Supporting sapphic filmmakers

Supporting sapphic filmmakers with funding, strategy and industry insight

SapphicIFF exists to support filmmakers telling lesbian, bisexual and sapphic stories by combining strategic guidance, industry knowledge and selective financial support. We help filmmakers make informed decisions around funding, festivals, marketing and distribution so their projects have the strongest possible chance of success.

Whether you are developing a new project, fundraising, navigating film festivals or planning distribution, SapphicIFF offers practical support grounded in real-world experience.

Supercharge your sapphic story today

Naomi is ready and waiting to help you!

Submit a project to our sapphic stories slate

if you have a sapphic project that you’re seeking funding to create, add it to our confidential sapphic slate

REGISTER AS A POTENTIAL INVESTOR

we can help match you with pre-vetted sapphic projects that are seeking funding or investment

TALK TO THE TEAM ABOUT A POTENTIAL PROJECT

if you’d like to find out more about SapphicIFF prior to registering or booking a session, get in touch for an introductory zoom chat

“I adored learning from Naomi, who was thorough and deeply compassionate in her advice. She made sure that I had a solid understanding of the nuances and common pitfalls to watch out for in navigating distribution offers and options, as a new filmmaker. I felt well-cared for, with all of my questions and concerns addressed clearly and with transparency that I’d love from every ally and partnership in this industry, and my admiration for Naomi increased during and after our meeting together, because I saw up-close how hard she advocates for emerging queer and female filmmakers.”

What We Do

SapphicIFF supports sapphic filmmakers at multiple stages of their journey. Our work spans advice, education, strategic support and selective project investment.

We focus on clarity over hype, strategy over guesswork, and long-term sustainability over short-term wins.

We support filmmakers through:

  • Strategic advice on funding, budgeting and pitch preparation

  • Film festival strategy and submission planning

  • Marketing and audience development for niche films

  • Distribution strategy, deal evaluation and release planning

  • Selective project support and investment where appropriate

Why SapphicIFF Exists

Too many sapphic films struggle not because of a lack of talent, but because filmmakers are expected to navigate complex industry systems without clear guidance.

SapphicIFF exists to close that gap.

We believe filmmakers deserve access to honest information, realistic expectations and transparent advice, alongside opportunities for funding and amplification.

membership database

Investors and creators join SapphicIFF and gain access to networks and databases

project Financing

SapphicIFF connects investors to projects they’re interested in, ensuring that both parties are satisfied with the terms of investment

Production Support

SapphicIFF will work with and support creators to create a successful project

Distribution Strategy

SapphicIFF supports through to release. Investment includes support through to distribution

Who We Work With

We primarily support filmmakers creating sapphic, lesbian and bisexual stories, particularly those working on short films, web series and independent features.

Our guidance is especially valuable for filmmakers who are:

  • Working with low or no budgets

  • Releasing their first or second project

  • Unsure how to approach festivals or distribution

  • Looking to fundraise more strategically

  • Thinking about long-term career impact

Current Funds

Sapphic Funds that are currently open

Sapphic Short Film Fund 2025

Sapphic Short Film Fund 2025

The SapphicIFF Open Sapphic Short Film Fund invites all filmmakers to submit their sapphic short films for a chance at two cash prizes, priority curation on Lesflicks, and global streaming. This is the ideal opportunity to showcase new, authentic stories centring...

Supported Projects

Projects that SapphicIFF has worked with or supported

Sacred Vision

Sacred Vision

SUPPORT PROVIDED Brimo contacted us and asked for help with the Indiegogo finishing funds crowdfunder for Sacred Vision. The campaign aimed to raise £4,631 (converted) and eventually secured £2,531. This was a stretch goal to include expedited post-production and full...

If You Only Knew

If You Only Knew

SUPPORT PROVIDED We identified this crowdfunder one month before it ended and immediately reached out to help. We activated our support four weeks before the end of the crowdfunding campaign - which had raised £6,915 of £11,000, but was stagnant. We came online with...

Love Me Lex

Love Me Lex

PROJECT BACKGROUND Love Me Lex started it's journey with a small crowdfunded that launched on 27th September 2021. Writer/Director, Sanja Katich, connected with Lesflicks for help amplifying the crowdfunder. Sanja's first short film, When Harri Met Salma, was already...

Between Action and Cut

Between Action and Cut

Project Name: Between Action and Cut Format: Feature Film Logline: When two ‘poles apart’ actresses, an energetic kid’s TV host and a glamorous franchise superstar, are thrown together in an indie thriller, their chemistry lights up more than the screen. SIFF...

The team behind SapphicIFF

SapphicIFF is an ambitious collaboration between Lesflicks and Infinite Pies Productions to bring together investors and filmmakers.

SapphicIFF aims to help get more sapphic stories made by helping investors identify and become involved with up and coming and ongoing film and web-series projects. SapphicIFF envisions a quiet revolution in the financing of minority-led projects. Rather than content creators relying on self-financing, crowdfunding, or uncertain direct private investment to make shoestring films, we want to establish a mechanism to bring investment to the space in a more structured, reliable way that enables larger budget projects.

Utilising Lesflicks’s growing networks and film slate, coupled with its ability to provide letters of intent and a guaranteed distribution outlet, SapphicIFF wants to increase the amount of investment available for sapphic stories to bring them to the US$250,000-US$2 million budget range for film and the US$20,000-US$100,000 budget range for web-series.

  • Project Management and problem solving
  • Events (from no budget to big budget)
  • LGBTQ+ audiences with a specialism in sapphic
  • Website Design and Graphic Design
  • Strategy and Marketing
  • Automation and Processes
Naomi

Strategic Advice and Support, Lesflicks, SapphicIFF

  • Sapphic film budgets and performance
  • Communities and engagement
  • Sapphic stories
Karen Frost

Infinite Pies

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