Frameline Opens 2027 Completion Fund With Up to $5,000 for LGBTQ+ Films Worldwide

Frameline’s long-running Completion Fund is accepting its 2027 round from 31 August to 9 October, supporting narrative, documentary, animation and experimental projects already nearing completion.

Filmmakers with LGBTQ+ projects in the final stages of production have a new funding opportunity to consider, with the 2027 Frameline Completion Fund opening its submission window on 31 August 2026.

The programme offers grants typically ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to help filmmakers complete post-production. Applications are open internationally, there is no application fee, and projects can be of any length — meaning short films are fully eligible.

The deadline to apply is 9 October 2026, giving filmmakers more than five weeks to prepare their applications.

Who can apply for the Frameline Completion Fund?

The fund supports films representing and reflecting LGBTQ+ people and communities.

Projects can be:

• Narrative
• Documentary
• Animation
• Experimental
• Episodic
• Other film and video formats

There is no nationality restriction, and Frameline explicitly welcomes international applicants.

Students can also apply as long as they retain artistic and financial control over their projects.

For international submissions, the proposal must be submitted in English and the rough cut must either be in English or have an English subtitle option.

Your film must already be close to completion

This is not a development or production grant.

Frameline requires projects to have completed approximately 90% of production and to be in post-production, or ready to begin post-production once funding becomes available.

Applicants must provide a full working cut of their project.

Temporary sound, colour, visual effects and other unfinished elements are permitted, but projects without a rough cut will not be considered.

That makes the fund particularly relevant to short filmmakers who have already shot their films but still need money for editing, sound, music, graphics, accessibility or final finishing work.

What can the grant pay for?

Frameline allows recipients to use funding for a range of post-production expenses.

Eligible costs can include:

• Editing
• Special effects and graphics
• Music licensing
• Photo licensing
• Closed captioning
• Audio description

The standard grant range is $1,000 to $5,000, although Frameline says its jury may recommend an amount above or below that range.

There is no application fee

Applications to the 2027 Completion Fund are free.

The filmmaker applying must have both creative and financial control over the project.

For collaborative projects, one project director must be designated as the applicant.

Frameline staff members and members of its Board of Directors are not eligible.

Short films are explicitly eligible

One useful feature of the Frameline fund is that it does not impose a minimum or maximum runtime.

Projects may be of any length, genre or nationality, provided they meet the fund’s subject and production-stage requirements.

That makes the opportunity accessible to filmmakers finishing short narratives, short documentaries, animation and experimental work rather than restricting support to feature-length projects.

The programme also encourages applications from filmmakers and communities that have historically been underrepresented within the industry.

Frameline has awarded more than $717,000 since 1991

The Completion Fund has operated since 1991.

According to Frameline, the programme has awarded $717,500 to 203 projects over that period.

Past recipients include films such as The Watermelon Woman, Go Fish, Pariah, Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, Lingua Franca, Chavela, Freeheld and We Were Here.

Projects completed with support from the 2026 fund include Barbara Forever, Lady Champagne, Hunky Jesus, Jaripeo, Adam’s Apple and But Still, We Move.

The fund therefore operates less like a short-term competition and more as an established finishing-finance programme intended to help filmmakers close the gap between production and a completed release-ready film.

Frameline Completion Fund 2027 dates

Filmmakers considering applying should note the following schedule:

• Applications open: 31 August 2026
• Application deadline: 9 October 2026
• Applicant notification: January 2027

There is no application fee.

Frameline’s official page currently states that the application link will be added when the submission window opens. Filmmakers visiting early on 31 August should therefore check the page again if the application form has not yet appeared.

For short filmmakers already holding a rough cut of an LGBTQ+ project, the most important step now is to confirm that the film meets the 90%-complete requirement and prepare the working cut and English-language application materials ahead of the 9 October deadline.