In memory of our founder, Ruth Mellor, the Kelowna Film Society awards scholarships and grants to promote filmmaking in the Okanagan.

Thanks to the steady audience attendance, the Society is able to aid budding film students and local filmmakers with substantial scholarships and grants. The society has provided $56,000 in assistance as of 2026.

The commercial benefits of these grants, in the form of local employment, commercial spin-offs and increases in film study registrations, is substantial. As well, this funding helps to promote important artistic achievements.

Awards are open to students normally resident in the Okanagan who are planning to attend approved post-secondary film studies, and to established local filmmakers with viable projects. Please visit our Awards History page for information about present and past recipients.

Awards will be in amounts from $500 to $3,000, depending on the individual cases made by applicants. Please see application requirements outlined below. Deadline for annual applications is 5:00 pm on the first Friday in May. Applications MUST ARRIVE VIA EMAIL prior to the deadline to our contact email. Successful applications will be announced at the Kelowna Film Society’s Annual General Meeting in June or July. PLEASE NOTE: all scholarship and bursary recipients must provide a written report to KFS on the status of their funded projects/educational achievements no later than May 1 of the year following their award.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL APPLICANTS

1. CONTACT INFO: Name, address, postal code, phone number(s), email address

2. COVER LETTER - PITCH YOURSELF! 1-2 pages introducing you, the applicant, your educational plan or your project, your career goals, and how the KFS funding will help you achieve those goals.

FOR EDUCATIONAL APPLICANTS

1. Proof of Current Educational Registration : School, Program, Dates Attending.

2. Proof of permanent residency in the Central Okanagan (present residence at the film/tv educational institution of your choice does not invalidate your application).

3. CV outlining your Educational background and results achieved as well as any film projects or creative endeavours that make you stand out.

4. TWO letters of reference that demonstrate your capability of completing the course and achieving your goals

5. You may choose to add up to two pages of support material (creative, professional or personal).

FOR FILM PROJECT APPLICANTS

1. CV – education, past film or creative projects, awards, etc.

2. Proof of residency in the Okanagan.

3. ONE page pitch document for the project that includes: Title, Genre, Running Time, Intended Audience, Log line, Short Synopsis, Stage it’s at (i.e. development, production, post) Budget, Partners etc.

4. Your 1-2 page CREATIVE plan: Show or Tell us WHAT the film will be.

5. Your 1-2 page FINANCIAL plan: Budget, financing, distribution etc. You must clearly state how the KFS funding will be used.

6. ONE page TIMELINE plan: Dates for development, production, completion etc.

7. TWO letters of reference that demonstrate that you have the capacity to complete the film or project you are proposing.

8. Provide a clear statement about whether you used or intend to use AI in the creation of your production, and if so how?

9. You may choose to add up to 5 pages of support material and/or provide links to examples of your previous work or work in progress.

Applications MUST ARRIVE VIA EMAIL no later than 5 pm  on the first Friday in May of each year, to: contactus@kelownafilm.com.

Each year Kelowna Film Society invites applications for scholarships or bursaries from students in full time, post-secondary Film Studies programs and also from local film makers. Funds are generated, throughout the year, from any excess of expenditure over entrance fees collected, at weekly film screenings, throughout the year.

For 2026 we continue our participation with the Central Okanagan Bursary and Scholarship Society COBSS with one scholarship award for a graduating student destined for film school. We use this channel to improve our outreach to students just graduating from Okanagan secondary schools. This Scholarship was awarded to Finley Adams, who has graduated from Kelowna Christian School, and plans to attend film school. This scholarship applies directly to tuition.

We had direct applicants that were reviewed by our scholarship committee. For 2026, we are providing $3000 in tuition support to Adam Torhjelm, who is entering his third year of film studies at Capilano University.

For 2026, we are also supporting a film project. Rachelle Hughes is a local film-maker and CAT graduate. We are supporting her short film project "Sunburnt Limousine".