TheUK Film Council has announced short film projects that will receive fundingthrough the New Cinema Fund's Digital Shorts Plus programme.

Thescheme works with directors previously supported by the Digital Shorts Schemewho are now working on projects budgeted up to $35,039 (£20,000). The FilmCouncil's regional partners put up $17,519 (£10,000) for each film.

Thesix shorts selected are Corinna Faith's Care, co-fundedby Film London; Sarah Trip's Skypark, supportedby Glasgow Media Access Centre and co-financed by Scottish Screen; Sean Spencer'sRomance, co-funded by Screen West Midlands; AneelAhmad's Boot Polish, co-funded by North West Vision;Isabel Anderton's Banged Up, co-funded by South WestScreen; and Dan Elliot's Making of Parts, co-funded by Northern Film andMedia.

TheNew Cinema Fund's shorts initiatives are run by Sheffield-based Lifesize Pictures, which appointed Rebecca Mark-Lawson as itsnew managing executive. Mark-Lawson is an EM Media veteran who replacesCaroline Cooper Charles, now at Warp X. Lifesize receives$286,311 (£163,406) to manage the shorts programmes.

Shorts are also part of Cinema Extreme, which is co-financedby the New Cinema Fund and FilmFour and managed byThe Bureau. Three new shorts are receiving production funding of $43,798 (£25,000)through Cinema Extreme. They are: Miranda Bowen's Honeymoon, Simon Ellis' SetIt Off, and Chris and Ben Blaine's HalloPanda.

TheFilm Council also supports shorts through its Completion Fund, managed by MayaVision International for the New Cinema Fund and LifesizePictures. Projects receiving completion funding are Gareth Lewis's Normal for Norfolk, Daniel Mulloy's Dad, Dictynna Wood's The Other Man, Susan Jacobson's OneTwo Hundred and Fiftieth of a Second, Philip Ilic'sKochana Cafe, Jack Herbert's Fine, Lilja Ingolfsdottir and Jeremy Campbell's Exit the Situation,Hannah Robinson's In the Mood, MarcusShepherd's The Sofa, and Hannah Gal'sHush.

Inother Film Council shorts support, the NorthernIreland Film and Television Commission (NIFTC) hasbeen awarded $70,079 (£40,000) to support shorts film-makers from Northern Ireland.