Hubert Bals Fund Sets Dev't Support Grants for 20 Projects, Including New Film From 'Pepe' Director

The International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) has selected 20 projects for Development Support grants under its Scheme 2026, awarding €10,000 (about $11,515) each. That total is a third higher than the 15 projects supported in 2025. Eight of the 2026 picks follow a regional emphasis on Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, including the fund’s first project from North Macedonia: Bakhmaro – Invisible Formula, the debut feature by Anka Gujabidze. Grants also cover two projects each from Ukraine and Serbia “amid their political crisis,” alongside an “alumni presence” from IFFR. Recipients include Pepe director Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias and City of Wind from Mongolia’s 2024 Oscar submission.