Fondazione Prada Film Fund: A new production space for independent cinema

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For over twenty years, Fondazione Prada has examined cinematographic practices through exhibitions, retrospectives, and publications; now, it transforms into a producer directly involved in the creative process. Launched in 2025 as a response to the structural challenges facing independent cinema, the Fondazione Prada Film Fund has announced the projects selected for its inaugural edition

Fondazione Prada, Cinema Godard, Photo: t-space

Operating with a total budget of 1.5 million euros, the fund aims to repair the paradoxical state of independent cinema today: while experiencing great artistic vibrancy, it faces increasingly deepening fragility in terms of production conditions. As stated by Paolo Moretti, Head of the Fondazione Prada Film Fund, "the most ambitious works in terms of research and formal experimentation face increasing difficulties in finding adequate production support." Stepping in at this precise moment, Fondazione Prada offers a concrete foundation for visionary filmmakers to translate their ideas into reality.

Cinema Godard, Photo: Federica Torra

A free and demanding cinema

Selected meticulously from over 1,200 submissions worldwide, the 14 projects reflect a cinematic approach defined by Miuccia Prada as "free, demanding, and visionary." By opening space not only for established masters but also for directors making their debut features, the selection invests in the future of cinema.

"The quality and experimentation of the selected projects demonstrate the dynamic nature and variety that characterize contemporary independent cinema. With the Film Fund we aim to promote the work of authors, especially those who most need concrete support to translate their vision into reality. Moving forward, Fondazione Prada intends to continue promoting the idea of a free, demanding, and visionary cinema by building a stronger dialogue with those who conceive, develop, and produce films." Miuccia Prada, President and Director of Fondazione Prada

Among the selected names are creative figures such as Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, known for a cinematography built on dreams and memory; Verena Paravel, who pushes the boundaries between the human body and technology; Yuri Ancarani, a significant figure in Italian video art; and Levan Akin, who recently garnered great acclaim with his film Crossing. The diversity of the projects—spanning from the development phase to post-production—is a testament to the fund's desire to touch every stage of film production. The full list of projects supported by the fund reveals the heterogeneous structure of contemporary cinema, transcending geographical and genre boundaries:

Amarcord '90 (working title) Director: Yuri Ancarani (The Challenge, Atlantide) Production: Nicola Giuliano / Indigo Film (İtaly)

Projects in development

Fondazione Prada does not hesitate to take risks by supporting visionary projects still in the conceptual phase.

Amarcord ‘90 (Working title) – Yuri Ancarani (Italy)
Cosmofonia – Verena Paravel (France, UK)
Las Italianas – Laura Citarella (Argentina, France, Germany, Italy)
The Hallucinations – Andrea Gatopoulos (France, Italy, Greece)

Galerna, Director: Tatiana Huezo (Tempestad,Noche de Fuego, El Eco) Production: Nicolás Celis, Victor Léycegui, Tatiana Huezo / Pimienta Films (Mexico) María Zamora / Elástica Films (Spain), Bord Cadre (Switzerland)

Projects in production

In this critical phase where ideas begin to materialize, both master names and new voices are supported.

Jenjira’s Magnificent Dream – Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Colombia, Netherlands, France, Mexico, Thailand)
Summer in Heat – Levan Akin (Sweden, Germany, France)
Captions Will Be Needed – Natalia Almada (Mexico, USA)
Galerna – Tatiana Huezo (Mexico, Spain, Switzerland)
Mulatresse Solitude – Baloji (Belgium, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, South Africa, DRC)
On Land and Sea – Hlynur Pálmason (Denmark, Iceland, France, Finland, Sweden)
The Costume – Corneliu Porumboiu (France, Germany, Romania)
The Human Purge – Eduardo Williams (Argentina)
The Sleeping Woman – Daria Martin (UK, Ireland)

The Difficult Bride, Director: Rubaiyat Hossain (Made in Bangladesh) Production: François D’Artemare / Les Films de l’Après–Midi (France), Khona Talkies (Bangladesh) Midas Filmes (Portugal), Tandem Production (Germany), Barentsfilm (Norway)

Projects in post-production

The Difficult Bride – Rubaiyat Hossain (Bangladesh, France, Portugal, Norway, Germany)

Fondazione Prada commits to the continuity of this initiative, prioritizing projects that harbor "thematic urgency" and "formal risk." Applications for the fund's second edition will open in June 2026.