– Worth a total of 1.5 million euros, the fund supports feature film projects in the development, production and post-production phases
Yuri Ancarani’s Amarcord ‘90, one of the supported projects by Fondazione Prada Film Fund last year
The Fondazione Prada Film Fund, dedicated to supporting independent cinema, is now at its second edition. Worth a total of 1.5 million euros, the fund’s aim is to support works of high artistic value, supporting feature film projects in the development, production and post-production phases. Open to all genres and all geographical areas, the fund welcomes a multitude of languages, forms and perspectives, paying particular attention to works displaying original and demanding cinematographic approaches (read our interview with project manager Rebecca De Pas).
The first call for entries, which was open between September and October 2025, received over 1,200 applications hailing from all over the world. Works combining artistic quality, daring forms and pressing themes were selected, reflecting the energy and diversity of modern arthouse cinema. The 14 selected projects come courtesy of 6 women directors (Natalia Almada with Captions Will Be Needed, Verena Paravel with Cosmofonia, Tatiana Huezo with Galerna, Laura Citarella with Las Italianas, Rubaiyat Hossain with The Difficult Bride and Daria Martin with The Sleeping Woman) and 8 male directors (Yuri Ancarani with Amarcord ‘90, Apichatpong Weerasethakul with Jenjira’s Magnificent Dream, Baloji with Mulatresse Solitude, Levan Akin with Summer in Heat, Corneliu Porumboiu with The Costume, Andrea Gatopoulos with The Hallucinations, Hlynur Pálmason with On Land and Sea and Eduardo Williams with The Human Purge). Four were in the development phase, nine in production and one in post-production, carried by production companies whose combined operations spanned 26 countries and 5 continents.
“This second edition of the Film Fund”, enthused Fondazione Prada president and director Miuccia Prada, “reaffirms our commitment to supporting filmmakers and professionals in the film industry who pursue a free, demanding and visionary idea of cinema. The first edition made it clear that it’s essential to make concrete contributions, particularly to those who are developing projects which stand out for their originality, thoroughness and willingness to experiment. For us, continuing to invest in contemporary film research means contributing towards the vitality of a language that’s essential for interpreting the complexities of the present.”
According to Paolo Moretti, head of Fondazione Prada, “The response to the first edition of the fund exceeded our expectations. The high volume of applications and the quality of the projects confirmed that independent cinema remains a vital field for research, innovation, and creative freedom. The interest shown by the international film community inspires us to strengthen and further develop this initiative so that it can respond ever more effectively to the needs of filmmakers and production companies who choose to follow rigorous and artistically ambitious, personal visions.”
Characterised by a comparatively agile approach, the idea is to efficiently integrate the fund into complex production processes. Its financial contributions of up to 250,000 euros per project are directed towards the main production company for each project and conceived of as a strategic support for the making of each film. Access to the call is restricted to production companies who can demonstrate reliability in resource management and guarantee transparent and responsible use of the funds allocated. Checks are also in place to ensure correct management of finances, the quality of the final product and its consistency with the original selected proposal.
The call for applications – together with eligibility criteria and rules for participation – is accessible at fondazioneprada.org/film-fund/ and will remain open to applications until 6 August 2026 for projects in production and until 10 September 2026 for projects in development and post-production. The final selection will be announced in February 2027.
(Translated from Italian)
