Andrea Arnold is following her Cannes 2006 jury prize-winner Red Road with her second feature Fish Tank, which is being backed by the UK Film Council’s New Cinema Fund with $1.1m (£570,000).

Sources close to the film say it will start shooting in Kent, England on June 23 with a cast of mostly unknowns — the story is about a teenage girl.

Fish Tank is being produced by Kees Kasander for Kasander Films with Paul Trijbits as executive producer. Funding partners include BBC Films and Limelight.

As reported Tuesday, the film is already sold to Curzon Artificial Eye for the UK.

The UKFC New Cinema Fund is also backing Jane Campion’s Keats romance Bright Star (sold via Pathe International, and still shooting) with $1.17m and Morag McKinnon’s Rounding Up Donkeys with $683,200.

Comedy/drama Rounding Up Donkeys is the second film in the Advanced Party trilogy for Sigma and Zentropa, after Arnold’s Red Road. It wrapped shooting in March with Kate Dickie and Martin Compston reprising their roles.

The UK Film Council’s Development Fund previously supported both Fish Tank and Rounding Up Donkeys.

Lenny Crooks, head of the New Cinema Fund, said: ‘I am delighted that we are supporting exciting new films from three inspirational female filmmakers and I hope this encourages other women who want to progress their writing and directing careers. Andrea Arnold has proved herself to be one of the most exciting filmmakers to have come out of the UK for years. She received international acclaim for her first feature and her shorts work and we are delighted that we can help her to progress her career.’

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