UNIQLO-Supported 'The Displacement Film Fund' Announces Second Round of Short Film Grant Directors at Cannes Film Festival

On May 18, 2026, Cate Blanchett, co-founder and representative of "The Displacement Film Fund" supported by UNIQLO, announced five recipients for the second round of short film production grants at the Cannes Film Festival: Mohammed Amer, Annemarie Jacir, Akuol de Mabior, Bao Nguyen, and Rithy Panh. Among these five directors are Annemarie Jacir, who won the Tokyo Grand Prix at last year's Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) for "Palestine 36," and Rithy Panh, whose film "We Are the Fruits of the Forest" received the Special Jury Prize at the same festival. Concurrently, it was announced that five short films from the first round of grants will have their Japan premiere at TIFF in October 2026.

The five first-round grant films premiering in Japan at TIFF in October 2026 are: "Allies in Exile" by Hasan Kattan, "Rotation" by Maryna Er Gorbach, "Sense of Water" by Mohammad Rasoulof, "Super Afghan Gym" by Shahrbanoo Sadat, and "Whispers of a Burning Scent" by Mo Harawe. These works had their world premieres at the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), drawing massive responses including sold-out venues. They have also garnered high international acclaim, such as a five-star rating from the UK's "The Guardian" newspaper.

At the press conference held at the Cannes Film Festival, newly supported film directors Mohammed Amer, Annemarie Jacir, Akuol de Mabior, and Bao Nguyen took the stage alongside Cate Blanchett. Moderated by Clare Stewart, Managing Director of IFFR, discussions centered around the fund's phase two developments, the grant-recipient filmmakers and their projects, and industry-wide efforts to support displaced filmmakers.

The Displacement Film Fund was announced at the 54th IFFR in 2025, co-founded by Cate Blanchett and the Hubert Bals Fund of IFFR. The fund aims to support and grant activities of filmmakers who have been forced to flee or established filmmakers depicting experiences of displacement. As a founding partner, UNIQLO supports these activities with an annual donation of 100,000 euros.

■ Comments from Clare Stewart, Managing Director of IFFR, and Tamara Tatishvili, Head of the Hubert Bals Fund
"After a remarkable journey embarking with our first-round cohort and the success of the world premieres at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026, we are honored to return to Cannes with The Displacement Film Fund. The second-round filmmakers once again embody a broad and outstanding range of cinematic talent, each carrying their own experiences of displacement and forced migration. We are proud to be able to help bring their vital stories into the spotlight. In a time of ongoing global uncertainty, our mission to sustain this fund deepens, and our belief that film can be a powerful force for empathy and positive change grows ever stronger."

■ Comment from Shozo Ichiyama, Programming Director, Tokyo International Film Festival
"We are extremely pleased to be able to screen the five films supported by The Displacement Film Fund at the Tokyo International Film Festival. This project raises profoundly important questions amidst the current unstable political climate. Moreover, the five films created by these talented directors are filled with cinematic adventure and surprises in many ways. I am looking forward to seeing how these diverse works will be received by the Japanese audience."

■ Comment from Koji Yanai, Director and Group Senior Executive Officer, Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.
"UNIQLO has been engaged in refugee support for over 20 years. We are deeply grateful that the circle of support has expanded, backed by our customers and many others. On the other hand, awareness and understanding of refugee issues are still not sufficiently widespread, particularly within Japan. I believe that film has the power to move people's consciousness. The works by the directors supported in the first round range broadly from fiction to documentary and strongly reflect the directors' own personal experiences, characterized by deep emotion, empathy, and strong persuasiveness. I deeply appreciate the Tokyo International Film Festival for recognizing these works and creating the opportunity to screen them in Japan. We also have great expectations for what kind of stories will be born next from the five directors selected for the second round.
Through continuous support for The Displacement Film Fund, under the philosophy of 'Made for All,' UNIQLO will convey the stories of refugees to more people, deepening understanding and interest in global refugee issues."

■ Profiles and Projects of The Displacement Film Fund Second Round Short Film Grant Recipients
Mohammed Amer
Mohammed Amer, a Palestinian-American also known as "Mo Amer," is an award-winning comedian, writer, and director. He also stars in the semi-autobiographical Netflix drama series "Mo," which received high acclaim for both seasons 1 and 2. The series was certified "Fresh" on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes with 100% support from critics, and was selected as an outstanding television program of 2022 and 2025 by The New York Times, New York Magazine, and Time Magazine. For the "Mo" series, Amer has received numerous accolades including the Gotham Award, the 2023 Peabody Award, a 2025 Peabody Award nomination, and an AFI (American Film Institute) Award.

"Return to Sender" (Working Title) (Palestine / USA)
A stand-up comedian from Palestine, issued a refugee travel document, embarks on a long-awaited world tour. However, as he moves from country to country, the hurdles of immigration screening increase in unreasonableness. Will he be able to overcome them with mental strength and determination?

Annemarie Jacir
Annemarie Jacir, a Palestinian filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer, has had her body of work premiered at festivals in Berlin, Venice, Cannes, Locarno, and Toronto. Furthermore, all four feature films she has directed have been selected as Palestine's entries for the Academy Awards. Her breakthrough 2008 film "Salt of this Sea" was the first film directed by a Palestinian woman, and it became her second work to premiere at Cannes. Annemarie is dedicated to mentoring, training, and recruiting talent locally, focusing her efforts on promoting Palestinian independent cinema. Her latest work...