Prada Foundation Fuels Indie Cinema with $1.7M Fund

The Fondazione Prada Film Fund has initiated its support for independent cinema, allocating a total of €1.5 million ($1.7 million) to bolster film projects globally. This new fund, launched last year, aims to provide unrestricted support across themes, genres, and languages. It has selected its first batch of 14 features from a pool of over 1,200 submissions, representing 26 countries and five continents. These selected projects encompass various stages of filmmaking, with 4 in development, 9 in production, and 1 in post-production.

The foundation's support is structured across three phases: development, production, and post-production, with a maximum of €250,000 ($296,000) available for production. Miuccia Prada emphasized the fund's commitment to supporting authors, particularly those needing concrete assistance to realize their creative visions. The goal is to foster a free, demanding, and visionary cinema through enhanced dialogue with filmmakers.

Managed by Paolo Moretti and Rebecca De Pas, the fund addresses the recognized structural fragility within contemporary independent cinema despite its artistic vibrancy. It aims to bolster research and formal experimentation in filmmaking by providing essential production support. The 14 selected projects showcase a diverse range of sensibilities and artistic approaches, ensuring that rigorous and innovative cinematic research can fully develop under favorable productive conditions.