Slick Films Fund
Grant · 2026Prestige 58/100
Ten thousand pounds to make your short, decided by a live pitch, with travel paid and an Oscar-winning jury.
Deadlines & fees
Closed for this cycle
The 2026 cycle is complete and no 2027 round has been announced anywhere. That cycle opened on 7 September 2025 and ran through six tiers to an extended deadline of 8 April 2026, with fees from 30 pounds at the lightning tier to 45 at extended for the main fund, and 25 to 35 for the First Time Filmmaker fund. Note the rules and the dates panel disagree on the final date, giving 5 April and 8 April respectively, with the only published time, 23:59 GMT, attached to the 5 April date. Nominees were notified on 6 July and the winner announced at the pitch event on 2 October 2026. The fund has run three years, so a further round is plausible but entirely unconfirmed.
Dates and fees checked against the official site 9 Aug 2026.
Key facts
- Formats
- Short
- Page limit
- 25 pages
- Eligibility
- Open worldwide18+
- Required materials
- Short script of no more than 25 pages, as a PDF, in English · Original and unpublished work, with copyright clearance for any adaptation · Clear specification if the project is documentary or animation · An idea of budget and costs · Treatments and decks are encouraged · Producers must name an attached director or writer
Open to filmmakers all around the world, though submissions must be in English. Participants must be 18 or over at the time of entry. Scripts must not exceed 25 pages across both competitions, with a stated tolerance for entries up to 10 per cent over, and must be original and unpublished; adaptations are allowed with copyright clearance. All genres are welcome, and documentary or animation are accepted provided this is clearly specified. Producers may enter but must have a director or writer attached, while writers and directors may submit alone. Submitters must have an idea of budget and costs, and treatments and decks are encouraged. There is no limit on entries and entrants may also enter other competitions. Main competition nominees must attend the pitch event in person, which is mandatory, though travel expenses are covered for the person pitching, excluding guests. First Time Filmmaker nominees do not pitch.
Prizes
One main winner receives 10,000 pounds towards the production of their short film, and one First Time Filmmaker winner receives 3,000 pounds. Both are ring-fenced: the funding must be exclusively for the production of the submission, is non-transferable and non-negotiable, becomes accessible one month before principal photography, and the film must enter production within 12 months of notification or Slick Films reserves the right to withdraw it. The in-kind package for the main winner is substantial: mentorship from Oscar-winning filmmakers, a production package covering banking, legal, insurance and accounting, a distribution consultation with Network Ireland Television, a consultation with the Bolton Film Festival director, festival strategy from Festival Formula, a featured article in Directors Notes, a DCP technical package from Cinebox, picture finishing and colour grade from Onsight, a publicist consultation with London Flair PR, and annual memberships to The Mandy Network, SMASHPro and CinePlatform. RIGHTS: the participant retains all intellectual property, winning grants Slick Films no exclusive distribution or sales rights, and the filmmaker may explore other distribution. But changes to the script or significant deviations from the proposal need written approval, regular production updates are required, Slick Films may exhibit the winning film at its own screenings and events, and the funding agreement is contingent on mutual agreement on key terms, so the 10,000 is not unconditional until signed.
Judging
An eleven-person jury is published in full: Rachel Shenton, Chris Overton, Mustapha Wehbi, Adrian Barber of Bolton Film Festival, Catherine Lyn Scott of London Flair PR, Sadhbh Murphy of Network Ireland Television, Katie Bignell of Festival Formula, producer Casey Bernice Shaw, Zoe Rothwell, Marbelle of Directors Notes, and writer-director Jordon Scott Kennedy, himself a previous grand jury winner. Nominees are notified in July and pitch live at Bolton Film Festival in October, where the winner is announced the same day. Written feedback is not included as standard and is available only as a paid script report add-on at 75 pounds, read by industry writers, directors and producers the fund has worked with.
The PreList verdict
Ten thousand pounds to produce a short, decided by a live pitch in front of an eleven-person jury that is published in full, chaired in effect by two Oscar winners in Rachel Shenton and Chris Overton. If you are nominated, your travel to Bolton is paid and you get pitch coaching first, which is a rare courtesy. The in-kind package around the money is genuinely deep: post-production and colour grade, DCP creation, a distribution consultation, festival strategy, a publicist, a featured article, and three industry memberships. For a short film fund, that is close to a complete production and release infrastructure.
The honest part is that the money comes with conditions. It is ring-fenced for the submitted project, non-transferable, released only a month before principal photography, and the film must enter production within twelve months or Slick Films can withdraw it. Script changes and significant deviations from your proposal need written approval, and the final funding agreement is explicitly contingent on mutual agreement on key terms, so the 10,000 is not unconditional until signed. You do keep all your intellectual property and remain free to distribute the finished film as you like.
Two practical notes. Attendance at the pitch is mandatory for main competition nominees, so if you cannot get to Bolton in October, this is not for you, although the First Time Filmmaker strand does not pitch. And feedback is not included: a script report costs 75 pounds as a separate add-on. The 2026 cycle is closed and no 2027 round has been announced, though the fund has now run three years and opened in early September for the last one.
Dylian Salvatore, Founder of The PreList · Updated 9 Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
What are the strings on the 10,000 pounds?
It must be used exclusively for producing your submitted script, is non-transferable and non-negotiable, becomes accessible one month before principal photography, and the film must enter production within twelve months of notification or Slick Films may withdraw it. Script changes need written approval, and the final funding agreement is contingent on mutual agreement on key terms.
Do I have to attend in person?
Yes for the main competition. Nominees must pitch at Bolton Film Festival and attendance is mandatory, though travel expenses are covered for the person pitching, excluding guests, and pitch coaching is provided. First Time Filmmaker nominees do not pitch.
Do I keep my rights?
Yes. The participant retains all intellectual property in the script, and winning does not grant Slick Films exclusive distribution or sales rights, so you remain free to pursue other distribution. Slick Films does retain the right to exhibit the winning film at its own screenings and events.
When does it open again?
Not announced. The 2026 cycle opened on 7 September 2025 and closed in April 2026, with the winner announced in October. The fund has run three years, so a 2027 round is plausible, but no dates, fees or opening have been published anywhere.
Is your script right for Slick Films Fund?
Upload your screenplay and The PreList scores how well it fits this grant: genre, format, eligibility and readiness, before you spend anything.
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