Nava Mau for The Long Con by Aitch Alberto
After completing their proof of concept short film, Highways Lab Director Program Fellows may access the Development Fund, a recoupable investment of up to $200,000 designed to move projects toward feature production. The fund supports script development, casting, visual materials, budgeting, and/or
production planning, bridging the gap between proof of
concept and production readiness. This second phase of the
program is currently in development and expected to launch in its first year in 2026.Investments will be repaid once the project enters production, with the original amount plus a 20% premium, allowing the fund to be reinvested in future Highways Lab Director Program filmmakers.DEVELOPMENT FUND
The Highways Lab Directors Program has supported six filmmakers, each receiving financial support to develop a proof-of- concept short aligned with their next feature film. These directors have begun advancing their projects and will be eligible to apply to the Development Fund in 2026.In Year 2, the program will select four additional directors to join the new cohort, expanding the initiative’s network of filmmakers and strengthening the pipeline of projects that may also become candidates for future Development Fund support.