Third year of award set up in memory of Phoebe Frances Brown

Entries have opened for this year’s Phoebe Frances Brown award – a £1,000 bursary to help an up-and-coming female filmmaker turn a comedy idea into reality.

The fund was set up in honour of a writer and performer, pictured, who died of brain cancer in 2022, aged just 29.

It was established  by film-makers’ collective Mister Tibbs, who say: ‘She brought immense wit and warmth to all her work on stage and screen’. That work included an acclaimed one-woman play about her condition, The Glad Game.

The inaugural award went to producer-writer Sychelle Kristina Yanda and last year’s to Olivia d’Lima,  who said: ‘Gaining this funding allowed us to make our film, Scallywags, which we are over the moon with. 

‘The whole process was so accessible, the fund helped us to put together an incredible crew, and shoot the film how we wanted to. An added bonus was having access to advice from the Mister Tibbs team! I'd highly recommend this fund to any female comedy filmmakers out there.’

Applicants must provide a written statement about their planned project and career goals and and an example of their work.

Apply here by May 30, and the winner will be announced at the end of July.

Published: 8 May 2025