Two People Exchanging Saliva by Alexandre Singh, Natalie Musteata
Oscar winner, Telluride Film Festival, Brussels Independent Film Festival, ...
The Tarkovski Grant supports hundreds of filmmakers each year in their challenging journeys as independent filmmakers. From 'new filmmakers' to Oscar winning talent.
The good news, you’ve completed a film. A narrative, documentary, experimental, animated, underground or any other type of film. It took you an immensely amount of energy, money and time.
The bad news, right when you thought you were ready to share everything with the world, you realized that a new hurdle rised all over again, simply to get your project seen by anyone else. To get your message out into the world, to get recognition. Although this frustrating approach may be standard in some creative fields, there aren't many industries that are as competitive as the film industry. This means that when independent filmmakers want to get their work properly recognized, they usually need the help of a professional organization to get even the basic attention their work deserves.
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Founded in 2015, more than 6,000 filmmakers received The Tarkovski Grant resulting the successful release of so many amazing gems that might otherwise stay under the radar. Some of the selected films went on receiving selections and awards at the top tier film festivals such as Cannes Film Festival, Sundance, Toronto International Film Festival, … even going as far as receiving an Oscar.
The Tarkovski Grant is supported by major film festivals from all over the world.
If selected you'll get a FilmFreeway submission fee waiver package that's worth at least $500 USD and grants you free submission access to 20+ film festivals. The current festival partners include iconic festivals such as the Brussels Independent Film Festival, the Venice Film Week, Super Shorts, Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival, Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festivals… among many others.
This not only saves you a lot of money, but it also recognizes your work as something to watch for during the selection procedure, making a selection with another partner film festival more likely - but of course, never guaranteed.
Get ready to shine.
On top of this, you'll have the opportunity to get exposure through Final Cut Magazine with a customised one-on-one interview on your work.
Find your stage and make yourself heard.
Submit your work to one or more of the following international film festivals to be considered for The Tarkovski Grant:
(*BAFTA- **BIFA- ***Producer's Night- ****Canadian Screen Awards-qualifying festival)
US:
Manhattan Independent Film Festival***
Super Shorts New York Film Festival***
Super Shorts Los Angeles Film Festival***
Doc.Boston Documentary Film Festival
New Jersey Independent Film Festival***
Somerville International Film Festival***
New York Monsters Film Festival***
CANADA:
Toronto Arthouse Film Festival***
The Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival****
AUSTRALIA:
Doc.Sydney Documentary Film Festival
BELGIUM:
Brussels Independent Film Festival***
Bruges International Film Festival***
QueerCine International Film Festival***
Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival
Ghent International Film Week***
Ghent International Short Film Festival***
UK:
Scottish Queer International Film Festival (Best Scottish Short Award)*+**
Super Shorts London Film Festival***
Doc.London Documentary Film Festival
THE NETHERLANDS:
Amsterdam Independent Film Festival***
Amsterdam International Short Film Festival ***
ITALY:
Venice Film Week***
Verona International Film Festival***
IRELAND:
Waterford International Film Festival
HONG KONG:
Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival***
GERMANY:
Doc.Berlin Documentary Film Festival
FRANCE:
Doc.Paris Documentary Film Festival
Cannes International Film Week***
Portugal:
Lisbon International Film Festival***
Free access for filmmakers from Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Palestine, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tajikistan, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe:
... and more coming soon
The Tarkovski Grant, a history of supporting one another.
The program started in 2015 by supporting 169 filmmakers. Then the support was extended to 430 filmmakers in 2016, 444 filmmakers in 2017, 351 filmmakers in 2018, 422 filmmakers in 2019, 474 filmmakers in 2020, 611 filmmakers in 2021, 654 filmmakers in 2022, 950 filmmakers in 2023, 772 filmmakers in 2024 and in 2025 the support was granted to 951 filmmakers.
The average value of The Tarkovski Grant is about $500 per filmmaker, bringing the total value of support until 2025 to a whopping $3,114,000 or approximately an annual support of $283,091.
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Measuring this financial impact is certainly an important aspect to shining a light in the dimly lit corners of independent film production, and it should not be understated how much this opportunity should not be passed up by any up-and-coming independent filmmaker.
What cannot be measured though is the size and scope of the waves that these opportunities create. Similar to a stone skipping across a pond, these waves coexist in harmonious and even sometimes beautiful ways.
Making every intersection a new place to explore- creating infinite swells of endless creativity.
Sara Bonaventura, Brussels Independent Film Festival
"Great communication! Our 16mm Quadratura got officially selected and therefore entitled to receive the Tarkovski Grant among other gifts and perks. I think this is a great initiative for extended networking! We're very grateful!"
Cheryl Gelover, Boston Short Film Festival
"Additionally, The Boston Short Film Festival awards the Tarkovski Grant – a substantial package of fee waivers for partner festivals – super nice and yet another reason we'll be keeping this festival on our submission list."
Dana Plays, Cannes International Film Week
"...The Tarkovski Grant (festival waiver package) supports independent filmmakers by leading to potential distribution contracts and many future festival opportunities for their films."
Margaret Mäses, Doc.Berlin Documentary Film Festival
"...receiving the Tarkovski Grant gave me an excellent opportunity to further distribute my work. Couldn't recommend more."
Shelley Hopkins, Ghent International Film Week
"...amazing to receive the Tarkovski Grant which has meant I can apply to many more film festivals which means a lot to a zero budget filmmaker!"
Kerri Lynn Miller, New Jersey Independent Film Festival
"...we won Best New Jersey Film, but also were awarded The Tarkovski Grant. This festival really supports filmmakers."
Gino Evans, Super Shorts London Film Festival
"All selected films receive the Tarkovski Grant, which is brilliant - giving you free entry into a host of other festivals."
Nils Agdler, Toronto Film Week
"I strongly recommend all festivals in the 'Tarkovski' network, since it gives filmmakers the opportunity to submit to many festivals for free..."
Dries Meddens, Venice Film Week
"...very happy with the Tarkovski Grant giving access to an even larger network and an important stepping stone for my next film."
Giuseppe Petruzzellis, Verona International Film Festival
"A good opportunity to further promote a film, thanks to the Tarkovski Grant."
Caroline Vokas, Super Shorts New York Film Festival
"...What I loved most about the festival was their ethos in helping promote independent filmmakers through their connection to festivals around the world with the Tarkovski Grant."
Aashish Kumar, QueerCine International Film Festival
"...The festival selection comes with a Tarkovski Grant with free waiver codes for a bunch of great festivals - this is a shot in the arm for us indies!"
contact.
The Tarkovski Grant and The Bigger Screen are projects by Velvet Room BV
Boulevard du Régent 54
1000 Brussels, Belgium, EU
E: info@velvetroom.org
The Tarkovski Grant
