The Future of Film is Female Fund

Overview

The Future of Film is Female (FOFIF) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2018 by Caryn Coleman to amplify the work of women and non-binary filmmakers through its Short Film Fund, curated screening programs, and ongoing community building. The organization operates two funding cycles per year, offering cash grants and in-kind post-production services to women and non-binary directors making short films.

Since its founding, FOFIF has supported over 70 short film projects, with roughly half of those from Los Angeles-based filmmakers. Supported films have screened and won awards at Sundance, SXSW, TIFF, NewFest, BFI Flare, and other major festivals. Notable alumnae include Crystal Kayiza, whose FOFIF-supported film Rest Stop won a Sundance award.

FOFIF is distinct from many women-in-film programs because it operates as a community rather than purely as a grant-making institution. Filmmakers who receive FOFIF support join a peer network that continues to provide opportunities, screening venues, and collaborations over time. The organization commits to working with supported filmmakers throughout their careers, not just during the grant cycle.

If you are a woman or non-binary filmmaker making a short film (under 20 minutes) in any genre, and you need a $4,000 cash grant or post-production services, FOFIF runs two cycles per year with a 400-submission cap. Visit thefutureoffilmisfemale.com/submit for current cycle dates.

What It Funds

The FOFIF Short Film Fund provides two types of support:

Cash Grants

FOFIF awards $4,000 cash grants to selected filmmakers. The number of cash grants per cycle varies. In the Spring 2025 cycle, FOFIF partnered with Neon to award three $4,000 grants to LA-based filmmakers. Cash grants can be used for pre-production or post-production costs, depending on the cycle and the filmmaker's stage.

In-Kind Post-Production Grants

FOFIF partners with two post-production companies to provide in-kind service grants:

• Heard City - sound post-production services
• Nice Shoes - color grading services

These in-kind grants cover specific post-production work that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars at commercial rates. For short film filmmakers, a professional sound mix or color grade from these facilities can represent the single largest line item in a post-production budget.

FOFIF Shorts Program

Separate from the fund, FOFIF runs the FOFIF Shorts Program, an annual exhibition initiative. Filmmakers submit completed short films via FilmFreeway for consideration in a curated screening at Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The 2026 edition takes place on September 16, 2026, featuring two screenings with 7 to 9 short films selected from FilmFreeway submissions.

Eligibility for the Shorts Program:

• Directors must be women or non-binary
• Preferred length: no more than 20 minutes
• Works completed from 2023 through 2026
• All genres accepted
• Student films accepted
• International films accepted (English subtitles required if foreign language)
• Episodic or serialized works not accepted
• Films that are currently online or have already screened at festivals are eligible

Eligibility Requirements

FOFIF Short Film Fund

• Applicants must identify as a woman or non-binary person
• Must be the director of the project
• Projects must be short films (preferred length: no more than 20 minutes)
• Documentary and narrative fiction forms are both eligible
• All genres accepted
• Not funding episodic works or festival submission fees
• For pre-production funds, applicants must include samples of previous work
• Submissions are via FilmFreeway at no cost to the filmmaker
• The fund has a cap of 400 submissions per cycle (submissions close when the cap is reached, which may be before the stated deadline)

FOFIF Shorts Program

• Directors must be women or non-binary
• Completed short films (not in-progress projects)
• Preferred length: no more than 20 minutes
• Completed between 2023 and 2026
• All genres, student films, and international films accepted
• Q&A participation is required if the filmmaker is in New York

Application Process and Timeline

FOFIF runs two funding cycles per year (Spring and Fall). The process is:

1. Submit via FilmFreeway: Applications are submitted through FOFIF's FilmFreeway page at no cost. The submission window opens on a set date and closes either on the stated deadline or when 400 submissions are received, whichever comes first.
2. Notification: Filmmakers are notified approximately 6 to 8 weeks after the submission window closes.
3. Grant disbursement: Cash grants are awarded to selected filmmakers. In-kind grants are coordinated with Heard City and Nice Shoes.

Spring 2026 Cycle

• Opens: April 17, 2026
• Closes: Submissions closed after reaching the 400-submission limit
• Notification date: July 20, 2026

FOFIF Shorts Program 2026

• Opens: June 15, 2026
• Closes: July 16, 2026
• Notification date: August 10, 2026
• Screenings at Nitehawk Cinema: September 16, 2026

Spring 2025 Cycle (Neon Partnership)

The Spring 2025 cycle was a special partnership with Neon focused on the Los Angeles film community. It offered three $4,000 cash grants and two in-kind post-production grants. The cycle was announced in response to the cumulative hardships facing LA filmmakers: COVID, the strikes, rising production costs, and the LA fires. Submissions opened April 18 and closed May 2, 2025, with a notification date of June 23, 2025.

Track Record and Community Model

Since 2018, FOFIF has supported over 70 short film projects. The organization's community model means that engagement extends beyond a single grant award. FOFIF maintains ongoing relationships with supported filmmakers, connecting them with new opportunities, screening venues, and peer collaborators over time.

FOFIF curates screenings at cinemas including MoMA, Nitehawk Cinema, and Vidiots. Supported films have gone on to screen and win awards at major festivals including Sundance, SXSW, TIFF, NewFest, and BFI Flare.

The organization also partners with film schools. The Future of Film Award with FSU Film and the FSU Film School's Bold Reach Award x The Future of Film is Female have provided additional grant pathways for student filmmakers.

Who Should Apply

Women and non-binary short film directors who are producing or completing a short documentary or narrative fiction film and who want both financial support and membership in a community of filmmakers at a similar career stage. FOFIF is oriented toward emerging and mid-career filmmakers rather than those with established commercial careers.

The fund is particularly well suited for:

• Pre-production stage filmmakers who have samples of previous work and need $4,000 to begin production on a new short
• Post-production stage filmmakers who need professional sound mixing (Heard City) or color grading (Nice Shoes) to finish their film
• LA-based filmmakers (certain cycles are LA-focused, like the Spring 2025 Neon partnership)
• Filmmakers seeking community beyond a one-time grant, who want ongoing peer connections and screening opportunities

Filmmakers should note that the 400-submission cap means cycles can close before the stated deadline. Submit early in the window to ensure consideration.

See Also

For short film festival strategy and distribution planning, see Film Festival Strategy: Getting Your Film Seen. For building a short film production budget, use the Production Schedule Calculator. For an overview of how small grants fit into a broader financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack.