An Urgent Cinematic Response to Displacement: A New Fund Led by Cate Blanchett Premieres at Cannes
by Alexandra I. Mas
During the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, a bold and timely new initiative was unveiled, an emergency film fund directed by acclaimed actress and humanitarian Cate Blanchett, designed to support established filmmakerscreating short films in contexts of displacement.
Unfolding against the global backdrop of rising forced migration, this initiative emerges not just as a funding mechanism, but as a cultural and ethical response to one of the defining crises of our time. The project champions the belief that cinema has a unique capacity to bear witness, amplify marginalized voices, and provoke empathy.
The launch was backed by a powerful coalition of film institutions:
— The Rotterdam International Film Festival, represented at the panel by Claire Stewart,
— The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, represented by Rajendra Roy (Raj),
— And the Cannes Film Festival itself, which provided both the platform and the symbolic weight for this announcement.
The fund is made possible by Mastermind, Uniqlo, Droom en Daad, the Tamer Family Foundation, and the Amahora Coalition. IFFR is the managing partner via the Hubert Bals Fund.
With Blanchett’s leadership and the collaboration of these major institutions, this fund signals a new chapter in the intersection of film and humanitarian action—supporting artists not just as storytellers, but as first responders in times of crisis.
photo by Marco Tassini for The EDGE mag
“The Displacement Film Fund is a pilot scheme launched in February to support displaced filmmakers or those with a strong track record in telling authentic stories about displacement. Each of the selected filmmakers receives a €100,000 production grant for a short film, which will premiere at IFFR 2026.”
Claire STEWART
Cate Balnchett (UNHCR Global Ambassador / Selection Committee Chair)
Q: How did the idea for the Displacement Film Fund originate?
Cate: It began about 18 months ago at the Global Refugee Forum. As a group, we noticed that displacement was largely absent from mainstream film narratives. We wanted to support artists who were displaced or working in that context.
Q: What was the goal of creating this fund?
Cate: The goal was to support artists who are displaced—not just label them as such, but highlight them as filmmakers and storytellers. It was important to move away from stereotypes and provide a platform for bold, genre-based, and emotionally rich stories.
Q: What were you looking for in the selected projects?
Cate: We focused on experienced filmmakers with compelling short film proposals. This initiative complements existing support for emerging filmmakers by targeting those who already have a strong industry presence.
Displacement Through the Director’s Lens: Stories from the Ground
As part of the unveiling of the Displacement Fund at Cannes, we also had the chance to speak with two of the first selected filmmakers whose work embodies the urgency and intimacy this initiative seeks to champion: Ukrainian director Maryna Er Gorbach and Somali filmmaker Mo Marawe.
For Gorbach, the acclaimed director behind Klondike (2022), the seeds of her film were sown during a moment of profound crisis.
“‘Klondike’ began from a place of fear,” she recalled, referencing the 2014 occupation of Crimea and the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17. “It was a personal response to overwhelming events. I made it to give myself a voice when international and domestic reactions felt insufficient.”
Receiving support from the Displacement Fund marked a turning point.
“It felt like a fairy tale—having a proposal already financed was a very special and moving moment,” she shared. “There was this sense of being seen, understood, and trusted.”
Somali director Mo Marawe offered a equally powerful testimony.
“I didn’t set out to be a filmmaker,” he said. “Film became a form of therapy after leaving Somalia. It helped me reconnect with my identity and culture.”
His path has been marked by resilience. Making films in Somalia has meant building from scratch.
“There was almost no film infrastructure,” he explained. “My first short film in 2020 was created with 70–80% of the crew being locals new to filmmaking. It’s not just about storytelling—it’s about rebuilding a filmmaking community.”
For Marawe, filmmaking isn’t just artistic expression—it’s restoration.
“It’s deeply personal and multifaceted,” he said. “It’s a way to build bridges, reconnect with my roots, and open doors for future Somali filmmakers.”
Their voices illustrate exactly why the Displacement Fund matters: it supports creators not only in telling urgent stories, but in reclaiming the tools of authorship and cultural continuity in times of fracture.
The Academy Opens Its Doors to Refugee Filmmakers
In a historic shift underscoring the evolving mission of the Academy, Raj Roy, member of the Executive Committee for the International Feature Film Award, shared details of a groundbreaking eligibility rule: for the first time, filmmakers with refugee or asylum-seeker status can now compete in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, independently of a country’s official submission.
“The Academy has opened the International Feature Film category to filmmakers who are refugees or asylum seekers,” Roy explained. “This ensures talented voices can compete even if their home countries won’t—or can’t—submit their work.”
The change, Roy noted, draws inspiration from the Olympic model that recognizes displaced athletes under a neutral banner, allowing participation without erasing national identity.
“Historically, displaced filmmakers couldn’t submit under their home country’s banner. Inspired by the Olympics’ refugee team model, we wanted to maintain national cinema visibility while allowing marginalized voices a chance to be seen.”
The policy shift is about more than just eligibility—it’s a declaration of principle from one of cinema’s most influential institutions.
“The Best International Feature Film category is often the main gateway for foreign-language films to reach the Academy and global audiences,” Roy said. “This change ensures it remains inclusive while preserving its essence.”
The move signals a deeper commitment to equity and global representation, aligning perfectly with the Displacement Fund’s goals—and underscoring why this initiative resonates far beyond the film festival circuit.
