The new BFI National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund opens today seeking applications from UK screen organisations and production companies to create and run targeted project development labs for features or immersive projects. Awarding up to £150,000 to each development programme, this is the first of five rounds of the fund, which will have a different ‘challenge’ set each time. This round is calling for applicants who can deliver labs for genre-focused project development for new and/or emerging filmmakers. The deadline for applications is midday on 5 December 2023.