Hi everyone,
Question for the group: What convinces a financier to say yes to a small, emotional short film?
I’m developing The Mourner’s Silence, a poetic drama about a professional mourner who can’t cry when her own sister dies. It’s designed for a contained shoot and festival run, and I’d love guidance on how to approach micro-budget funding in Europe—especially grants or cultural programs that support short films.
What approaches have worked for you—proof-of-concept teaser, strong deck, or personal outreach?
Warm thanks,
Charmane Wedderburn
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Really, I have found you have to have some sort of potential for ROI, whatever that means. If it's money or just their name in the credits, it's who you know or can connect with, the way the world works.
What are their hot buttons? Product tie-in? Promo'd how and to who and where?
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“You’re so right, Randall — ROI comes in many forms. For a film like The Mourner’s Silence, the return I’m chasing isn’t financial first, it’s emotional — prestige, resonance, and a piece that elevates everyone attached to it. If it stirs the right hearts and travels through festivals, that ripple is the return. Every small, soulful story has to earn its wings somehow — mine just happens to cry quietly before it flies.”