May LEF New England News

May 2020

LEF New England News

Denali Tiller's LEF-funded film, TRE MAISON DASAN, is now available to stream through Amazon Prime. In addition, the World Channel will be hosting a special broadcast of TRE MAISON DASAN in honor of Father's Day. Broadcasts will take place at 10 PM EST on Sunday, June 21 and at 2 AM and 10 AM EST on Monday, June 22. Follow the film here for updates!

Congrats to all LEF grantees selected for Creative Capitals
" On Our Radar 2020," which shares noteworthy projects that advanced to the final round for the Creative Capital Award. LEF-funded projects on this list unclude Amy Jenkins' ADAM'S APPLE, Angelo Madsen Minax's NORTH BY CURRENT, and Sierra Urich's JOONAM.

WHERE THE PAVEMENT ENDS, directed by Jane Gillooly and produced by Khary Jones and Aparna Agrawal, had its premiere broadcast on America ReFramed on World Channel on May 5 and is now available to stream online until 8/2/20 . Watch the film here

LEF Pre-Production and Early Development Deadlines

The LEF Moving Image Fund is now accepting applications for our annual $5,000 Pre-production grant opportunity in addition to a NEW $2,500 Early Development grant opportunity, both with a deadline of June 5, 2020 at 11:59pm (midnight). Up to 6 grants will be awarded to projects in each of these two funding phases.

LEF grants are open to New England-based filmmakers seeking funding for feature-length (40+ minute) non-fiction film projects. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to read the LEF New England Moving Image Fund guidelines and frequently asked questions to determine if your project is eligible and a good fit for LEF's funding priorities before beginning an application.

Learn more below, and please contact Gen Carmel at gen@lef-foundation.org if you have any questions about your project's eligibility or the application process.

Visit the LEF website for more information | Begin an application

The DocYard

Looking for something to watch? Many films that have screened at the DocYard are available to stream online. Check out a few of them below.

Our Nixon, NUTS!, and The Pain of Others: Director Penny Lane's films are all available for free on Vimeo.com. (DocYard Winter 2013, Fall 2016, and Fall 2017). Our Nixon is an archival documentary portraying an intimate and complex portrait of the Nixon administration. NUTS! follows eccentric genius, Dr. John Romulus Brinkley, who built an empire in Depression-era America with a goat testicle impotence cure and a million watt radio station. Pain of Others is a YouTube compilation film about Morgellons, a mysterious illness whose sufferers say they have parasites under the skin and a host of other bizarre symptoms. Her short films, including Normal Appearances (DocYard Fall 2018) are also available on her vimeo.

Crocodile Gennadiy: A feature documentary about Gennadiy Mokhnenko, a pastor from Mariupol, Ukraine, who in the early 2000s began to fight the city's child homelessness issue by forcibly abducting street kids and bringing them to his Pilgrim Republic rehabilitation center. His ongoing efforts and unabashedly tough love approach to his city's problems has made him a folk hero for some, and a lawless vigilante to others. (DocYard Fall 2015)

Field of Vision: Launched in the fall of 2015, Field of Vision is a filmmaker-driven visual journalism film unit that pairs filmmakers with developing and ongoing stories around the world. All their films are available to stream online for free. (DocYard Spring 2016)

High On Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell: Filmed over a year and a half, this harrowing chronicle of addiction follows Brenda, Dicky, and Boo-Boo in and out of crackhouses, rehab, and jail as they seek an escape from the despair of their surroundings. (DocYard Spring 2016)

NYT Op Docs: Over the years, we've screened many New York Times Op-Docs, including "The Happiest Guy in the World," from Lance Oppenheim, director of Some Kind of Heaven, which was our last DocYard screening on March 2.

Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four: This feature documentary examines the nightmarish persecution of four Latina lesbians wrongfully convicted of gang-raping two little girls in San Antonio, Texas. (Spring 2017).

Balloonfest: A short film following the city of Cleveland as it attempts to overcome its nickname, 'The Mistake by the Lake' by launching a bunch of balloons. (DocYard Fall 2017)

The Work: Set inside a single room in Folsom Prison, THE WORK is a length documentary that follows three men from the outside world as they participate in a four-day group therapy retreat with level-four convicts. (Fall 2017).

Black 14: This short film is an archival social study examining white pathology and cognitive dissonance via media coverage of a 1969 racial protest at the University of Wyoming. (DocYard Spring 2018)

Fish Story: In the 1980s, Caspar Salmon's grandmother was invited to a gathering on the Welsh island of Anglesey, attended exclusively by people with fish surnames. Thirty years later, filmmaker Charlie Lyne created this short film in an attempt to sort myth from reality as he searches for the truth behind this fishy tale. (Fall 2018).

New England Filmmaker Support During COVID-19

This is a select list of New England filmmaker/artist support opportunities and local online film resources that have been organized in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. LEF New England will continue to research and compile this list in the coming months, with a focus on how the pandemic is affecting New England-based filmmakers and organizations. Let us know if you're aware of other resources that are not listed here!

Relief/Funding/Loan Opportunities

The Boston Artist Relief Fund will award grants of $500 and $1,000 to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Boston Artist Relief Fund will be open on a rolling basis and will replace the Opportunity Fund through June 30, 2020. The Opportunity Fund will reopen for applications after July 1. Opportunity Fund applications that were already received in this application cycle will still be considered for funding. NEW Deadline: May 15 . Boston, MA

The Cambridge Community Foundation's Artist Relief Fund is offering COVID-19 relief grants to individual artists and arts organizations in the City of Cambridge, MA

Creative Portland has created the Portland Artist Relief Fund for artists in Portland, Maine. They will be accepting applications from March 30 to April 30 for a one-time grant of $500 for local artists affected by COVID-19. Portland, ME

The New Haven Creative Sector Relief Fund will distribute immediate financial assistance to individual creatives and arts institutions most impacted by COVID-19. New Haven, CT.

The Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) launched two relief funds as part of their Creative County Initiative (CCI). The Essex County Artist Fund aims to support the legions of individuals who are experiencing an unprecedented loss of income in the creative industries. The Essex County Creative Nonprofit Resiliency Grant Program aims to provide direct support to cultural organizations and venues across Essex County so they can stay afloat, pay staff, and support their communities during this crisis. Essex County, MA

The Cape Cod Arts Relief Fund will be open through the end of May, pending available funding. Barnstable County, MA

The Mass Cultural Council Safe Harbor Program is the MCC's COVID-19 relief effort for cultural non-profits. Massachusetts

NewEnglandFilm.com has created a list of COVID emergency funds for New England-based filmmakers and artists. It includes relief funds by within each New England state as well as several funds on the national level. New England

AmDoc COVID-19 Emergency Fund is open to Documentary Directors/Producers anywhere in the United States (temporarily closed). National

The Field of Vision / TOPIC Documentary Freelancer Fund will re-open on June 10. Deadline: June 12 (or 500 application limit). National

The Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency fund will provide short-term, immediate financial assistance for any artist or arts administrator who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). National

Artist Relief is awarding $5,000 grants to artists facing dire economic hardship due to COVID-19. Cycle II Deadline: May 21 National

MONO NO AWARE is offering this free film care package initiative for photo-chemical filmmakers. Deadline: May 15 National

XTR Film Society and Wavelength Productions have partnered to launch The Keep the Lights on Fund, which will provide a number of 5K to 10K grants to feature-length documentary films. Deadline: May 15 National

New York Foundation for the Arts has created a list of relief funds and grants across the country for artists affected by COVID-19. Various

General Resources

Here are resources from the arts councils in ME, MA, NH, RI, CT, and VT.
All Boston-area arts/cultural organizations are invited to attend a weekly Zoom call with Kara Elliot-Ortega, Chief of Arts and Culture in the Mayor's Office of Art and Culture. The Zoom calls will take place every Friday from 3:00 - 4:30 PM. Learn More.

The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) has put together this list of artist resources during COVID-19

The Mass Production Coalition has put together a COVID-19 relief resources document. They include loans and grant opportunities.

Check out Boston-based community art non-profit Brain Arts Org's blog for these reflections and list of local arts resources.

Art House Convergence has put together COVID-19 Preparedness Resources for independent movie theaters.

The Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts on Massachusetts has shared a list of legal resources for artists + arts/culture workers and organizations, and has assembled an emergency response panel of large law firms able to advise artists and arts organizations on contracts, insurance, and labor and employment issues that are particularly relevant and concerning during this unprecedented time. The VLA is also waiving its service fees for artists and organizations suffering financial hardship due to the coronavirus.

Creative Capital's List of Arts Resources during the COVID-19 Outbreak

The PRX Podcast Garage have compiled this Podcaster Toolbox - a crowd-sourced guide for independent, DIY, and/or early-stage podcasters working from home.

IFP has compiled these Resources for Filmmakers and Artists.

Sundance Collab has assembled a number of COVID-19 resources specifically for filmmakers and other artists. They will be updating the list continuously.

Desktop Documentaries has put together a "virtual care package" that includes free software downloads.

Creative Capital hosted a workshop called "Coping with COVID and the financial impact for creative individuals". The recording of the session is available to watch here .

The City of Boston has complied a Financial Relief Handbook for small business owners.

Firelight, IDA, and ITVS have shared this Filmmaker's Guide to Applying for US Coronavirus Federal Relief.

Check out this list of resources from Artist Relief Tree.

Center for Independent Documentaries has compiled this list of COVID-19 resources for filmmakers.

Women Make Movies held an online webinar answering questions on the Paycheck Protection Program and Unemployment Insurance. Check out the recording of the webinar. They also have this list of COVID-19 resources and relief funding.

Jenie Gao, a full-time artist based in Wisconsin, has put together a guide to help artists and arts foundations understand SBA Disaster Loans and Emergency Grants. Read it here.

Documentary Producers Alliance has created a COVID-19 Resources Guide.

Local Online Streaming Festivals / Resources

The Brattle Theatre has launched a new podcast and virtual programs while the theater has temporarily gone dark.

Check out the Coolidge Corner Theater's Virtual Screening Room.

New Day Films , a cooperative distribution company with many New England-based members, has decided to open up free online streaming for a number of its films in response to COVID-19, in order to help educators and community groups trying to work from home. Browse New Day's list of available films to watch for free before June 1.

Hyperallergic has put together a list of places to stream experimental films and video art.

Sign up for the Harvard Film Archive newsletter to receive regular curated lists of films available to view online as recommended by its past visiting filmmakers.

The Cinema Tropical Collection offers select Latin American films available digitally for the first time ever.

Criterion Channel has a wide selection of films available to stream online.

Check out Capital Theatre Arlington Virtual Cinema.

Somerville Theater Virtual Screening Room.

Surveys

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston designed a survey in partnership with MASSCreative to ensure that artists and creative workers are getting the support they need. Take the 10-minute survey for MA Creative Workers and Artists by May 15.

Take this survey from Americans For the Arts on the coronavirus impact on artists and organizations around the country.

In an effort to adapt their programs and resources for Latinx & diverse creatives and industry professionals, NALIP wants to hear from you. Fill out their survey here.

Firelight Media has launched a Needs Assessment Survey for POC Filmmakers. Fill out their survey here.

Are you looking for help with gathering data from your audience? Check out Culture Track's new COVID-19 survey initiative.

Arts Community

NEA and Sundance have formed a National Independent Film & Media Arts Field Group. You can learn more/join the group here.

Looking to watch movies with people again? Local New England drive-in theaters may be opening sooner rather than later.

What We're Reading/Listening To

The Fragile Festival Economy is an article from Aisha Harris in The New York Times on the threat Coronavirus poses to the tenuous festival industry.

Read about how documentary filmmakers are continuing to work in this recent article by Nicole Sperling for the New York Times.

Film Production is shut down but documentaries are still being made. Here's how is an article from Amy Kaufman in the LA Times about how some documentary filmmakers are still finding ways to work on their films during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arts and Culture are Worth Saving is an essay written by Murray Whyte in the Boston Globe about the importance of the important place of the arts in society, especially in a time of pandemic.

As more of the film world goes virtual, Wendy Mitchell wrote an article in Screen Daily titled, How The Film Industry can Best Embrace Online Pitching, which includes tips on how to successfully pitch your project through a screen.

When Do We All Go Back to Work? Scott Macaulay offers his thoughts and insights in a recent newsletter from Filmmaker Magazine.

IDA shared this Coalition Letter to Senators to support self-employed workers impacted by COVID-19.

Weathering the Storm: Film, TV distributors find opportunities amid crisis is an article from Daniele Alcinii in Realscreen about how distributors, producers, and broadcasters are adapting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Documentary Filmmakers Talk About Covid-19's Effect on Filmmaking During DocLand's Discussion is an article from Addie Morfoot in Variety recapping a discussion between filmmakers about the current documentary landscape.

Inventing the New Reality, a series of blog posts from Brian Newman of Sub-Genre about how the film field can respond to this moment.

Jobs
Check out regular arts + culture job postings compiled by HireCulture, a service of the Mass Cultural Council.

Grants and Funding Opportunities for Filmmakers

For Boston-based artists: Check out the Opportunity Fund: A New Grant for Artists. As of right now, the Opportunity Fund is serving as an Artist Relief Fund during the COVID-19 Outbreak. More info

New England-based artists: Learn more about upcoming state-level arts funding and fellowship deadlines in CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT.

In 2018, AmDoc launched the Artist Emergency fund to provide financial assistance to US-based non-fiction filmmakers facing unexpected crisis. During the pilot year, AmDoc disbursed nearly $22,000 and directly supported 25 filmmakers in need. As AmDoc evaluates its impact, they will be temporarily closing down the application portal and plan to reopen the fund later this year based on their learnings. Learn more and about this and other opportunities from AmDoc

The Sundance Documentary Film Fund is now accepting applications. Deadline: Rolling More info

The Ford Foundation's JustFilms supports artist-driven film and new media storytelling projects that explore aspects of inequality, as well as the organizations and networks that support these projects. Deadline: Rolling. More info

Catapult Film Fund provides development funding to documentary filmmakers who have a compelling story to tell, have secured access to their story and are ready to shoot and edit a piece for production fundraising purposes. Deadline: Rolling. More info

Cinereach develops, produces, finances, and supports feature-length fiction, nonfiction and hybrid films crafted for the big screen. Deadline: Rolling. More info

The Fledgling Fund focuses its grant support on outreach and audience engagement, through their Engagement Lab, funding partnerships and special initiatives that examine and support emerging trends in the field. Deadline: Rolling. More info

Meredith Vieira Productions (MVP) has partnered with This Is Just A Test (TIJAT) on a new initiative to fund the development of documentary features and series directed by women. This is not a grant or a fund, but the possibility of having MVP come on board as possible executive producers / producers. If you are interested in applying, e-mail Amy Rapp, Producer and Executive Vice President at MVP, to request an application form. Deadline: Rolling

The Perspective Fund provides grant support to independently-produced documentary films that highlight social justice and human rights issues, and that align with their priority areas. Currently, grant proposals for funding are accepted by invitation only, but filmmakers are welcome to complete Perspective's inquiry form. Deadline: Rolling

The ITVS Open Call application will open in July, Open Call gives independent producers up to $350,000 to complete production for a standalone broadcast length documentary to air on public television. Open Call is not a grant. You will receive funding in the form of a production agreement that assigns ITVS certain rights over your project during the term of the contract. Deadline: Reopens July 2020

The New England Foundation for the Arts has a new grant opportunity! New Work New England provides grants of $7,500-$15,000 to New England-based artists in dance, film, interdisciplinary work, music, musical theater, opera, poetry, storytelling and theater to support the creation and production of new work that has the potential to engage multiple New England communities. Deadline to apply: June 24, 2020. Learn more.

The Hot Docs CrossCurrents International Documentary Fund supports interactive, short, or feature-length doc projects made by filmmakers telling the stories of the underrepresented and marginalized communities to which they belong. Eligibility requirements and guidelines can be found here. Deadline: May 27, 2020

The Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant is an annual grant that will be awarded to self-identified lesbians for making visionary moving-image art. Stay tuned for when this application opens! Learn more.

Every six months, in January and July, the Interbay Cinema Society gives grants to 10 filmmakers working with 16mm or 35mm to have 4k high resolution scans of their work through Lightpress, a transfer house in Seattle. Entries are now open and will be announced on July 1. Learn more.

Screening and Exhibition Opportunities

Browse upcoming film festival deadlines on Festhome and Film Freeway

POV, public television's premier showcase for independent, nonfiction film, is now accepting and evaluating films on a rolling basis, year-round! For both feature or short-form projects, learn more here.

New Orleans Film Festival is accepting submissions. Extended deadline: June 19, 2020. Festival Dates: October 14 to 21, 2020

Camden International Film Festival is now accepting submissions. Deadline: May 26, 2020 (Late) June 29, 2020 (Extended). Festival Dates: October 1-4, 2020

Fellowships, Labs, Residencies, Pitch Opportunities

Search this directory of artist residencies compiled by the Alliance of Artist Communities.

Learn more about annual Sundance documentary lab and fellowship opportunities, including the Native Filmmaker Fellowship, Story and Edit Lab, and Creative Producing Lab & Fellowship, among others.

Center for Independent Documentary will be holding it's 15th annual Kopkind/CID Film Camp from August 2-9, 2020 in Vermont. Applications open in April. Learn more.

The MacDowell Colony, in Peterborough, NH, accepts residency applications at three deadlines each year: September 15, January 15, April 15. Learn more.

Yaddo, in Saratoga Springs, NY, accepts applications at two deadlines each year: Next Deadline: August 1. Learn more.

The Vermont Studio Center, in Johnson, VT, offers fellowships/financial aid to support artists who are awarded a visual art or writing residency. Filmmakers are eligible to apply. Annual deadlines: February 15, June 15, October 1. Learn more.

Education / Classes / Workshops

Follow Cambridge Community Television and the Somerville Media Center for updates about future online workshops and learning resources, and check to see if your local community access TV station or media center is offering any online filmmaking workshops.

Backstage has multiple webinars on fundraising, acting, directing, producing, etc as well as yoga and mental health sessions.

MassArt is offering a series of free online workshops in digital marketing and creative business planning for artists.

Community-Building Opportunities

While in-person events are on pause, Boston offers many opportunities to take part in work-in-progress film screenings, some of which are temporarily going virtual ( Filmmakers Collaborative, Cambridge Community Television, Somerville Media Center, and the AgX Film Collective are all exploring this for their members) while others we hope will be back after the end of social distancing measures like the Center for Independent Documentary's Rough Cut Series and Boston Open Screen.

The Brown Girls Doc Mafia is an international grassroots filmmaking collective with over 2000 members worldwide that was launched in 2015 to address issues of diversity in documentary. Learn more and join/share the Facebook group.

If you are looking for another online documentary filmmaking community, check out The D-Word, an online platform for conversation within the documentary film world.

Check out the PRX Podcast Garage website for updates on how the local audio community is adapting to going virtual during the coronavirus pandemic.

Brain Arts Org is a volunteer-run 501(c)3 arts nonprofit for Greater Boston. Its mission is to create platforms for fringe and undervalued artistic communities. Learn about upcoming events at its associated community art space the Dorchester Art Project, and check out the Boston Compass for listings and reviews of upcoming films and shows across the city. Support Brain Arts as a local community arts organization here.

Warm wishes and stay healthy,

Lyda & Gen

LEF Foundation
PO Box 382066
Cambridge, MA 02238
t.617.492.5333

www.lef-foundation.org

Do you have some news you'd like to share in an upcoming newsletter? The LEF New England newsletter is released monthly. Please send your information on LEF-funded film achievements, opportunities for filmmakers, and upcoming documentary film/video events in Boston and greater New England. Newsletter contact: gen@lef-foundation.org

A pri vate family foundation dedicated to the support of contemporary arts, LEF was established in 1985 with office s in Massachusetts and California. The Moving Image Fund was launched in 2001 through the LEF office in Cambridge, MA to support independent film and video artists. Since its inception, the Moving Image Fund has supported over 300 independent filmmaker projects with approximately $4,000,000 in funding. The goal of LEF New England is to fund the work of independent film and video artists in the region and broaden recognition and support for their work locally and nationally.