The UK Film Council's NewCinema Fund has given funding to two film-makers at very different stages intheir careers: 78-year-old Don't Look Now veteranNicolas Roeg and first-time feature director PaulAndrew Williams.

The fund, which aims tosupport "unique ideas, innovative approaches and new voices," awarded $1.2m (£664,214)of National Lottery funding to Roeg's Puffball. Puffball is a supernatural thriller based on the Fay Weldon novel ofthe same name, adapted by Roeg and Dan Weldon.

Kelly Reilly, MirandaRichardson and Leona Igoe star. Julie Baines, DanWeldon, Ben Woolford, Michael Garland and MartinPaul-Hus are producing. Verve Pictures has UK and Irish rights.

Williams got $339,979 (£184,566)towards London ToBrighton, which will premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festivalnext month.That thriller, set in an undergroundprostitution ring, stars Lorraine Stanley, Sam Spruell,Johnny Harris and Georgia Groome. Williams also wrotethe screenplay. Producers are Rachel Robey and Alastair Clark for Wellington Films and Ken Marshall and Williams for Steel Mill Pictures. Vertigo Films has UK rights.

"It is incredibly excitingto be supporting these two new films being made by Nicolas Roegand Paul Andrew Williams," said Paul Trijbits, headof the New Cinema Fund. "Like Ken Loach and Andrea Arnold whose films achievedspectacular success at Cannesin May and who were both supported by the New CinemaFund, Nicolas and Paul are at completely different stages of their careers buttheir projects perfectly underline the key aim of New Cinema Fund which is tosupport unique and innovative filmmakers."

The New Cinema Fund willappoint a new head in coming weeks as Trijbits'stenure ends.

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