FUND THE FILTH: Pitch Night & Filmmaker Networking Event
Femme Filth Fest, YUQ Studios, and Meadow Highland Park present FUND THE FILTH, a one-night pitch competition and filmmaker networking event celebrating emerging voices in fringe indie film.
Filmmakers get 5 minutes to pitch their short film in front of a live audience and panel of judges at York Manor. The winner, as decided by our panel of judges, will be the inaugural recipient of the Femme Filth Fund, an unrestricted cash grant (minimum $1,000 but may be more) designed to support a filthy short film project in any stage of development or production. In addition to the Femme Filth Fund, the winner will receive:
A spot in the Summer Meadow Highland Park Artist Residency, where filmmakers will get 3 months of free co-working space to develop their project. (July-September 2026)
Automatic inclusion into the Femme Filth Fest 2027 program, pending the completion of the film.
Additional development and production support from Femme Filth, wherever possible.
MORE PRIZES TBA!
RULES:
Film must be helmed by a woman and/or queer/trans director. Pitch preference will be given to stories with strong femme/queer/trans characters or POV.
Film’s content must have some sort of filthy element. We define “filth” very broadly (think anything from blood and gore to sex to menstruation to masturbation). If you think it’s filthy, chances are we will too.
Film must be pitched live, in-person at our Los Angeles event on Friday, May 8th. Remote pitches will not be considered.
Pitch has to be 5 minutes or less and will be timed. After 5 minutes, pitchers will get a brief warning before being asked to stop the pitch.
Film’s anticipated runtime must be 15 minutes total or less.
Film may be in any stage of development (concepting, writing/drafting, storyboarding, financing, casting), but should not yet be in production.
JUDGES:
Judges TBA!
