Introduction to Fondazione Prada’s Film Fund
Italy’s Fondazione Prada has officially launched its new film fund, which has an annual budget of €1.5 million to support 10-12 independent films. The fund was first announced in Cannes by the Cultural Foundation of the fashion brand in May and has now set its investment criteria and application periods at the Venice Film Festival.
Investment Criteria and Application Process
The head of the film fund, Paolo Moretti, stated that applications are open to "a first-time filmmaker or a very experienced master who might want to try something new or something visionary." The fund will provide up to €250,000 for each supported project, based on criteria such as quality, originality, and vision, without restrictions in geography, topic, genre, or language. The financing will go to the main production company of a project that must have produced at least two feature films that premiered at an international film festival.
Funding Allocation
Projects in development, production, or post-production can be submitted. The fund will invest €15,000 to €80,000 for projects in development, €30,000 to €250,000 for production, and €15,000 to €100,000 for post-production. Moretti emphasized that the funding is "soft money, but without strings," meaning that recipients are not forced to spend it in a specific country or industry.
Goals and Expectations
The fund aims to support a wide range of film projects, from emerging filmmakers to established masters. Moretti hopes that the fund’s support will help trigger new financial opportunities and attention to the selected projects. The fund’s goal is to create a "collective intelligence mechanism" that leads to a diverse selection of projects.
Selection Committee
An international selection committee has been established to choose the projects that will receive funding. The committee includes programmers, producers, and critics from around the world, such as Violeta Bava, Paolo Bertolin, and Émilie Bujès. The selected projects will be announced between January and February 2026.
Fondazione Prada’s History with Film
The film fund is a development of Fondazione Prada’s activities in the past 20 years, which include supporting film restorations, sponsoring film festivals, and hosting regular film programs at its cinema in Milan. Moretti stated that there is a "mutual attraction" between Fondazione Prada and cinema, and the film fund is another chapter in this long history.
Artistic Freedom
Moretti emphasized that the fund has no artistic restrictions, and the selection committee will choose projects based on their quality, originality, and vision. The fund’s goal is to support innovative and visionary filmmaking, without imposing any specific aesthetic or thematic guidelines.
