World Cinema Fund (WCF Europe)

World Cinema Fund (WCF Europe) is sponsored by Berlinale. The WCF Europe program provides production and post-production funding to European companies from Creative Europe MEDIA sub-programme member states.

World Cinema Fund | Berlinale Next call for funding applications opens on June 22, 2026, deadline on July 24, 2026. For production and post-production support.

A selection of the funded projects Lily Farhadpour, Esmail Mehrabi Keyke mahboobe man | My Favourite Cake Fernanda Vianna, Preta Ferreira, Raquel Ferreira Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu, Hoàng Hà Cu Li Không Bao Giờ Khóc | Cu Li Never Cries Ana Carolina García, Sofía Cabrera Las Mil y Una | One in a Thousand Las herederas | The Heiresses Founded in 2004, the World Cinema Fund was initiated by the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Berlin International Film Festival.

It quickly established itself as one of the leading institutions in the field of international film funding for artistic and innovative productions. The WCF concentrates on backing the production and distribution of films from Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific region, Africa, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia, the Caucasus, as well as Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia and Sri Lanka.

For a detailed list of eligible regions and countries, please refer to the country overview sheet (554 KB) . The goal is to promote high-quality filmmaking in regions with a weak infrastructure for film, while fostering cultural diversity in German cinemas as well as supporting collaboration between German and European producers and partners in WCF regions and countries.

All WCF films completed to date have screened at cinemas and/or in the programmes of renowned festivals. Many have also won significant prizes, proof of the worldwide success of the initiative. The WCF provides support in the fields of production, post-production and distribution for feature length films and creative documentary features.

In cooperation with other institutions, new initiatives were established to develop activities beyond the own funding programme. All production and distribution projects recommended for funding in 2025 can be found in the WCF leaflet (2. 3 MB) .

Further information on the current funding recommendations can be found under News . An overview of all funded films until end of 2024 can be found in the WCF Booklet (33. 1 MB) .

The World Cinema Fund is an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Berlin International Film Festival. The special WCF Europe programme was launched with the support of the European Union's Creative Europe MEDIA programme.