Hubert Bals Fund

Overview

The Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) is an international grant program administered by the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) that funds feature-length narrative films by filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Eastern Europe. Since its founding in 1988, the fund has supported over 1,000 projects from more than 100 countries. The current head of the fund is Tamara Tatishvili.

The fund operates multiple grant schemes with distinct funding levels. The Development Support scheme provides 10,000 euros per project. The HBF+Europe: Minority Co-production Support scheme provides 60,000 euros per project. The HBF+Europe: Post-production Support scheme also provides 60,000 euros per project. A new HBF+Brazil: Co-development Support initiative launched in 2025 offers 10,000 euros per project for Brazilian filmmakers.

In 2025, the Development Support scheme received over 900 applications and selected 15 projects, including first-time HBF support for a project from Tanzania, as well as projects from Syria, Cuba, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal. The HBF+Europe schemes selected 8 projects in 2026, including work from Un Certain Regard winner Asmae El Moudir and Sundance winner Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan.

What It Covers

Development Support

• Grant amount: 10,000 euros (approximately $11,760 USD) per project
• Purpose: Screenwriting, research, and early project development for feature-length narrative fiction films
• Selection: 15 projects selected from over 900 applications in 2025
• No European co-producer required: This scheme is open to filmmakers from eligible countries without a European partner

HBF+Europe: Minority Co-production Support

• Grant amount: 60,000 euros (approximately $70,500 USD) per project
• Purpose: Production financing for feature films with a confirmed European co-producer
• Selection: 5 projects selected in 2026
• Requirement: Must have a European co-producer as the applicant producer
• Supported by: Creative Europe - MEDIA programme of the European Union

HBF+Europe: Post-production Support

• Grant amount: 60,000 euros per project
• Purpose: Finishing funds for films that have completed principal photography
• Selection: 3 projects selected in 2026
• Requirement: Must have a European co-producer as the applicant producer

HBF+Brazil: Co-development Support

• Grant amount: 10,000 euros per project
• Purpose: Early development funding for second- and third-time Brazilian filmmakers
• Partners: RioFilme, Spcine, and Projeto Paradiso
• Deadline: September 15 (pilot edition)

Displacement Film Fund (new in 2025)

• Grant amount: 100,000 euros (approximately $104,000 USD) per filmmaker
• Purpose: Original short films by filmmakers displaced by war or conflict
• Partners: Co-founded with Cate Blanchett
• Selection: 5 filmmakers supported in the inaugural round

Eligibility

The fund supports filmmakers from countries listed on the DAC List of ODA Recipients, which is maintained by the OECD and classifies countries as developing nations. This includes most countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and parts of Eastern Europe.

Key eligibility rules:

• Projects must be feature-length narrative fiction films. Documentary and experimental work are not eligible for most HBF programs
• Both first-time and experienced filmmakers are eligible for Development Support
• HBF+Europe schemes require a confirmed European co-producer as the applicant
• The director or producer must be from an eligible country
• Projects must be at the appropriate stage for the scheme (development, production, or post-production)

How to Apply

1. Check eligibility: Verify that the director or producer is from a DAC List country. The list is updated periodically by the OECD.
2. Identify the right scheme: Development Support is for early-stage projects. HBF+Europe schemes require a European co-producer. Post-production support requires completed shooting.
3. Prepare materials: Submissions typically include a screenplay or detailed treatment, director's statement, project budget, financing plan, and filmmaker CV. For co-production support, a confirmed European co-producer must be attached.
4. Submit through IFFR professionals portal: Applications are submitted online through the IFFR website. The fund operates two application rounds per year, with deadlines typically in spring and fall.

Who Should Apply

Filmmakers from developing countries who have feature-length narrative projects at any stage from early development through post-production. The fund is particularly valuable for filmmakers whose home countries lack domestic film financing infrastructure. The Development Support scheme is one of the few international funds that offers grants at the earliest stage of a project, before a screenplay is complete.

Filmmakers who already have a European co-producer attached should apply for the HBF+Europe schemes, which offer significantly larger grants (60,000 euros vs. 10,000 euros). Those without European partners should apply for Development Support.

Track Record and Notable Supported Films

HBF-supported films have won top prizes at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and the Academy Awards. Recent successes include:

• Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmer - Variations on a Theme (2026) - Won the Tiger Award at IFFR 2026 with HBF+Europe Post-production support.

• Danielle Arbid - Only Rebels Win (2026) - Opened the Panorama section at the 2026 Berlinale with HBF+Europe support.

• Hasan Hadi - The President's Cake (2025) - Won the Camera d'Or and Directors' Fortnight Audience Award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Iraq's official Oscar entry. Also supported by DFI.

• Diego Cespedes - The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (2025) - Won the Un Certain Regard prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Chile's Oscar entry. Also supported by DFI.

• Naji Abu Nowar - Theeb (2014) - Won Best Director at Venice Film Festival (Orizzonti section). BAFTA Award for Best British Debut. Oscar shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film. Also supported by DFI.

• Mamadou Dia - Nafi's Father (2019) - Won the Golden Leopard at the 2019 Locarno Film Festival with HBF development support. Senegal's Oscar submission.

What Makes a Competitive Application

1. Geographic eligibility restricted - Filmmakers must be from countries on the DAC List of ODA Recipients (developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Eastern Europe).
2. Feature-length narrative fiction only - Documentary and experimental work are not eligible for most HBF programs. Short films are not eligible for the main schemes.
3. Development Support has a 1.7 percent acceptance rate - 15 projects selected from over 900 applications in 2025. One of the most competitive documentary-adjacent funds in the world.
4. European co-producer required for larger grants - The HBF+Europe schemes (60,000 euros) require a confirmed European co-producer as the applicant. Without one, only Development Support (10,000 euros) is available.
5. Funding caps and eligibility limits - Projects are not eligible if more than 25 percent of the total budget is already confirmed. Projects cannot have participated in more than one industry lab or residence.
6. Artistic quality is the primary criterion - The selection committee is open-minded and not limited to social cinema or specific regional styles. Feasibility and the impact of the moderate contribution are also assessed.

What the Fund Does Not Cover

The HBF does not support documentary films, short films, or experimental/non-narrative work through its main schemes. Grant funds are restricted to the specific stage of production for which they are awarded (development funds cannot be used for production, and vice versa). The fund does not provide distribution support or marketing funds.

Renewal Requirements

HBF grants are one-time, non-renewable per project. There is no renewal process:

• One grant per project per scheme. A project can receive funding through one HBF scheme (Development Support, HBF+Europe Production, HBF+Europe Post-production, or HBF+Europe Distribution). Each scheme is a separate application with its own criteria and funding cap. A project cannot receive both HBF+Europe production and post-production funding (double funding is not permitted).
• Projects cannot have participated in more than one industry lab or residence. This eligibility limit means the HBF is selective about the project's prior development history. A project that has already been through multiple labs is not eligible, which filters for projects at the right stage.
• Projects are not eligible if more than 25% of the total budget is already confirmed. This is a strict eligibility limit, not a preference. The HBF is designed to support projects at an early stage where the HBF contribution will be decisive. Projects with substantial secured financing are not eligible.
• A filmmaker can apply with a new project in a subsequent cycle. The HBF does not bar past recipients from applying with a new project. Mamadou Dia received HBF development support for Nafi's Father (2019 Golden Leopard winner at Locarno). Filmmakers with new eligible projects can apply in future cycles.
• Development Support has a 1.7% acceptance rate. 15 projects selected from over 900 applications in 2025. The extremely low acceptance rate means most applicants will not receive funding on their first attempt. A rejected project cannot be resubmitted (the HBF does not permit resubmission of the same project), but the filmmaker can apply with a new project.
• Grant funds are stage-specific. Development funds cannot be used for production, and vice versa. The HBF does not provide distribution support or marketing funds through its main schemes. Funding is restricted to the specific stage for which it was awarded.

The HBF+Europe schemes require a confirmed European co-producer as the applicant. Without a European partner, only Development Support (10,000 euros) is available. The European co-producer requirement is not a renewal requirement but a structural requirement for the larger grants.

See Also

For understanding international co-production structures, see International Film Markets. To plan your feature film budget before applying, use the Production Budget Calculator. For festival strategy when submitting HBF-funded films, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator.