The 1st Feature-Length Documentary & Hybrid Projects Residency by Linterna Lab invites Spanish-speaking filmmakers worldwide working on documentary or hybrid (non-fiction) projects in pre-production, production, or post-production.
The eight-day program in Malinalco, Mexico (October 19–26, 2025) includes lodging, meals, round-trip transport from Mexico City, and all activities. Seven projects will be selected for creative support, feedback, and post-residency follow-up.
Applications are free. Submit a single PDF to linternalab@gmail.com with synopsis, director’s note, motivation letter, project status, visual materials, and bio. One project per person only. Participation fee varies by payment date, paid in two installments.
Deadline: August 31, 2025 (CDMX time). Results: third week of September.
Review official rules.
Lantern Lab
Catapult Film Fund is an international grant based in San Francisco that supports early-stage documentary projects, focusing on research and development phases. For 2025, the application period is open from August 6 to September 8, 2025. Applicants must submit a letter of intent with a clear project description and sample audiovisual materials.
Winners receive funding to advance their projects and personalized virtual mentorship over several months. Although open to filmmakers worldwide, those outside the U.S. require a U.S.-based fiscal sponsor. Results are announced in late October or early 2026.
There is no in-person event for selected filmmakers, but remote support is provided. Catapult Film Fund is a valuable opportunity for nonfiction filmmakers seeking creative and financial backing in the early stages of their documentaries.
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Catapult Film Fund
The BIFF LAB call is aimed at Ibero-American fiction feature film projects in an advanced development stage. It supports creative teams composed of a director and a producer linked to production companies with at least three years of experience and a solid portfolio.
The event will take place in Bogotá, Colombia, from October 9 to 11, 2025, during the Bogota International Film Festival. Selected projects will participate in workshops, personalized mentoring, and meetings with industry experts to boost their development, co-production, and international visibility.
Applications are free and must be submitted exclusively through the official platform, including project details, participant profiles, timeline, and financing plan. Participants must speak Spanish and attend all event activities.
BIFF LAB provides selected participants with airfare, accommodation, and accreditation, but does not cover per diems or meals. The call opens August 11 and closes August 23, 2025, with results announced on August 29.
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BIFF LAB
CINEMA Campus is a training program for screenwriters and filmmakers aged 18 to 40 developing a short film script. Organized by the RECORD association with support from the Córdoba Provincial Council, it will take place from September 13 to 21, 2025, in Montilla, with accommodation and meals covered.
Six projects will be selected to receive intensive training in scriptwriting, production, financing, pitching, and distribution. Scripts, whether fiction or documentary, must not exceed 12 pages, use more than three locations, and be filmed fully or partly in Montilla. AI use is not allowed.
The Best Script will be produced by Kuántika Films with a budget of €8,000 and receive €1,750 for festival distribution. The winning author will also receive €1,500. Applications close on August 8, 2025.
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Cinema Campus
The Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) offers grants for screenwriting of feature films, aimed at screenwriters developing fiction, documentary, and animation projects. The total budget allocated is 8 million euros.
Grants can reach up to 30,000 euros for fiction scripts and up to 20,000 euros for documentaries. Forty-five percent of the budget is reserved for scripts written exclusively by women, and 25% for scripts in Spain’s co-official languages other than Spanish.
This call seeks to promote diversity and quality in Spanish cinema by supporting the initial creative phase of film projects. Interested applicants can consult the rules, requirements, and deadlines on the official Ministry of Culture and ICAA websites, and address any questions via email.
Review official rules.
Feature Film Scriptwriting Grants – ICAA
