Producer Alex Usborne and Creative England are coming together to back Dawn of the Dark Fox, a feature project from autistic director Michael Smith and his collaborator Tom Stubbs.

Alex Usborne is based at 104 Films, the UK”s leading production company and training provider focusing on disability.

Dawn of the Dark Fox follows on from their short film, Light & Dark, a comedy about autism, friendship and filmmaking which won the audience prize at Encounters, the prestigious annual short film and animation festival.

104 Films also made Notes on Blindness, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year in conjunction with its sister VR project Notes on Blindness: Into Darkness. The film is due for release this July.

Bristol-based Smith directs Dawn of the Dark Fox alongside Stubbs, with Usborne on board as producer. The project is funded through Creative England”s and the BFI NET.WORK Emerging Talent fund.

Usborne said of the film: “We are delighted that Creative England has supported this project. It sends a strong message about their commitment to diversity and disability in the UK film industry… The power of diversity is that different voices bring a new energy and approach to cinema.”

Paul Ashton, senior film executive at Creative England, said: “At Creative England we look to support the strongest, boldest, most original voices in cinema, and that couldn”t be truer of Michael Smith and the team helping to realise his utterly unique vision on Dawn of the Dark Fox. This really is a one in a million project, like nothing you’ve ever seen before, and we”re over the moon to be backing it.”

All artwork by the director.