Vimeo Short Film Grant Returns – $300,000 Prize Pool, Five $60,000 Awards, Panavision Camera Packages

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by Alexandra ThompsonToday

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Vimeo has opened the second edition of its Short Film Grant, doubling the total fund to $300,000 and the individual award to $60,000 for each of five emerging filmmakers. This year’s supporting partners are Panavision, OWC, AJA, and ShotDeck, replacing last year’s Nikon and RED partnership. A new five-person jury that includes Kogonada and Jomo Fray, ASC will pick the winners.

The first Vimeo Short Film Grant launched in March 2025 as a $150,000 program presented by Nikon and RED, with five recipients receiving $30,000 apiece and a choice of Z-mount V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X cinema cameras or Nikon Z9, Z8, and Z6III mirrorless bodies. Vimeo says that inaugural round drew more than 3,100 submissions. For 2026 the cash component has doubled and the camera supplier has changed.

The timing is notable. Vimeo was acquired by Bending Spoons in November 2025, and the months since have brought deep layoffs at the platform and a public debate about whether Vimeo still serves the filmmakers who built its reputation.

Bending Spoons co-founder Matteo Danieli presents the expanded grant as the opening move of a broader push.

“Independent filmmakers have been key to Vimeo’s success and rekindling that connection is one of our top priorities at Bending Spoons. Doubling the Short Film Grant to $300,000 is the first of several initiatives aimed at supporting filmmakers throughout their creative process.”

Bending Spoons co-founder Matteo Danieli

What each of the five winners receives

The core of the package is $60,000 in production funding per filmmaker, paid out in March 2027, to make an original short film. According to the official rules on the grant page, the money is intended for production purposes, so projects already shooting or in post are not eligible.

Panavision supplies camera packages, which is the biggest practical change from the 2025 round. Where last year’s winners chose between Nikon and RED bodies supplied by the presenting sponsors, this year’s recipients get access to Panavision camera packages. Vimeo has not published which camera models are on offer.

OWC provides storage for the duration of each project, and ShotDeck opens its library of reference stills and clips from films, series, music videos, and commercials. AJA is also listed as a supporting partner. Each filmmaker also gets a Vimeo Advanced subscription, a step up from the standard plan offered in 2025, plus a release on Vimeo.com and in-person screening.

Mentorship from a new jury

The five jurors serve a double role: they select the winners and then provide mentorship sessions to each filmmaker throughout the program, alongside Vimeo’s Curation Team. All five are drawn from the Vimeo Staff Picks community.

The panel consists of Kogonada (After Yang), Josephine Decker (Shirley), Pete Ohs (Erupcja), producer Sarah Winshall (I Saw the TV Glow), and cinematographer Jomo Fray, ASC (Nickel Boys). Projects will be judged on originality, potential impact and resonance, feasibility of execution, and overall artistic merit.

Who can apply

The eligibility rules published on the grant page are close to last year’s. Applicants must be residents of the US or Canada and at least 18 years old at the time of entry. The program targets emerging directors who have made at least two short films but have not yet directed a feature. Each applicant may submit a single project, and a free or paid Vimeo account is required to enter.

The five films from the inaugural round are collected on a Class of 2025 page on Vimeo.

Deadlines and how to apply

The entry period opened on September 21, 2026 and closes on October 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Vimeo will notify applicants and announce the winners by March 15, 2027, with cash awards distributed and production, along with the virtual mentorship sessions, starting that same month. Applications go through SlideRoom via the grant page. For the official rules, eligibility details, prize descriptions, and the FAQ, please visit the Vimeo Short Film Grant website.

Does a doubled grant change your view of Vimeo under its new owner, and would you apply? Let us know in the comments below!