Planet Health Film Fund
Earthrise and Bupa in partnership with BAFTA Albert
Presented at SXSW London
We are looking for five filmmakers to create bold, authored short documentaries exploring the relationship between personal and planetary health.
The Fund
Earthrise and Bupa, in partnership with BAFTA Albert and SXSW London, are launching the Planet Health Film Fund, supporting five filmmakers to create original short documentaries exploring the deep, often personal connections between human health and the health of our planet.
The fund will award five filmmakers £20,000 each to create a 10-minute documentary alongside accompanying social content. We are looking for authored stories that explore what keeps us healthy and connected to nature in a rapidly changing and increasingly urbanised world.
The Programme
Selected filmmakers will take part in a dedicated online development programme, with masterclasses from BAFTA Albert, YouTube, Together Films and leading industry voices spanning creative craft, sustainable production, digital storytelling and impact. Filmmakers will also receive ongoing support from Earthrise throughout production, with regular check-ins and feedback at key stages.
Each film will be supported through BAFTA Albert’s sustainability certification, helping filmmakers reduce the environmental impact of their productions. Filmmakers will also develop their own audience and impact strategy, exploring how their film can reach and engage audiences beyond its initial release.
The programme will culminate in a coordinated digital-first launch on YouTube and a live showcase at SXSW London 2027.
Key Dates
Oct 2026
26 October 2026
Applications open
Nov 2026
3 November 2026
Online applicant information session
16 November, 6pm GMT 2026
Applications close
Dec 2026
December 2026
Applicants notified of outcomes
Jan 2027
Early January 2027
Five selected filmmakers announced
January 2027
Filmmaker development programme begins
Jan – May 2027
January – May 2027
Film development, production and post-production
May 2027
25 May 2027
Coordinated digital launch of finished films
26 May 2027
Live showcase at SXSW London
Jun 2027
11 June 2027
Audience award winner announced
Application Criteria
The award
- Five awards of £20,000 each.
- The £20,000 award must cover the full cost of making and delivering the film and supporting materials. Projects cannot bring additional production finance and must be realistically achievable within this budget and the agreed delivery timeline.
The film
- Approximately 10-minute standalone documentary plus 2-minute landscape and portrait social versions.
- Documentary / non-fiction only; no scripted fiction.
- The short film should be a complete work in its own right rather than a proof of concept or development teaser for a feature.
- Projects already in development are eligible to apply and may have undertaken some preliminary filming as part of the development process. Projects must not have entered production or post-production at the time of application.
- Final films may be in any language, subject to agreed subtitling and delivery requirements.
- No AI-generated content is permitted in audience-facing materials.
Who can apply
- Open to international applicants aged 18 or over.
- Applicants must have previously directed at least one completed short documentary or comparable authored non-fiction work that has screened at one or more recognised film festivals.
- The lead applicant must be the director of the proposed film. Co-directors are welcome, but one director must be nominated as the lead applicant.
- One entry per individual, whether as a lead director or co-director.
- Applicants must have an eligible production company in place at the point of application. The award cannot be paid directly to an individual.
Applying
- Applications must be made in English.
- Applicants must demonstrate appropriate access to their proposed story and, where relevant, principal contributors.
- Submitted creative materials presented as the applicant’s own work must be their own or the work of identified collaborators.
- If selected, applicants must be available to attend a series of required online development sessions in early 2027. Dates will be communicated in advance.
- Applicants must read the full Terms & Conditions before submitting their application.
Our Principles
Creative freedom and filmmaker authorship are at the heart of this fund. These are standalone, authored documentaries, not branded content. Selected filmmakers will retain ownership of their films and be supported to tell the stories they want to tell in their own creative voice.
However, the films will need to operate within agreed editorial, legal and commercial parameters. Full Creative & Editorial Guidelines are set out in the Terms & Conditions, which all applicants must read before submitting their application.
Accessibility
We want to be accessible and welcoming to filmmakers with different access needs. If you require adjustments or support to take part in the application or production process, there will be an opportunity to tell us what you need, and we will work with selected filmmakers to understand how we can best support them.
We also want to build accessibility into the films from the start, rather than treating it as an addition at the end of production. We will work with our industry partner Screen Language, who will support the programme with subtitling and creative captioning to help make the films accessible to wider audiences.
Applications close 6pm GMT, 16 November 2026
Apply NowOur partners
Building on a legacy of work
Bupa is a healthcare company that looks after the health of more than 60 million people worldwide, and the partnership grew from a conviction we share, that you cannot have healthy people without a healthy planet. The way we move, eat, breathe and live is bound up with the health of the places around us, and with nearly 60% of the world's population now living in cities, many people are losing access to nature and the health that comes with it.
Learn more about BupaEarthrise is a studio and media platform producing high-impact, multimedia climate storytelling for a global Gen Z audience. Earthrise has reached hundreds of millions of people worldwide, shaping cultural narratives, public engagement and action on the climate crisis. Known for combining rigorous journalism with emotionally resonant storytelling, Earthrise has led partnerships with brands, charities and global platforms, resulting in a Webby Award with Google Arts & Culture and a Cannes Lion for Sounds Right with Spotify. Clients include Patagonia, Meta and Oxfam, with work spanning digital, film and broadcast for YouTube Originals, BBC Natural History Unit and Bloomberg Originals.
Learn more about EarthriseWe first launched Planet Health Stories in 2025, where 12 filmmakers from 6 countries produced films exploring access to green space, mental health and community - united by a single, hopeful idea: that caring for ourselves and caring for the planet are the same act. The films were featured in National Geographic, seen by over 31 million people online and 93% of viewers said they felt more connected to nature after watching the series.
Learn more about Planet Health Stories 2025
