Short film funded projects by region
South West
Pen Mari
Producer: Denzil Monk, Rachel Burton & Pierre Schomburg
Writer: Callum Mitchell
Director: Siôn Marshall-Waters
Genre: Horror
Format: Live action
Description: In the desperate search to acquire a horse’s skull — required to participate in a local folk procession — a man is drawn into the black market for animal parts.
Bare Roots
Producer: Lucy Mainstone
Writer: Ellen McDougall
Director: Ellen McDougall
Genre: Drama
Format: Live action
Description: In the depth of winter, an estranged mother and daughter plant a bare root hedge, unearthing the loss and heartbreak they have each buried, and exposing their needs for home, and each other.
South East
Daddy Daze
Producer: David Ajayi
Writer: Phil Ossai
Director: Phil Ossai
Genre: Comedy/drama
Format: Live action
Description: Darrel is a sardonic stay at home dad trying to form his own fatherhood journey. A routine trip to solve his traditional Nigerian father’s tech issues quickly descends into an attack of outdated gender roles and passive aggressive comments.
North
Meat Raffle
Producer: Harry Shaw
Writer: Stuart Armstrong
Director: Stuart Armstrong
Genre: Comedy/drama
Format: Live action
Description: A closeted divorced dad attempts to rig his local pub’s turkey prize draw to impress his distant son at Christmas.
Midlands
The Butcher
Producer: Ashley Morris
Writer: Stuart Edwards and Selina Mosinski
Director: Stuart Edwards and Selina Mosinski
Genre: Comedy/horror
Format: Live Action
Description: An ageing community led by a sadistic Butcher will do all it can to see a young local carry on their ritualistic traditions.
Smooth the Edges
Producer: Alessandro Luchetti & Liza Mortimer
Writer: Charles Newland
Director: Charles Newland
Genre: Drama
Format: Live action
Description: Chantel, a young woman of Romani-Gypsy heritage conceals her ethnicity to avoid workplace discrimination, but after losing her job, she confronts her identity while navigating the challenges of finding new employment and facing the prejudices of those around her.
Starboy
Producer: George Somner
Writer: AR Ugas
Director: AR Ugas
Genre: Drama
Format: Live/action
Description: A rising rapper grapples with the consequences of his music’s influence when he attends the birthday party of one of his young fans.
London
Birdhouse
Producer: Jo Sargeant
Writer: Moritz Valero
Director: Moritz Valero
Genre: Drama
Format: Live action
Description: In a world where friends are hard to find, especially for those who don’t quite fit the mould, an unsuspecting young man finds himself in a cacophony of trouble, as a local gang leader takes advantage of his need for connection and sets up shop in his flat.
In 2024 BFI NETWORK shortlisted 31 short films projects for funding.
These short film projects have been approved for funding from the 2024 open call, at the time this page was last updated.
Further projects from the 2024 open call will be added to this list once their final funding awards are confirmed.