MacArthur Foundation Awards $5.7M to Support Diversity for Documentary Filmmakers
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation will be awarding $5.7 million in grant money to seven organizations to “support professional nonfiction media makers from diverse backgrounds.” The organization says that $2.25 million of that will be re-granted directly to independent film projects over three years, with remaining funds providing support for fellowships, workshops, training programs and professional development.
The grants will support to both interactive and feature documentary projects through the Sundance Documentary Fund’s New Frontier and Native Programs. It will also enable black filmmakers to experiment with non-linear digital storytelling through Black Public Media’s 360 Incubator + Lab, as well as to provide a new stream of grant funds specifically for filmmakers in the U.S. South through the Southern Documentary Fund. In addition, it will help equip social movements with nonfiction short films created by filmmakers representing and accountable to affected communities through the Docs in Action project at Working Films.
