Climate Spring, in partnership with Film London, has awarded a £10,000 production grant to short film There Will Come Rains as the winner of its inaugural The Hot House: Shorts programme. 
 

The production grant scheme is for scripted live-action short film projects about climate change, with a focus on supporting under-represented and diverse screenwriting and filmmaking talent.

It is supported by Green Screen (powered by Greenshoot and Film London), NXTGen BPS and private donors.
 

Launched earlier this year by Climate Spring as part of its early-stage development offering, the programme also aims to address the absence of scripted productions with the climate crisis at their core. 
 

Climate Spring is a global organisation working with content creators to shift the climate narrative and ultimately work to transform how people see and respond to climate change. The body offers early-stage development funding; advice and guidance for writers, commissioners and producers from climate experts; and support in moving a project from idea to distribution.
 

As well as the £10,000 production grant, There Will Come Soft Rains will receive development and executive producer support, as well as sustainable production guidance and certification from Green Screen to produce the film.
 

Co-written by award-winning director Elham Ehsas and actor Sam Perry, and produced by Lorraine Bhattachary, There Will Come Soft Rains follows protagonist Mira, who, haunted by rising sea levels, defies tradition and her Muslim faith to dig up her father’s grave. While leading Mira on a collision course with the authorities, faith and family, the story also emphasises the power of unity, forgiveness and second chances, both in saving ourselves and our planet.
 

Josh Cockcroft, co-director of Climate Spring, said: “We’re thrilled to award our inaugural The Hot House: Shorts production grant to There Will Come Soft Rains. We’re immensely proud to be supporting the talented team behind this project in bringing this story to life. Our industry and its diverse and creative storytellers have a unique role to play in shaping the narratives and perceptions of ongoing climate conversations. 
 

“At Climate Spring, we’re committed to harnessing the storytelling power of the screen to open up new and inspiring perspectives on the climate crisis, and to provide a platform for diverse human stories about how we can navigate through this collective challenge together. Through The Hot House: Shorts we wish to support those currently under-represented in the screen industries to create powerful content that shifts the often all too dystopian and technical climate narratives, whilst inspiring action and meaningful change.”