OPPORTUNITIES

Rolling Deadlines:

• Calling all Indigenous artists! Toronto Art Council’s Indigenous Arts Projects program offers annual multi-disciplinary project grants to support your creative journey. Explore the diverse range of art practices and apply in one of four grant categories. Submissions are rolling—learn more here.

• The Black Artists Grant (BAG) is a £500 no-strings financial support to help UK-based Black creatives. Whether you’re in need of new equipment or to fund your latest project, learn more and apply here.
  

• Submit your documentary for Educational Distribution with GOOD DOCS! If your latest doc is based on education and engaging with students about rarely heard stories then this is where your next application should be. Find out more here.

• The Pulitzer Center provides grants to cover the hard costs of reporting projects. Grants are open to all journalists: writers, photographers, radio producers, and filmmakers; staff journalists as well as freelancers. Deadline is rolling, find out more here.

• The Sustainability Prize, launched by Creo and Sony, offers $5,000 to filmmakers passionate about communicating key themes linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, along with Sony digital imaging equipment and promotion across Sony’s channels. The winners will also get the chance to be honored at a showcase hosted by the United Nations Foundation and Sony Pictures. Apply here.

• Field of Vision has relaunched their *free* mentorship & consultation service! Filmmakers from around the world can sign up for consultation about Professional Development, Technical Assistance, Pitch Training, Story Development, Distribution Strategy, and more. Sign up today!

• Winter / Spring Filmmaking Workshops at DCTV: Looking to expand your media skills? DCTV’s Workshops offer hands-on training in cinematography, editing, documentary filmmaking, and more—taught by industry professionals. Whether you’re an aspiring storyteller or a working creative, these workshops provide essential tools to bring your ideas to life. See the list of classes and sign up here.

Upcoming Funding Deadlines

• March 1 - March 31: Long Story Short, Kickstarter’s annual celebration of bold and brilliant short films and the visionary people who make them, is calling all boundary-pushing filmmakers to launch short film campaigns in March 2025. If you’re a filmmaker ready to take your short to the big screen, this is your chance. Learn more and apply here!

• March 10: The Doc Society has launched the Climate Story Fund Program to support compelling independent media storytelling, including climate-themed films, podcasts, and radio projects ready to launch by mid-2026. They are offering $50k-$125k grants to 6-8 selected projects. Apply here.

• March 10: Sundance Institute's The Sandbox Fund, in collaboration with Sandbox Films, offers grants for independent artists exploring the intrinsic link between science and culture through innovative storytelling. The fund offers support to projects at all stages: development (up to $40,000), production (up to $100,000), and post-production (up to $100,000). Apply here.

• March 17: Archival Bootcamp is seeking applicants for an artistic residency with a special focus on archival and memory projects. The Bootcamp is a week-long opportunity to work on archival or memory-based projects in the beautiful Valencian countryside. Participants will also be able to connect with an international network of artists and creatives. Apply here.

• March 20: SGIFF is proud to announce the launch of the SGIFF Film Fund 2025 and invite filmmakers from Southeast Asia to submit their projects for consideration. The grants support four projects annually with three production grants of $30,000 each, and one post-production grant of $20,000. Apply here.

• March 23: Twelve selected projects will be invited to the Edinburgh Pitch, an international documentary pitching forum for independent filmmakers and production companies developing urgent, challenging, and engaging feature films. Participants will take part in a preparatory workshop (June 16), before pitching to an industry panel (June 17), and engaging in one-to-one meetings the next day (June 18). Big name industry representatives will be in attendance. There's also cash prizes to the best pitch: Audience Award (£3,000) and Panelist Award (£2,000). Learn more here.

• March 24: The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley has exciting new grants for nonfiction projects exploring the many dimensions of love. Supported by the John Templeton Foundation, this initiative will fund 24 journalists and media producers with grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. They welcome proposals for articles, videos, podcasts, social media campaigns, and other forms of media that examine love from diverse angles. Click here for more information.

• March 24: The Points North Fellowship invites up to six teams of early- and mid-career filmmakers to Maine to accelerate the development of their feature documentary, culminating in the public presentation of works-in-progress at the Points North Pitch. Fellows will receive one round-trip flight to Maine, two All-Access passes to the Camden International Film Festival, six nights of accommodations (one room with a double bed) during the festival. Learn more here.

• March 25: Exploring new forms of documentary storytelling? Need to develop your non-linear project, boost visibility, and connect with future partners? Submit your creation to the Sunny Innovation Lab 2025 and join us in La Rochelle (June 23-26, 2025) for a unique incubator experience tailored for non-linear narratives: podcast, VR, AR, AI, video games, and more!

• March 25: Sunny Side of the Doc also invites you to submit your documentary project for one of seven pitching opportunities across the following genres: Science, Arts & Entertainment, History, Current Affairs & Investigation, Nature & Environment, New Voices, and Impact Campaigns. This is your chance to showcase your creation on the world stage and connect with 300+ international industry experts in La Rochelle. Pitch here.

• March 25: The BFI Network has opened its England short film funding, awarding National Lottery funding to support short form live action, animation, and immersive/virtual reality. Projects can be up to 15 minutes in length and teams must be made up of at least two people across the three creative roles of writer, producer, and director. Filmmaking teams with a director based in England are eligible to apply! Submit here.

• March 31: The Asian American Foundation’s CAPE x TAAF Rising Filmmakers Finishing Fund is providing two AANHPI filmmakers with $50,000 post-production finishing fund grants for their 2nd to 5th feature film. Projects should be consistent with CAPE’s mission to champion diversity by connecting, educating, and empowering API artists and leaders in entertainment and media. Apply here.

• April 2: The BlackStar Pitch is back! The winning nonfiction short film project will be awarded $75,000 in funding, and $25,000 will go to the runner-up. In addition to the cash prize, the first and second place winners will also receive mentorship from the award-winning production company Multitude Films, feedback on their films from BlackStar’s programs staff, and two passes to Camden International Film Festival.⁠ Apply here.

• April 3: The Jerome Foundation is looking for filmmakers who take creative risks, have a clear vision, and aim to make an impact on their creative community and the broader field of storytelling for their NYC Film Production Grant. The grant supports New York City-based early career filmmakers working in short or long form, experimental, narrative, animation, documentary, or any combination of these genres. Up to $30,000 available! Apply here.

• April 4: The Arab Fund For Arts and Culture's Documentary Film program supports creative documentary films in the Arab region. Arab directors of feature-length documentary film projects in development, production, or post-production phases, as well as short and medium-length documentaries in production or post-production can earn grants of up to $50,000! Apply here.

• April 6: Are you in need of some momentum, mentorship, and support from some of the most brilliant and boundary-pushing artists in the field? Apply for Union Docs’ five-week Early Production Lab (Jun. 30 - Aug. 1), or the three-week Research & Development Lab (Aug. 11 - 29) to kick your project into gear!
Each lab will invite a cohort of 12 filmmakers for a program of seminars, screenings, feedback sessions, and conversations with some of your favorite filmmakers, funders, and festival programmers. Learn more here.

• April 11 / April 18: The 10th annual Rough Cut Retreat, from Catapult Film Fund and True False Film Fest, offers a one-of-a-kind mentorship experience. The retreat takes place July 20-24 in Rensselaerville, New York and seeks work that displays ambitious, idiosyncratic approaches to nonfiction storytelling — and prioritizes filmmakers who lack strong feedback networks. Submissions are FREE until April 11, at 6PM CST. Late submissions will be charged a $30 LATE FEE until April 18, at 6PM CST. Learn more.

• April 21: Working Films, in collaboration with Democracy 2076, Political Research Associates, and Southern Vision Alliance, is seeking short films that expose the growing dangers of fascism and authoritarianism—and inspire action. Through the 2025 Docs in Action program, Working Films is funding and touring films that support organizers resisting authoritarianism and reimagining democracy as a just, multiracial, and feminist future. Up to $30,000 available! Apply here.

• May 1: Calling all documentary filmmakers with films about American history! Submissions are now open for the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, which provides critical recognition to filmmakers who produce exemplary documentary films that tell compelling stories about American history, plus up to $200K in cash prizes. Enter here.

• May 15: The Miller/Packan Film Fund supports feature-length documentary projects that address social issues and inspire others. The Fund’s subject categories are education, the environment, and civics. Each grant is one-time only and offered in amounts up to $25,000. Apply here.

Upcoming Festival Submission Deadlines:

• March 14: DC/DOX is a new international film festival in the US capital dedicated to championing documentary film as a leading art form. The festival's third edition is scheduled for June 12-15, 2025 and will showcase 100 exceptional documentaries from around the world, plus provide abundant networking opportunities, panels, master classes, and workshops. Enter here.

• March 31: Dokumentale 2025 invites you to submit your documentary of 40+ minutes. In a new section, they will celebrate the creative energy and diversity of Berlin's vibrant documentary community. Films must have had a world premiere in 2024 or 2025, but not a Berlin premiere. Enter here.

• April 1: Spread the word, submissions for the 2025 BlackStar Film Festival are now open! Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers are invited to submit their films for consideration here.⁠

• April 10: Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival is open for submissions for both competitive and non-competitive sections, seeking feature-length narrative, documentary, short, avant-garde, and retrospective programs. Selected works are eligible for a variety of esteemed awards. Apply here.

• May 9: Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is seeking submissions of feature films, short films, and series. The film festival welcomes more than 700,000 attendees each year. TIFF Industry Members receive a 15% discount on submissions for TIFF 2025. Enter here.

• May 11: Mizna’s 2025 Twin Cities Arab Film Festival seeks films for their upcoming festival scheduled for September 24–28, 2025. They accept narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated films of feature and short lengths. We seek films made by filmmakers from the SWANA region and beyond, as well as films relevant to the social realities of the SWANA region. Enter here.

• May 16: The Climate Film Festival (CFF) is the largest festival of its kind in New York City, supported by the Guardian US and featuring a jury of 15 industry leaders in climate. CFF aims to rewrite the narrative on climate change by harnessing the power of motion pictures. From narrative and documentary features to experimental shorts and music videos—if your film engages with the climate, they want to see it! Submit here.

• May 30: Submissions are open for the 36th annual New Orleans Film Festival! The Oscar-qualifying film festival is one of the largest and most well-respected film festivals in the country, serving audiences numbering upwards of 25,000, hosting as many as 350 filmmakers, and providing cash awards and prizes valued at over $100,000. Submit here.

• May 30 - September 19: Subtropic Film Festival and The Norton Museum are accepting entries for their "Art After Dark" film screening series. Themes include "Illuminations - Light & Space" (May 30), "Pride Visions" (June 30), "Different Abilities, Extraordinary Lives" (July 18), "Sunshine State Stories" (August 15), and "Mexican Heritage Celebration" (September 19). Learn more and submit here.

• June 19: DOC NYC’s Academy Award-qualifying film festival returns for its 16th year! Those selected will be screened at America’s largest documentary festival and eligible for a variety of awards. Get your film in for the earlier deadlines! Apply here.

• June 20: The Woodstock Film Festival is an Academy Awards® qualifying festival for Animated, Live Action, and Documentary short films. The 26th Woodstock Film Festival will take place in New York October 15-19, 2025. Submit your short documentary here.

• July 1: Germany's DOK Leipzig Film Festival has opened its submissions! They are looking for documentary and animated films of any length that have not been shown publicly before October 1, 2024. The festival takes place from October 27-November 2. Apply here.

• July 10: The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is held annually in November in Amsterdam, Netherlands and showcases documentaries from around the world. They highlight documentaries that are bold, creative, and original from filmmakers globally. Apply here.

• July 15: The 34th annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (October 10 - 18, 2025) is the longest-running nonfiction film festival in North America. HSDFF offers multiple awards categories and is a designated Academy Award®-qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Documentary Short Subject. Enter now.

• August 1: Subtropic Film Festival has opened its submissions for bold, original, and thought-provoking short films. Short documentaries, narratives, experimental films, and animated shorts are welcome to apply. The film festival takes place in West Palm Beach, Florida from November 7-9. Apply here.

• August 15: Got a science doc? Each October, Labocine’s Science New Wave Film Festival presents 64 visionary films from around the world that push the boundaries of scientific storytelling. Celebrating its 18th edition, this annual festival is held in New York and on the Labocine platform, uniting filmmakers, scientists, and audiences in a vibrant celebration of the convergence of science and cinema. Submit here.

✌️ Have an exciting opportunity to share? Send an email or submit here.

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