Open call: IDFA Bertha Fund

The scheme aims to support European producers participating as minority co-producers in feature-length documentary projects led by filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Oceania.

Funding details

• Open to feature-length documentary projects at all stages of production
• Maximum contribution of €40 000 (about $47 000) per project
• Projects in late production or more advanced stages are considered most suitable, due to funding requirements relating to confirmed financing and delivery

Recent supported projects

Recent films backed under this category include:

• Do You Love Me (dir. Lana Daher)
• No Other Land (dirs. Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor)
• Songs of Slow Burning Earth (dir. Olha Zhurba)
• The Brink of Dreams (dirs. Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir)
• Farming the Revolution (dir. Nishtha Jain)

Eligibility

The fund states that priority will be given to producers from countries with limited national co-production funding schemes or those not yet fully integrated into international co-productions.

Applicants are advised to consult the full list of MEDIA sub-programme countries and the IBF Europe country list to confirm eligibility.

Since Ukraine joined the MEDIA sub-programme in 2025, Ukrainian producers must now serve as the European minority co-production partner to qualify under this scheme.

Application process

• Submission deadline: 1 April 2026
• Applications must be submitted via a MyIDFA account
• Regulations, entry forms and frequently asked questions are available on the IBF Europe page
• Enquiries can be directed to idfaberthafund@idfa.nl

View the original call here.

Satiate Chauke, Thabo Hlahla, Nomfundo Radebe, Muvhango Ndou and Tsholo Moteka contributed to this article.