In its second year running, Netflix's Documentary Talent Fund is a project dedicated to finding a series of promising filmmaking teams to support them on their creative journeys by providing professional and financial aid.

Of thousands of applicants that endured the rigorous application process, twelve shortlisted teams were invited to Netflix's UK headquarters to then pitch their projects to a panel of industry experts. Among them, five went on to win the ultimate prize, one of which was an Irish director and producer team composed of Anna Rodgers and Zlata Filipovic.

Today we've announced the five filmmaking teams who will receive funding and professional support to make a short documentary as part of the second year of the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund!

Find out about the winners below... ⬇️ https://t.co/LjYrkUOLwJ

— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) June 13, 2023

Their story Two Mothers focuses on the "unusual" bond between the previously trying mother, Cathy, and the Ukrainian woman Ivana who acted as a surrogate for Cathy's twins after she herself lost a late-stage pregnancy.

In light of the war afflicting Ukraine, Cathy reaches out to help. Using the fact that Ireland only recognises the birth mother in law, she takes a risk and brings Ivana and her family to Cathy's small cottage in Wicklow to forge a life together as one family.

"This is a film about their relationship."

Anna Rodgers & Zlata Filipovic - TWO MOTHERS

An unusual bond compels an Irish mother of twins to travel to war torn Ukraine in order to rescue the woman who carried her babies.

— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) June 13, 2023

Other winning contestants included Anna Snowball and Abolfazl Talooni for their film Iranian Yellow Pages, Caroline Willaimson and Troi Lee for Turn Up the Bass, Logan Rea and Krishna Istha for First Trimester, and Olivia Smart for Black People Can't Swim.

All of the winners received a budget of £30,000 to produce a short documentary between 8 to 12 minutes long and will go through a bootcamp run by industry specialists that features workshops on the legal, creative, HR, production, and financial aspects of filmmaking. At the end, their documentaries will be posted to Netflix's YouTube channel sometime next year.

“Last year’s fund was a huge success with filmmakers really making the most of the opportunity and springboarding to other projects and even BAFTA nominations," Kate Townsend of Documentary Features noted.

With this year's talented winners, she also expressed similar hopes for their aspiring careers and appreciation for the creativity behind the stories.

L-R, Bri Akakpo, Kate Townsend, Jonny Taylor, Julia Nottingham, Tamana Ayazi, Tanisha Artman, Aaron Lynch, Alex Brunati, Jenny Popplewell - Photo Credit: Hoda Davaine @Gettyimages

"We are thrilled today to announce our second year cohort who we are sure will also go on to supercharge their careers too. The five films we have selected to support, each offer a unique take on the theme of connection. From an amazing story about two mothers with a unique bond in Ireland, to uniting communities as part of the deaf rave scene in Hackney, we are very much looking forward to kicking off production on these documentaries and seeing what these filmmakers can achieve."

"The sky’s the limits!”