The 2026 Narrative Short Film Grant Program Guidelines

The Berkeley Film Foundation acknowledges the growing need for funding of short, fiction film projects by East Bay filmmakers and is pleased to announce the third year of our short fiction film grant program. This program will accept short fiction films only and be a separate review process from the non-fiction grant program which closed in early May. 

Please review the guidelines and requirements outlined below. Once you have determined your eligibility, we invite you to submit an application using the Submittable platform.

If you are unable to submit a written application, please contact Isabella Miller at isabella@berkeleyfilmfoundation.org to discuss accommodations and alternate methods to apply.

Timeline:

Applications open: July 27, 2026

Deadline to submit: Monday August 24, 2026 at 11:59p.

Finalists Notified: approximately November 30, 2026

Eligibility

New this year!! To be considered for this grant, the applicant/filmmaker must work or live within the borders of Alameda County or Contra Costa County, must provide a valid street address with the application (PO Box addresses will not be accepted) and submit only one project for consideration per funding cycle.

The applicant must be:

• The Director, co-director, Producer or co-Producer of the films. Organizations may not apply.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• To receive grant funds, applicants must provide either a valid Social Security Number (SSN), Employer Identification Number (EIN), or be affiliated with a fiscal sponsor able to receive funds on their behalf.

Important Restrictions: BFF will not consider a new film proposal from a former grant recipient until the prior funded film is completed. If you have won a grant from BFF in the past, you will only be eligible if it is a non-consecutive year that you are applying, and it must be in a different category. For example, if you won a previous grant in the “production” stage, you would then need to apply in the “post-production” stage.

Eligible Genre:

• Short Form Narratives (30 minutes or less)

Not Eligible:

• Long Form Narratives (41 minutes or longer)
• Broadcast reality entertainment
• Advertising Commercials
• Industrial or Corporate Media
• Animation over 30 minutes
• Music Videos
• Gallery or museum installations
• Documentary shorts
• Documentary features
• Screenwriting

 

We Do Not Fund:

• Retroactive costs
• Deferred costs
• Media projects other than film or video.
• Organizational projects for internal or promotional use.
• General operating expenses of companies or organizations.

What We Are Funding

The Berkeley Film Foundation provides grants for projects in the pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution stages of narrative short filmmaking.

Please note that BFF does not fund screenplay development or writing. Applicants must submit a completed script as part of their application. For the purposes of this grant program, pre-production refers to activities that occur after the screenplay has been completed, including casting, location scouting, production design, permitting, scheduling, crew hiring, and other preparations necessary to begin filming.

The Berkeley Film Foundation is interested in short, fiction films that use creative, thoughtful and innovative methods to tell a story with a strong theme of social or environmental justice. The review committee will be judging films based on originality, imagination and technical skill.

Beyond the issues addressed in the film and the artistic approach, we are wondering: Is this a film that will gain a wide audience both within and outside of serious film viewers? Does the filmmaking team display a level of professionalism that will enable the film to be completed? These are some examples of things that you are encouraged to address in the application.

Examples of Eligible Expenses

The examples below are intended as guidance and are not an exhaustive list of eligible expenses.

Pre-Production

·  Activities   that occur after the screenplay has been completed, including,

·  Casting

·  Location scouting

·  Production design

·  Permitting

·  Scheduling

·  Hiring of crew

·  Crew compensation

·  Other preparations necessary to begin filming.

Production

· Cast and crew compensation

· Equipment rental (camera, lighting, grip, sound)

· Location fees and permits

· Production design, props, and set construction

· Wardrobe, hair, and makeup

· Catering and craft services

· Transportation and vehicle rentals

· Production insurance

· Safety personnel and coordinators

· On-set accessibility accommodations

· Media storage and data management

Post-Production

· Editor fees

· Color correction and color grading

· Sound editing and sound design

· Dialogue editing and ADR

· Foley and audio mixing

· Music composer and licensing

· Visual effects (VFX)

· Motion graphics and titles

· Closed captioning and subtitles

· Deliverables and mastering

· Accessibility deliverables

Distribution

· Film festival submission fees

· Publicity and marketing materials

· Trailer editing and promotional assets

· Poster and graphic design

· Public relations services

· Screening and exhibition costs

· Community engagement events

· Digital distribution deliverables

· Distributor-required deliverables

· Impact Producer or campaign expenses related to the film's release

· Travel expenses directly related to festival screenings or   distribution opportunities

 

Application Requirements

This application must be completed online through the application platform, Submittable. You must complete it online unless you have arranged an alternate method to apply. The application will be live on Monday, July 27, 2026. 

In addition to the various questions asked on the form, applicants will be required to include the following materials:

1.  A Completed Application: Must be submitted via Submittable using the link on the ‘Apply’ page on our website, https://berkeleyfilmfoundation.submittable.com/submit 

NOTE! Reviewers will be asked to rate your project based on artistic merit. For example, does the proposal demonstrate strong artistic vision and a compelling approach to storytelling? Does the project feel original, engaging, and creatively ambitious? Reviewers may also consider whether the applicant has provided clear, thorough, and thoughtful responses that effectively communicate the project's goals and creative approach? 

2.  Script: You must provide a PDF document of the completed script for your project. Please include page numbers. 

NOTE! Reviewers will be asked to rate your project on the strength of the screenplay. For example, is the script well written? Are the characters, structure, dialogue, and storytelling well developed and contain an effective message? Does the screenplay inspire confidence that the finished film will be impactful?

3.  Prior Work: You must provide links to at least one previously completed and distributed film project. These work samples will better understand your creative style and scope of your work. 

NOTE! Reviewers will be asked to rate your project on filmmaker capacity and past work. For example, based on prior work samples and experience, does the applicant demonstrate the ability to execute the proposed project successfully? 

4.  Visual Materials: Please include a pitch deck, lookbook, or mood board that captures the look, feel and tone of your project. BFF will be reviewing this alongside your script, and we are looking for visual materials that immerse the reader into the world you are trying to create with this film.

NOTE! Reviewers will be asked to rate your project based on the effectiveness of your visual materials. Do the materials support the proposed film/script? Do they demonstrate a cohesive creative vision and deepen the reader's understanding of the project? 

5.  Project Budget: You must provide a complete budget with line items of all stages of production. This includes a clear outline of your costs related to development, production, post-production, distribution and impact (if applicable). We encourage you to complete this industry standard budget template. However, if you wish to upload your own document, no points will be deducted. 

IMPORTANT: Please make sure the budget document is concise and eliminate all blank pages. If applying for a distribution grant, please provide a detailed distribution budget and the total production cost. Please make sure the document is formatted correctly, and blank cells do not bleed onto additional pages.

6.  Resumes: Please provide a resume for the director and producer. You may include resumes of other key personnel attached to the project if you wish.

Optional Materials:

7.  Footage (optional): If you have any edited footage, scene select, or trailer, we recommend you provide a link for review or upload to the portal. The footage should show your characters, a sample of the conflict or story, and the developing tone and style of the film. If you create a password-protected link for this application, please use "BFF." 

The Grants

BFF has two tiers of grants available to filmmakers in the Narrative Film Grant Program: special awards (listed below) and general grants. Separate student grants are currently not being offered for this program. Students applying for a narrative grant must apply for a general grant. The number of general grants available has yet to be determined.

General Grants

General grants awarded will range between $5,000 - $10,000*. The amount of the award will be determined by several aspects of the application including (but not limited to) the line items outlined in the project budget, the intended use of the grant, the stage of the project you are in and the team behind the project.

* If you receive a smaller amount than this, it likely means our allocated funds are limited. However, we still want to support your project because of its creativity, cultural value, or social significance. We understand that a small grant from BFF can help spark interest and encourage other organizations to contribute more substantial support.

Student Grants

Separate student grants are currently not being offered for this program.

The Saul Zaentz Award

The Saul Zaentz Award for $25,000 is the Berkeley Film Foundation’s most prestigious award given out every year. The film chosen for this award will embody the mission and purpose of the Berkeley Film Foundation’s commitment to social justice and excellence in cinematic storytelling. This grant is named for the world-renowned film producer, Saul Zaentz, whose body of work includes “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”, “The English Patient” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Zaentz was an original founder of the Berkeley Film Foundation. The recipient of this award is determined by the grants review committee during final deliberation. Filmmakers may not apply for them specifically. All eligible applications are automatically considered.

The Saul Zaentz Award for Creative Vision

The Saul Zaentz Award for Creative Vision for $25,000 recognizes a project that demonstrates exceptional artistic ambition and originality in storytelling. This award is intended for a film that pushes the boundaries of conventional genre and explores innovative approaches to narrative filmmaking. Projects considered for this award may blend genres, experiment with structure or employ other creative techniques to tell the story. The recipient of this award is determined by the grants review committee during final deliberation. Filmmakers may not apply for them specifically. All eligible applications are automatically considered. 

Application Review

Grants and awards are approved by the Berkeley Film Foundation Board of Directors acting upon the recommendations of the Grant Review Panel. The Grant Review Panel is composed of four to six industry professionals distinguished in their respective artistic fields.

• Official applications and support documents must be received by Monday August 24, 2026 at 11:59p.
• Applicants are notified of award decisions no later than November 30, 2026.
• Awards will be distributed by December 31, 2026.
• Grants are awarded on a competitive basis.

Award Requirements

Once you are chosen to receive a grant, the following conditions must be met:

• The grant must be used to execute what is stated in your application, unless otherwise specified by the Foundation following review.
• You must include BFF’s logo in the credits of your finished film.
• You must host and attend one community screening in partnership with BFF at The New Parkway Theater in Oakland following completion, taking into consideration signed distribution contracts, including an on-stage Q&A conversation.
• You must provide a brief report via email, on the status of your project, annually from the time you receive the grant until the project is finished.
• If filmmaking is stopped before completion of the project, you must inform the Berkeley Film Foundation to discuss next steps.

 

Please Note:

The Berkeley Film Foundation can only fund a small percentage of the applicants we receive. A rejection does not preclude future applications.

For technical assistance, including troubles accessing your account or uploading files, please contact Submittable Support at support@submittable.com

For content assistance please contact the Berkeley Film Foundation at info@berkeleyfilmfoundation.org