Inside Out RE:Focus Fund

Overview

The Inside Out RE:Focus Fund provides direct financial support to women, non-binary, and trans filmmakers telling 2SLGBTQ+ stories. Established in 2018 through a lead gift from Martha McCain, the fund has distributed more than $350,000 to filmmakers around the world since its creation. The fund is administered by Inside Out, the organization behind the Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, and operates alongside the festival's broader industry programming.

The 2026 RE:Focus Fund post-production grant cycle opens June 29, 2026 and closes July 22, 2026, with notification by August 15, 2026. The fund also launched a new Residency Program for first-time feature filmmakers facing intersectional barriers in the film industry.

If you are a woman, non-binary, or trans filmmaker with a 2SLGBTQ+ film in post-production, review the eligibility requirements below and submit through the Inside Out Eventival page.

What It Funds

The RE:Focus Fund currently operates two initiatives:

Post-Production Grants

The primary program provides post-production grants to filmmakers with a completed rough cut. Grants are awarded based on film length:

• Films 59 minutes or less: up to $2,000 CAD
• Films 60 minutes or more: up to $3,000 CAD

Funds are dispersed in Canadian dollars. Both Canadian and international films are eligible. The grants support the completion phase of films in the final stages of post-production, covering costs such as color grading, sound mix, subtitling, and the preparation of festival and distribution deliverables.

Selected films are required to include the RE:Focus logo in their credits. All completed films should be submitted for consideration for the 2026 Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival.

RE:Focus Residency Program

Launched under the RE:Focus umbrella, the Residency Program supports first-time feature filmmakers, particularly those facing intersectional barriers in the film industry. This is a separate initiative from the post-production grants, designed for filmmakers at an earlier stage of their feature film career.

2026 Application Timeline

Applications must be submitted through the Inside Out Eventival portal. The portal closes at the submission deadline and late applications will not be accepted.

Eligibility

Who Can Apply

• Filmmakers: Women, non-binary, and/or trans creators. Films must be both written AND directed by eligible creators.
• Content: Films must feature 2SLGBTQ+ content. The queer content requirement is substantive, not peripheral.
• Priority: Projects that show a commitment to centering QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) stories and inclusion in the hiring of cast and crew will be given priority.
• Geography: Canadian and international films are eligible. International applicants must submit their proposal in English.
• Format: Narrative, documentary, and experimental films of any length or genre are eligible.

Project Stage Requirement

Grants are given only to projects in the post-production stage. Applicants must submit a rough cut when applying. Projects will be automatically disqualified if a rough cut is not provided.

Projects in development, script development, pre-production, or production will not be considered. This is a hard requirement, not a preference.

Submission Requirements

Applicants must complete the application form and submit:

1. A rough cut of the project (required, no exceptions)
2. A PDF version of the budget (top sheet only)
3. A pitch deck (optional, not required)

Applications will be automatically disqualified if any required documents or information are missing.

2025 Grant Recipients

The 2025 RE:Focus Fund supported 12 projects from filmmakers based in Canada, the United States, Peru, Singapore, Thailand, China, and New Zealand. Selected from a record-breaking number of submissions, the 2025 recipients include:

• Accismus (Canada) - Short Film, Director: Brandy Marien
• Anatomy of a F-Boy (US) - Short Film, Director: Fatimah Asghar
• Boygirl (Canada) - Short Film, Director: Michal Heuston
• First Death (US) - Short Film, Director: Alyssa Lerner
• Good Daze (Canada) - Short Film, Director: Jonelle Belcourt
• HEALS (Thailand) - Feature Film, Director: Pailin Wedel
• I Used To Be A Woman, But I Gave It Up For Christ (US) - Feature Film, Director: Nyala Moon
• The Lift (Canada) - Short Film, Director: King Dawit
• Mother's Day (Canada) - Feature Film, Director: Andrew Moir, Luis De Filippis
• Q-POP (US/Peru/South Korea) - Feature Film, Director: Adri Murguia
• rooms of her own (China) - Short Film, Director: Yi Shi
• The Weight of Change (New Zealand) - Feature Film, Director: Charlotte Evans

Funders and Supporters

The RE:Focus Fund is supported by lead donor Martha McCain, along with RBC, the LCBO, and Shaftesbury. These organizations provide the funding that makes the grants possible. The fund does not charge an application fee.

Important Notes for Applicants

• No feedback: Due to the high volume of submissions, Inside Out does not provide feedback on projects that are not selected.
• Reapplication: Inside Out does not recommend resubmitting the same film for consideration unless significant changes to the project have been made.
• Festival submission: All completed films should be submitted for consideration for the 2026 Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival. Grant receipt does not guarantee festival acceptance.
• Credit requirement: Selected films must include the RE:Focus logo in their credits.
• Currency: Funds are dispersed in Canadian dollars, regardless of the filmmaker's country of residence.

Who Should Apply

Women, non-binary, and trans filmmakers with a 2SLGBTQ+ film in post-production who have a rough cut ready to share. The fund is open to both Canadian and international applicants. Filmmakers whose projects center QTBIPOC stories and who have inclusive hiring practices for cast and crew are prioritized.

Filmmakers with projects in development, pre-production, or production are not eligible and should wait until they have a rough cut before applying. Filmmakers without 2SLGBTQ+ content in their film, or whose film is not both written and directed by women, non-binary, or trans creators, should look to other funding sources.

See Also

For LGBTQ+ filmmakers seeking completion funding in the US, see the Frameline Completion Fund entry. For Canadian filmmakers building a broader financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For planning your post-production timeline and budget, use the Post Production Timeline Calculator.