The Women’s Film Club is a global network of emerging women and non-binary filmmakers, and will unveil a €10,000 ($11,260) global short film fund at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.

The initiative represents a dedicated international fund designed specifically to support emerging directors regardless of geographical location.

The fund will begin accepting submissions on June 16, from a strategic partnership with Imgn.ai, the developer of artificial intelligence tools for film producers, and Smash Media, an IP matching platform that connects creators to producers and financiers.

The group said the fund will provide a grant of 10,000 euros to produce the short film. Qualifications extend to filmmakers, those identified from any country as women or non-binary if their projects are in development or production stages.

Applications will be reviewed by the International Group of Women Industry Leaders, a process designed to ensure regional representation of various perspectives and balances. Winners will be announced at the BFI London Film Festival in October and applicants will be invited to participate in London network events, including mentors and potential production partners.

“We have built a community of more than 55 ethnic groups and thousands of members,” said Liza van der Smissen and Nicole Lieberman, who co-founded the organization. “We know that the opportunity to get funding is uneven – some areas have multiple grant opportunities, while others don’t. This fund level competes.”

The co-founder added: “We are committed to supporting the best regardless of location. Whether you are in Nairobi, New Delhi or São Paulo, this fund is for you.”

Since its inception in 2020, the Women’s Film Club has been more than just a source of funding. The organization is an online member club that operates, providing weekly programs focused on mindset development, skill building and networking. Their courses include confidence training in neurolinguistic programming support, goal setting workshops, and strategic industry navigation and are complemented by award-winning female filmmakers.

The group reported that members have been ensuring project financing, agency representatives and festival premieres after joining a community of more than 3,000 filmmakers of more than 55 nationalities.

IMGN.AI is one of the fund's partners, specializing in AI-driven tools to simplify pre-production, editing and VFX workflows. Another major proponent, Smash Media is an AI-assisted platform that connects film and television creators with global producers, specialists and financiers.