please attach the following attachments to your application:
  • A film plan (max. one A4 page), including title, logline and synopsis. See the FAQs below for more information about a film plan.
  • Reflection on your own makership; where do you stand now as a maker and how can this submitted film plan contribute to your future as a filmmaker? (max. 1 page of A4 format).
  • CV of the self-taught director (and the creative team)/collective (max. 1 page of A4 format).
  • Please include an example of your previous work(s).
  • A reference. Are there any clients, film talent hubs, scouts or producers you have worked with before who would like to say something about this? They can write a reference that you can add as an attachment (max. 2 people, 1 A4 page per person).
  • Would you like to tell more about who you are as a maker and your film plan in a video? Then you can send in a video of max. 3 minutes. This is not mandatory.

For more information, visit Dutch Film Fund.