The UK Film Council's NewCinema Fund has announced that its completion fund for short film-makers willdistribute ($90,000) £50,000 in post-production funds during 2006.

The scheme, which is run byMaya Vision International, encourages short filmmakers to apply with rough cutsand receive funding for completion.

Brief Encounters, theInternational Short Film Festival in Bristol, is presenting films that hadrecently worked with the Completion Fund, including Avie Luhra's Lucky, Bruce Webb's Rare Books and Manuscripts, J. Blakeson's Pitch Perfect and Ben Miller's Starry Night.

"The Completion Fund has been incredibly successful to date as the NewCinema Fund works with and develops the creativity of emerging directors andproducers," said Paul Trijbits, head of the New Cinema Fund. "The scheme was originally conceived to develop newtalent, invest in original short film ideas and push the boundaries offilmmaking and we have been delighted with the results."