Fondazione Prada has confirmed early success for its independent film fund, launched at last year's Venice Film Festival, with the announcement that Bangladeshi director Rubaiyat Hossain's "The Difficult Bride" is competing in the festival's Horizons section after receiving backing from the scheme. The fund, run by former Cannes Directors' Fortnight chief Paolo Moretti alongside programmer Rebecca De Pas, supports independent cinema regardless of theme, genre or language, and its progress matters as a rare example of a well-resourced institution stepping into arthouse film financing at a time when funding for experimental cinema is scarce.

Moretti told Variety the fund received around 1,200 project applications in its first year, prompting the team to expand its pool of readers and collaborators to review submissions thoroughly. It ultimately backed 14 projects rather than the planned 12, after finding that not all applicants had requested the maximum funding available. Supported budgets ranged from a few hundred thousand euros up to five million, reflecting the typical cost range for experimental arthouse films, though Moretti said exceptions could be made for pricier projects that fit the fund's spirit. Winners of the second round of financing will be announced in February, and Moretti said the volume of applications suggests the fund's budget could grow in future.