Disney+ UK, Northern Ireland Screen launch development fund for female-skewed factual

Disney+ UK and Northern Ireland Screen are launching a fund to help support and grow the production sector in Northern Ireland.

Sean Doyle

Local independent production companies are invited to pitch in a bid to receive a development fund awarded by Disney+ UK and Northern Ireland Screen.

Unveiled at the Belfast Media Festival today, the brief is for female-skewed, factual, single films on Northern Irish, Irish or British subject matter.

The development fund will be awarded to up to five successful Northern Ireland-based indies. The recipients will also receive one-on-one creative sessions with Sean Doyle, director of unscripted for Disney+ EMEA, for a period of development up to 12 months.

Doyle said: “This is an exciting opportunity, not only for the globally recognised creative talent coming out of Northern Ireland, but also for Disney+ to continue developing bold, local stories across unscripted with outstanding creators and producers in local markets.”

The collaboration is part of the commitment from Disney+ to source, develop and produce local original productions in Europe. UK original productions available to stream on the service include Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, Finding Michael, Save Our Squad with David Beckham, Culprits, The Full Monty and Extraordinary.

More information on how to submit pitches will be published on the Northern Ireland Screen website on December 1 along with terms & conditions and the submission deadline.