Film Independent has opened applications for a new program that will produce five short films centered on seniors and aging. Each selected film will have a $100,000 all-in budget, and Film Independent says no additional fundraising will be required.
Applications opened September 25, 2026. The non-member deadline is October 26, while Film Independent members receive an extended deadline of November 2.
Featured photo: Elio Yañez, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. The image is illustrative and is not connected to Film Independent or the Humana Foundation.
Why it matters
For an independent team, a fully financed short can provide the production resources and professional support that are usually hardest to secure. This opportunity also comes with an important rights term: Film Independent will produce the projects and own the completed films and their elements. Applicants should weigh that ownership structure alongside the budget and distribution support.
Who can apply
The program is open to U.S.-based director-producer teams. Directors must have directed at least two shorts or one feature; producers must have produced at least two shorts or one feature. Applicants must be physically present in the United States and have unrestricted authorization to work in the country throughout the program.
Teams may submit a fiction, nonfiction, or hybrid short that explores seniors, aging, or the roles older adults play in society. The application requires a script of no more than 15 pages or a treatment of no more than five pages, plus a lookbook, projected $100,000 budget, team materials, and directing and producing samples.
What selected teams receive
Film Independent plans to select five teams. Development sessions will run virtually from January through March 2027, followed by production in June and July and post-production in Los Angeles in August and September. Film Independent also says it will provide publicity, marketing, distribution-strategy consultation, and screening support through 2028.
The program fee is limited to the application fee: $65 for non-members, $45 for members, and no fee for Filmmaker Pro members. Film Independent says there is no additional tuition for its Artist Development programs.
Before submitting
Confirm that both the director and producer meet the experience requirements, that work-sample links and passwords function in a private browser, and that the proposed story is genuinely centered on aging rather than adding an older character at the margins. Applicants should also read the submission and release agreement and understand the program's ownership terms before paying the fee.
Primary sources
Update note
Published September 27, 2026, using Film Independent's official program and applications pages. Dates and requirements can change; applicants should confirm the live application before submitting.