Final Call: Submit your project to New Dawn

This spring marks the final call for production support for New Dawn. Filmmakers from Canada, Brussels-Wallonia, Luxembourg, Portugal and the Netherlands have one last chance to submit their projects this year.

New Dawn was created in 2022 to make space for new voices and perspectives in the film industry. At its core, the fund aims for connection. Its aim was to ensure filmmakers who might not easily find their way to public funding to actively connect with us.

And with success. Since the launch, New Dawn has received 290 applications and supported a total of 29 filmmakers. Thirteen of their films were presented at A-list film festivals, and 7 received awards. In total, €3.55 million has been granted to diverse filmmakers and their projects.

New Dawn’s support truly made a difference. The funding did not just enable projects, it strengthened filmmakers’ agency over their own voices, and gave them the space and autonomy to tell stories on their own terms.

In a world where connection remains essential, this is something we, as funds, will continue to work towards. Because when those connections are made, it leads to stronger stories, broader perspectives, a more inclusive and resilient film landscape.

This makes the upcoming round especially significant. So, storytellers with fiction, documentary and animation projects: throw caution to the wind, expose your visions to the world, let the freedom flag fly and send us your dreams one last time!

Final call for New Dawn

June 9, 2026 (17:00 CEST)

Applications

Applications can be submitted by an independent production company based in Canada, the Netherlands, Brussels-Wallonia, Portugal or Luxembourg. Applicants can receive up to €200.000 for a feature film (fiction or animated), or €100.000 for a feature length documentary.

Telefilm Canada, Le Centre du Cinéma et de L’Audiovisuel, Film Fund Luxembourg, Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual and the Netherlands Film Fund are the participating public funds in New Dawn.

Visit the website to learn about our current criteria and don’t hesitate to reach out to Ezra Droog if you have any questions.

Previous films supported by New Dawn include My Favourite Cake by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha (nominated for a Golden Bear at Berlinale 2024, winner of the Eurimages Award in 2022), Omen by Baloji (winner New Voice Prize Un Certain Regard Cannes 2023), Marching in the Dark by Kinshuk Surjan (Special Mention Human Rights Award Competition at CPH:DOX 2024), Julie Keeps Silent by Leonardo Van Dijl (Prix SACD during Semaine de la Critique 2024) and Têtes Brûlées by Maja Ajmia Yde Zellama (Special Mention Generation 14+ at Berlinale 2025).