The IDFA Bertha Fund based in the Netherlands supports filmmakers and documentary projects in developing countries. Grants are available for International Co-Production, Project Development, Production and Post-Production for eligible filmmakers in developing countries.

Forthcoming application deadlines (May 1st and May 15th) - see below for details.

Applications to the IDFA Bertha Fund can be made in a variety of different funding categories. IBF Classic offers development and production support to filmmakers in developing countries. IBF Europe aims to stimulate the collaboration between independent European producers and producers from developing countries.

In all categories, the fund is looking for films that use strong visual treatments to tell compelling stories and have the potential to reach a global audience. Director of all applying projects should be a citizen of a country on the IBF Country List, living and working in this country.

International Co-Production

This category caters to documentary projects in all stages of production that have a director from a country on the IBF Country List and that are realized through international co-productions between at least one European and one non-European producer. The maximum contribution per project is €40,000. The application has to be submitted by the European co-producer and should involve a creative element (i.e. a key crew member or post-production service) from Europe.

Next deadline: May 1, 2017. Read the regulations.

Project Development

Contributions for project development during the early phase play a crucial role in starting up a project. The maximum contribution for project development is €5,000. A contribution for project development can be spent on research, the development of the screenplay and/or the production of a trailer. Applications have to be submitted by a director or producer from a country on the IBF Country List and the contribution must be spent in a country on this list as well.

Next deadline: May 15, 2017. Read the regulations.

Production & Post-Production

Financial support for production and post-production allows filmmakers to actual realize their projects. The maximum contribution for production & post-production is €17,500. These contributions can be spent on all forms of production and post-production, from filming and editing to making the documentaries suitable for screening in cinemas, on television and at international festivals. Applications have to be submitted by a director or producer from a country on the IBF Country List and the contribution must be spent in a country on this list as well.

Next deadline: May 15, 2017. Read the regulations.