Eligibility | Application Guidelines OVERVIEW Thanks to the generous support and partnership of Sharon and Larry Malcolmson through their initial founding gift, the San Francisco Film Society has created a dynamic new grant for feature documentaries in postproduction. The Documentary Film Fund supports riveting documentaries distinguished by compelling stories, intriguing characters and innovative visual approach. A total of $100,000 will be disbursed annually to documentary filmmakers nationwide. Grants will be awarded in the fall of each year. Exact amounts of individual grants and the number of grants made each year will be determined on an annual basis. In addition to the cash grant, recipients will receive various benefits through the Film Society’s comprehensive and dynamic Filmmaker Services programs. These benefits include consultation on production, exhibition, distribution and marketing strategies and networking opportunities; access to the SFFS Project Development & Fiscal Sponsorship program, including full materials and budget review; feature articles on SF360.org, the Film Society’s daily online magazine; and work-in-progress screenings and discussion at SFFS Film Arts Forums.

DOCUMENTARY FILM FUND WINNERS: Match +: Love in the Time of HIV Dir. Priya Desai and Ann Kim How do you find love if you’re HIV-positive in India? MATCH+ chronicles personal stories of singles looking to marry and the matchmakers who help them. Learn more Cutie and the Boxer Dir. Zachary Heinzerling A meditation on companionship, sacrifice, and the creative spirit, this love story explores the chaotic forty-year marriage of two New York-based Japanese artists. Learn more An American Promise Dir. Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster Two sets of parents embark on a 12-year quest to discover the sacrifices they must make to provide the "best" education for their African-American sons. Learn more The panelists who reviewed the 13 finalists’ submissions are Sharon Malcolmson, director Amanda Micheli of Runaway Films, producer Dave Winton of Winton/duPont Films, SFFS Golden Gate Awards Manager Audrey Chang and SFFS Director of Filmmaker Services Michele Turnure-Salleo. In announcing their decision the panelists noted that the winners were selected for their ability to tell intimate, engaging and sometimes humorous stories in a visually gripping style.

THE DOCUMENTARY FILM FUND CYCLE IS NOW OPEN. 

Letter of Inquiry period opens April 9, 2012 and closes May 4, 2012, late deadline is May 11, 2012.
Finalists are invited to submit additional materials around June 8, 2012
Additional materials deadline for finalists is July 11, 2012
Winners will be announced August 2012


ELIGIBILITY
Grants through the Documentary Film Fund are open to filmmakers that satisfy the following criteria:

• Applicant must be at least 18 years old
• Applicant must reside in the United States
• Project cannot be work for hire
• Project must be a feature documentary (60 minutes or more)
• Project must be in, or within three months of, postproduction
• Applicant must be in a key creative role for the film: ideally, the producer or director
• Please note that while we encourage filmmakers to apply for to the SF Internation Film Festival, Cinema by the Bay and Filmmaker360 project development program, winning a grant from Filmmaker360 does not guaranteed acceptance into any of the above programs.

Evaluation Criteria

• Project reflects excellence in storytelling and visual style
• Filmmaker clearly articulates the intended goals for the Grant
• Filmmaker demonstrates how the Grant will impact short- and long-term professional and artistic goals.

Restrictions

• Filmmaker may not be SFFS employee or board member
• Filmmaker may not be a full-time student
• Project cannot be a work for hire
• Only one application per project will be accepted

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

How to Apply

1. Click here and become SFFS Filmmaker Pro member
2. Or, non-members at the Filmmaker Pro Level or higher must pay a $25 administrative fee (if submitted by the early deadline; $45 administrative fee is required after the early deadline and before the late deadline). Pay the administrative fee online here.
3. Submit a Letter of Inquiry online - which you can access at the bottom of this page.  All 2012 applicants will be notified around June 8 if they have been invited to be a finalist or not.
4. Finalists will be asked to submit the following:

• A three-to-ten page treatment
• Work Sample One: A ten-minute sample on DVD or as a link to a website of work-in-progress (excerpts or continuous)
• Work Sample Two: A ten-minute sample on DVD or as a link to a website of a previous work (short or feature documentary)
• A work sample explanation
• Project budget including money raised to date (Excel format)

Finalist work samples and full applications must be received by 5:00 pm on, or postmarked by July 11, 2012 to:

SFFS Documentary Film Fund
c/o San Francisco Film Society
39 Mesa Street, Suite 110
San Francisco, CA 94129

Review Panel
The Film Society will convene a panel of industry professionals to evaluate applications and award grants at its sole discretion.

Crediting San Francisco Film Society
Filmmaker shall provide acknowledgement with a "Produced in association with San Francisco Film Society" credit and SFFS logo

Reporting Requirement
Grant recipients will be required to submit a progress report and a new work sample six months from the date of the grant award.

Apply online:
The online Letter of Inquiry application is no longer available - the application is now closed.