Why does the IBF Classic funding scheme not accept applications from filmmakers who currently live in a non-listed country—whether full-time, part-time, or temporarily?

The current mandate of the Fund is to support filmmakers who hold the nationality of, and who currently live and work in, an IBF-supported country. The Fund aims to prioritize support for filmmakers who are actively creating documentaries within these contexts, where access to independent funding for creative documentary is currently less accessible than in non-IBF-supported countries.

The IBF Europe funding scheme is open for applications from filmmakers holding the nationality of an IBF-supported country and are based anywhere in the world. However, we encourage you to carefully review the IBF Europe funding regulations, as eligibility includes requirements such as a formal co-production between a producer based in an IBF-supported county and a producer established in a qualified European country, as well as a story set in the director's country of origin.

We recognize that there can be a significant funding gap faced by filmmakers who are migrating in the context of both temporary and permanent migration—whether driven by self-determined freedom of movement or shaped by economic, environmental, political factors, as well as by displacement or exile resulting from conflict or war. Many filmmakers reach out to the IDFA Bertha Fund with unique and complex situations. The IDFA Bertha Fund will consider applications from filmmakers who are living part-time or temporarily in a non IBF-supported country for less than 12 months by the date of application deadline. Filmmakers who currently hold an official refugee status document (and no residency permit in a non IBF-supported country) are also eligible to apply.