The UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF), financed by the UK government’s Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and administered by the BFI, has extended support to Ukrainian filmmakers through the European Solidarity Fund for Ukraine Films (ESFUF).

The ESFUF, an emergency funding program with an overall budget of €1.2 million, brings together 18 partners from 15 different countries, together with the EFAD association and some of its members as well as cultural ministries. Coordinated by France’s CNC, the fund offers dedicated support for Ukrainian filmmakers to help them complete their films and develop new projects while fostering co-productions.

The UK joins ESFUF contributing countries including France, Germany and Italy in supporting feature films intended for theatrical release, in the genres of fiction, documentary or animation. Fund beneficiaries are production companies established in the ESFUF contributing countries which have a co-production contract with a Ukrainian production company.

The role of filmmakers in telling stories and bringing perspectives that inspire people the world over has never been more important or urgent than it is today. We stand with our partners in Europe in supporting Ukrainian filmmakers through the UK Global Screen Fund that we manage on behalf of the UK government.

Ben Roberts, CEO, BFI, said: "We are proud to join colleagues from across the EU in supporting the European Solidarity Fund for Ukrainian Films. Fostering co-productions is at the heart of the UK Global Screen Fund’s mission so it is wonderful to collaborate on this important initiative, encouraging more UK-Ukraine partnerships and more broadly supporting the Ukrainian filmmaking ecosystem at this crucial time."

Denitsa Yordanova, head of UK Global Screen Fund, BFI, added: "The UKGSF, launched in April 2021 to boost international development, production, distribution and promotional opportunities for the UK’s independent screen sector, targets support across film, TV, animation and interactive narrative games. To date, the fund has supported 24 international co-productions with 25 different partnering territories, including Ukrainian Storybox – Voices of War, a Germany/UK/Ukraine co-production, written and directed by David Belton of Yard 44."