The Independent Cinema Office (ICO) has announced the latest cohort of awardees for the annual Miles Ketley Memorial Fund, a unique initiative supporting early-career UK filmmakers who have already made their first short or feature and are seeking to take their next step in the industry. Distinctive from other funds which support production costs, the Miles Ketley Memorial Fund can be used to support the filmmaker’s professional development, for example providing filmmaking equipment, development courses, project development costs or international festival travel.
The 2025 awardees include an exciting and diverse slate of 13 filmmakers: Abraham Adeyemi (“Chasing the Night,” short 2023), Alice Russell (“If the Streets Were on Fire,” feature 2022) Alix Eve (“Messenger,” short 2024), Arwa Aburawa (“I Carry It with Me Everywhere,” short 2022), Edem Kelman (“Princess,” short 2020), Georgia Kumari Bradburn (“The Stimming Pool,” co-director feature 2024), Gianni Esporas (“Braiding,” short 2023), Marley Morrison (“Sweetheart,” feature 2021), May Ziade (“Neo Nahda,” 2023), Raheela Suleman (“SABR,” short 2023), Robin Elliott-Knowles (“The Stimming Pool,” co-director, feature 2024), Theo Panagopoulos (“The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing,” documentary short, 2024), and Tolu Stedford (“Fairchecks,” short 2025).
In a significant commitment to future emerging artists, the ICO Board has approved an extension of the fund, which had been scheduled to finish this year. The fund will now continue on for three more years from 2026 to 2028. The new funding includes a 40% increase in value, meaning the annual budget will now be £7,000 each year. With demand for support remaining high, the ICO hopes this fund not only helps individual artists progress, but also contributes to a more equitable, dynamic, and inclusive film culture in the UK.
“We continue to be impressed by the ambition and originality of the work we see from early-career filmmakers, and we know many of them face challenges to sustain that momentum,” said Catharine Des Forges, Director of the ICO. “The Miles Ketley Fund is about making those next steps possible, especially for voices that have historically been overlooked by mainstream funding routes.”
Established in 2022 in memory of former ICO trustee and prominent producer and media lawyer Miles Ketley, the fund reflects his commitment to platforming new voices and nurturing early-career directors and producers. Filmmakers are eligible through previous participation in ICO Screening Days — particularly through its Introducing strand, which showcases new and distinctive stories from across the UK.
Eligible filmmakers are identified through their previous participation in ICO’s Screening Days events, including the Introducing strand — a platform designed to spotlight early career talent across the UK.
The ICO will continue to notify eligible filmmakers directly when applications open each year. For more information on the Miles Ketley Memorial Fund and other ICO opportunities, visit: www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/about-us/miles-ketley-fund/
About the Independent Cinema Office
The Independent Cinema Office (ICO) is the UK’s support organisation for independent cinema. Their vision is that all communities have access to a thriving independent cinema culture. Their mission is to champion the broadest range of cinema, and to develop audiences, venues and talent. The ICO supports independent cinemas through programming, training, consultancy, cultural distribution and organising Screening Days events that help cinemas broaden their programmes Internationally, the ICO runs intensive training programmes, Developing Your Film Festival and Partnership and Revenue Success for Film Festivals, the International Film Festival Network, as well a variety of courses on their Online Learning Platform.
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