Deadline Date: Ongoing
The Kaleidoscope Scheme is seeking applications to support innovative feature-length fiction, non-fiction, and hybrid films through an alternative funding pathway.
The scheme focuses on fiction, non-fiction, and hybrid films longer than 60 minutes, alternative financing routes, innovative production methods, low-budget filmmaking, creativity, new perspectives, greater diversity in film offerings, urgency, boldness, individuality, groundbreaking content and approaches, clear and consistent cinematographic concepts, coherence between form, content, and approach, and strong collaboration across the creative and production team.
Kaleidoscope is designed for film projects that do not fit within conventional development, realization, financing, and distribution trajectories. It supports teams that choose to create feature films through innovative methods, within a production period of one year and according to a low-budget concept.
The scheme encourages filmmakers to explore alternative ways of making films without being bound to traditional development structures, public-private financing arrangements, or theatrical release models. Through a streamlined financing route and a relatively high fund contribution, it aims to support distinctive film projects and expand diversity within the film landscape.
The programme is open to both emerging talent and experienced filmmakers who wish to challenge conventional approaches and work within defined budgetary and production timelines. Teamwork plays a central role throughout the process. During development, the team must include at least a producer and director and, for fiction projects, also a co-screenwriter or screenwriter. Additional team members may be involved where appropriate for the project’s form, content, and approach.
Applicants may choose whether their project requires a final development phase or is ready to proceed directly to realization. For project development, a grant of up to €28,750, including producer’s fee and overhead, is available. This phase supports the artistic and productional elaboration of the film plan and may include activities such as involving Heads of Department, conducting test shoots, creating storyboards, polishing the script, rehearsals, site visits, worldbuilding, and developing a production budget.
For realization, funding ranges from €300,000 to a maximum of €550,000, including producer’s fee and overhead, for the production of a film of at least 60 minutes. The amount awarded depends on the project’s category, whether fiction, non-fiction, or hybrid, and its level of ambition. The requested budget must be realistic and appropriate to the selected category and project scope.
Applications may be submitted by a production company that is a legal entity established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, an EU member state, the EEA, or Switzerland for at least two years and that continuously produces and exploits films and other audiovisual productions. The production company must be represented by a producer who, as majority producer, has been primarily responsible for the realization and release of at least one independent, non-commissioned film production, whether short or feature-length, within the Dutch professional film and television sector.
For more information, visit Netherlands Film Fund.
