The production fund will help a female director to develop her first feature.

The Stockholm International Film Festival is launching a new production fund to support a female director to develop her debut feature, with backing from Swedish telecoms company Telia, the Swedish Institute and the Swedish Trade association.

Applications will open in June this year, with the winner being announced during this year’s edition of the festival, which runs November 9-20.

The film will premiere at the Stockholm Film Festival next year. The fund will be in addition to the festival’s existing short film scholarship, 1 Kilometer Film, which has been supporting young Swedish talent for 20 years.

Festival director Git Scheynius said the fund would serve to “encourage both Swedish directing talent and promote female filmmakers.”

Lars G. Lindström, feature film commissioner at the Swedish Film Institute added: “By only inviting female directors to apply, it will further enhance our goal to support equality within the industry.”