This fund supports feature-length documentary films that engage with urgent social issues through strong cinematic storytelling. It is aimed at projects that are both creatively ambitious and clearly positioned for completion and delivery.
To be eligible, the project must have both a director and a producer attached. In addition, either the director or the lead producer must already have completed a feature-length film.
The full budget needed to complete and deliver the film must fall within the range of $300,000 to $1.5 million USD. This makes the fund best suited to documentary teams that are already working within a defined financing structure rather than very early or open-ended projects.
The project must be a feature-length documentary and must address a clear and urgent social issue. Projects that do not engage with a significant societal question are not a fit for this programme.
Applications are accepted year-round on a rolling basis. Teams seeking funding are invited to submit a Letter of Inquiry rather than a full application at the first stage.
The Letter of Inquiry should:
- Fit on one page
- Be around 500 words
- Follow the programme's published LOI guidelines
The team states that it aims to respond to Letters of Inquiry within around 4 weeks.
This is best suited to documentary filmmakers with a clearly defined feature project, a strong director-producer team, a serious social issue at the centre of the film, and a realistic finance plan within the stated budget range.
