Deadline Date: September 15, 2026
The Ultrakort scheme offers funding support for the creation of ultra-short animated films of up to two minutes by emerging and experienced animators.
The key focus areas of the scheme include developing animation talent in the Netherlands, supporting short animated films for broad and diverse cinema audiences, creating visually compelling films with strong imagery, supporting emerging and experienced animators, and producing ultra-short animated films within a six-month period.
Ultrakort is a competition for emerging and experienced animators who want to create short animated films together with a producer. The scheme aims to encourage the development of animation talent and support Dutch short animated films reaching cinema audiences.
The scheme focuses on films that are visually strong, where imagery is a primary element. Spoken text or its intelligibility is considered less important for Ultra Short Films.
A total of five ultra-short animated films will be selected under the scheme. The selected films must be produced within six months of the kick-off, followed by a joint premiere event.
The scheme is intended for animators who wish to create a short film for a broad and diverse cinema audience together with a producer.
A maximum production contribution of €70,000 per film can be requested through Ultrakort. Additional support of up to €2,500 is available for a production coach based on clear justification in the film plan, including a CV, filmography, and explanation from the relevant production coach.
Applications must be submitted by a production company that is a legal entity and not a sole proprietorship or general partnership. The company must have been established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a member state of the EU, the EEA, or Switzerland for at least two years and must continuously produce and exploit films and other audiovisual productions.
The production company must be represented by a producer who, as a majority producer, has been primarily responsible for the creation and release of at least one independent, non-commissioned short or feature film production in the Netherlands. If the producer is making a debut in animation, demonstrable animation expertise must be included within the team at the time of application.
For more information, visit Netherlands Film Fund.
