About the Palestine Film Fund 

Launched by the Palestine Film Institute in May 2025, the Palestine Film Fund provides essential financial and professional support for Palestinian filmmakers worldwide, regardless of where they live or what passport they carry. It was established to ensure that Palestinians have the right to tell their own stories, shape their own narratives and control their own images of experiences, struggles, and hopes.

Applications for the spring cycle are closed.

Our Vision

We are working toward a future where Palestinian cinema is recognised, celebrated and supported on its own terms. Where Palestinian filmmakers have the resources they need to tell the stories today that will become an authentic future archive of Palestinian experiences, told by the community. 

Our Mission

The Fund supports filmmakers, at every stage of their journey, through grants ranging from €3,000 to €15,000 to turn their ideas into films that reach global audiences and establish the solid foundation for a sustainable creative ecosystem where Palestinian voices can thrive. 

Who We Support

Palestinian filmmakers face unique challenges, from restricted access to resources to discrimination against Palestinian narratives. We prioritise supporting those working in the most challenging circumstances: filmmakers based in Palestine,  in lower-income countries, and in regions facing barriers to traditional funding.

How We Support 

The Fund has two submission rounds per year. Starting in 2025, there will be one autumn round opening in the first half of September and one spring round opening in April.

The Fund accepts submissions through a streamlined application process in both English and Arabic to keep it accessible and to allow filmmakers to spend more of their time making films, and less time navigating administrative restrictions.

Grantees will be selected by a revolving international selection committee. Applicants can expect to receive a response within ten to twelve weeks following the submission deadline.

Guidelines
Eligibility
Application
FAQ

Guidelines for Applicants

  • Short Films (all stages)

    • Eligible length: up to 30 minutes

    • Eligible stages: all stages (development, production, post-production)

    • Eligible forms: fiction, documentary, animation, hybrid, experimental, essay

    Feature-Length Films

    • Eligible length: longer than 30 minutes

    • Eligible stages: Development, Post-production

    • Not eligible: Production stage

    • Eligible forms: fiction, documentary, animation, hybrid, experimental, essay

    Projects should be original, artistically serious and be intended for television, cinematic, and/or public presentation.

  • Short Films (up to 30 minutes)

    • Development: up to €3,000 (research, concept design, writing, visual references, early creative planning, script development)

    • Production or Post-production: up to €7,000

    Medium- and Feature-length Films (over 30 minutes)

    • Development: up to €5,000 (research, concept design, writing, visual references, early creative planning, script development)

    • Post-production: up to €15,000 (editing, sound design, color grading, festival submission packaging)

    • Production costs are not eligible

    Grant amounts are allocated at the discretion of the selection committee, based on submitted budgets, timeline and feasibility.

  • We will be offering two information sessions for interested filmmakers, scheduled in two different time zones, in April and May. Dates and times will be announced on PFI’s social media channels.

    In case you have any questions please contact the PFF team at fund@palestinefilminstitute.org

Eligibility Criteria

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Am I eligible for the PFF?

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    • Applications are open to projects by Palestinian directors residing in Palestine or the diaspora - there are no residence requirements beyond nationality/origin.

    • Applicants do not need citizenship, but must have a recognised link to Palestine.

    • Non‑Palestinians are only eligible if the film director is Palestinian; for example, a non‑Palestinian producer can apply provided the director is Palestinian.

    • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of application.

    • To apply for feature- or medium-length films, applicants must have previously directed at least one short film.

    • Applicants for short films are welcome regardless of prior directing experience.

    • Co-director teams of which only one person is Palestinian may apply, but the team must prove in their application that the creative relationship is genuine. When applying for a feature, the Palestinian director must have at least directed a short or feature film before.

    • For development, directors and/or producers may apply.

    • For post-production, only the producer may apply. In cases where the producer and director are the same person, this is acceptable.

    • Both individuals and collectives (of directors and producers) may apply, with one designated lead applicant (director or producer) responsible for communication and accountability.

  • No thematic limitations are imposed, but all projects must demonstrate:

  • The Palestine Film Fund prioritizes applicants:

    • Living and working in Palestine

    • Based in low- and middle-income countries

    • Working in contexts with limited access to traditional film financing
      addressing underrepresented or marginalized perspectives (such as Palestinian refugee camps).

  • All grantees must agree to and uphold the Palestine Film Fund ’s Community Agreement, which includes:

    • Zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, or exploitation

    • Ethical and equitable storytelling and labor practices

    • Transparent, respectful collaboration

    By applying to the PFF, you agree to uphold the Code of Conduct, you can read it in full here.

Application Process

    • A logline (max. 80 words)

    • A synopsis (max. 500 words)

    • A project description (max 1500 words)

    • A treatment. For shorts: max 3 pages. For features: max 10 pages. (We understand a treatment as a visual and narrative presentation of your project. This can include images/moods and a narrative structure of your project to help underline your artistic style and approach.)

    • A motivation statement from the director (max. 500 words) if applicable also for the producer

    • A Biography and Filmography of Director and/or Producer

    • An explanation of the project’s current stage and develop/production schedule 

    • A list of partners involved in the project

    • Link to preview material (features: mandatory, shorts: optional)

    • For fiction projects:

      • In development: a script draft (features: mandatory, shorts: optional)

      • In production (only for shorts): a final script is required

    • An overall  budget and financing plan (download template here)

    Unsure what you need to submit? Download our guidelines here:

    Applications are accepted in both English and Arabic. Visual material is ideally submitted with English subtitles, but this is not mandatory. 

    Please submit via the online form, which is only accessible on this page while submissions are open. Applications sent by email will not be considered. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. 

    • All awarded funds received from the PFI Fund must be expended within 12 months of the date of contract signing in accordance with the contractually agreed upon timeline and deliverables, unless otherwise agreed upon through written extensions. The PFF process does not dictate an overall timeline for the completion of the film.

    • The grant can not cover expenses that occurred before the contractual grant period begins. 

    • For development funding, payment is intended to be made directly to the director. If this is not possible for any reason, a signed statement from the director explaining the reason must be provided. 

    • For post-production funding paid to a non-Palestinian producer, a letter of agreement confirming this arrangement must be provided and signed by the director.

    • Reporting shall be carried out using a simple budget template and narrative report template provided by PFF, and shall include the contractually agreed-upon deliverables (e.g., a trailer, a developed treatment, a final cut, or a completed film).

    • All funds shall be disbursed in two instalments: eighty-five percent (85%) upon execution of the contract, and the remaining fifteen percent (15%) upon submission and acceptance of all required reporting documents and deliverables.

  • Applicants may reapply with the same project up to two additional times if previously rejected.
    Past grantees may reapply with a new project after two full funding cycles (typically one year) have passed.

Apply

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Applicants must be Palestinian directors residing in Palestine or the diaspora - there are no residence requirements beyond nationality/origin.

  • Co-director teams of which only one person is Palestinian may apply, but if applying for a feature project the Palestinian director must have directed and released at least one film, and the team must prove in their application that the creative relationship is genuine.

  • Yes, you can apply if this is your first time directing a short film.

  • No. People applying for feature funding, need to have directed and successfully released at least one short film before.

  • Yes, you can apply for a short film at any stage, and for a feature in development as a director/author. For feature post-production, your producer should apply (unless you are both director and producer). If your set-up is different, please feel free to reach out to us.

  • To be eligible for the fund, the project needs a Palestinian director, but can have a non-Palestinian producer.

  • The fund supports short, medium, and feature-length films across all genres. Short films may apply for development, production, or post-production support, while feature films may apply for development and production support.

  • No. Unfortunately, the PFF does not support series projects.

  • Yes, once you have concluded a funding period successfully, you may apply the same project for another stage of production in another cycle. But please remember, in accordance with the Reapplication Policy of the PFF, past grantees may reapply after two funding cycles only.

  • Projects can be submitted in English and Arabic.

  • Yes, films from any length up to 30 minutes can be submitted as a short film project.

  • No, unfortunately you can not apply with multiple projects in one cycle as a director.

  • Yes, you can apply for more than one as a producer, also if you applied as a director before. 

  • No, unfortunately you can’t apply.

  • Short film projects can apply for up to 3.000 Euro for development, up to 7.000 Euro for production and post-production. For mid-length and feature film projects in development (e.g. research, concept design, writing, visual references, early-stage creative planning) you can apply for up to 5.000 Euro and for post-production (e.g. editing, sound design, color grading, festival submission packaging) you can apply up to 15.000 Euro.

  • Yes, applicants may reapply with the same project up to two additional times if previously rejected. A significant development of the project must be demonstrated and approved by the PFF team before the application can be accepted.

  • After your project is selected you will sign a grantee contract. All amounts will be paid in two instalments, 85% upon signature of contract and the other 15% upon the deliveries (final treatment, final budget, rough cut/ final cut), and a basic overview of incurred and planned expenses.

  • Yes, you must spend the funding received within 12 months of signing the contract; unless an extension was granted in writing.

  • No, unfortunately you can only allocate expenses that are spent after the contractual grant period.

Partners

 

Sawsan Asfari

Join Our Network

The Palestine Film Fund exists through meaningful collaboration with film funds, cultural organisations, festivals and foundations who share our vision. We are actively accepting additional institutional partners who can commit to supporting and expanding the global reach of Palestinian storytelling for the long term.