Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Film London have launched this year’s London Borough Film Fund Challenge, which includes new the new Film London in 90 Seconds.

The Film London’s LBFFC is a short film-making scheme open to all residents of the participating boroughs. Twenty-three boroughs will be involved with the scheme, up from 15 in 2008. The organizers are aiming to open the fund to all 33 London boroughs in the future.

The fund offers $826 (£500) - $6,610 (£4,000) towards the production of a short film. Film London provides financial support, advice and resources while each fund is run and financed by the participating boroughs including Kensington and Chelsea, Cameden and Hackney.

All completed films have the opportunity to be shortlisted for Film London’s Best of Borough Film Awards (BoBs), an annual prize to find the best shorts produced through the fund offering two cash prizes for the winners of a jury award and an audience award.

The new element of the fund, Film London in 90 Seconds, calls on film-makers to make a film about their home borough. The films can be shot on anything from the high-end technology to a mobile phone. The competition, which will open later this year, awards almost $500 (£300) for the best 90 second film from each participating borough.

Many up-and-coming film-makers have used the fund to launch a career in the production industries and several have been shortlisted for prestigious international awards, such as Ralitza Petrova from Tower Hamlets picking up the best short film award at the Berlinale.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “We hope this brilliant scheme will help discover the next Hitchcocks and Spielbergs and ensure London retains its position as one of the key centres for film.”

Topics