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Documentary Film

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Documentary

Film

The Sundance Documentary Film Program supports nonfiction filmmakers worldwide in the production of cinematic documentaries on contemporary themes. Established in 2002 with founding support from Open Society Foundations, the Program is a vibrant global resource for independent non-fiction storytelling. Recent projects include Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht’s Crip Camp; Maite Alberdi’s The Mole Agent; Jacqueline Olive’s Always in Season; Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar’s American Factory; Petra Costa’s The Edge of Democracy; Talal Derki’s Of Fathers and Sons; RaMell Ross’s Hale County This Morning, This Evening; and Bing Lui’s Minding the Gap.

Year-round support of filmmakers—including granting, creative labs, and strategic advice from development to distribution—amounts to a commitment to documentary as an increasingly important global art form and a critical cultural practice in the 21st century.

Documentary Fund Proposal Checklist

The proposal checklist outlines the application requirements for the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund’s Winter 2021 grant cycle. The deadline was July 26th 2021.

Fellowships

In addition to creative labs, DFP has developed artist-centered fellowships, including the Art of Editing Fellowship as well as past Fellowships, the Art of Nonfiction Fellowship and Nonfiction Critics Fellowship. These fellowships have provided financial support as well as a curated year-long program of events and tailored support designed to refine and deepen fellows’ creative practice. Ideal candidates are inventive, creative, early- to mid-career nonfiction storytellers, editors, directors as well as writers.

Art of Editing Fellowship >

Art of Nonfiction Fellowship >

Labs

DFP creative labs are unique residential workshops that bring together a community of directors, editors, and producers from around the world dedicated to the spirit of collaboration in independent nonfiction storytelling. The DFP hosts labs annually in the summer at the Sundance Resort including the Edit and Story Lab and the Documentary Film Producers Lab and Fellowship. At each lab, filmmakers work intensively with advisors and staff in a spirit of experimentation to advance their projects and nurture their creative instincts in a rigorous and supportive environment. Following the lab, DFP staff provides ongoing customized creative and strategic support throughout the life of the project.

All labs are programmed through an open submission process. You do not have to have a grant from the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund to be eligible for support. There is no fee to apply.

Documentary Edit and Story Lab >

Documentary Film Producers Track >

Documentary Fund

The Sundance Institute Documentary Fund is not currently accepting applications. The next open call will take place during winter 2022-2023.

The Sundance Institute Documentary Fund supports the work of nonfiction filmmakers from around the globe. In a changing media landscape, the fund has been a stable, progressive force in supporting work that has expressed the world in creative, complex, beautiful, and provocative ways, and has created real cultural and social impact around some of the most pressing issues of our time.

We are proud to sit at the center of this burgeoning creative field with the Documentary Fund, which offers (non-recoupable) support for nonfiction projects that continue to elevate and advance cultural dialogue and break new ground in creativity and innovation.

In its ongoing search for artists and projects to support, the Documentary Fund is seeking filmmakers with a distinct voice and vision, and a meaningful connection to the work they create. We are especially keen to raise the voices of underserved or underrepresented communities from around the world in the service of building a more fair, free, and open society.

READ OUR FAQ >

Special Opportunity Funds

The Documentary Fund offers additional support for projects that address specific pressing socio-cultural issues, through our partners. Projects selected for these opportunities will be fielded through our general Documentary Fund application. If interested in applying for a special opportunity fund, please submit an application through the Programs portal.

Sundance Institute | Gucci Fund More >

Sundance Institute | Sandbox Fund More >

Sundance Institute | Stars Collective Granting FundMore >

Sundance Institute | Kendeda Fund More >

Sundance Institute | Luminate Fund More >

Sundance Institute | Documentary Short Fund More >

Alumni Support

When a project receives a grant from the Sundance Documentary Film Program, the team is offered a host of informal and formal support opportunities to nurture the project’s development as well as the artist’s career. They are also part of the growing, global Sundance Alumni community. Grantees are also eligible for Sundance Institute cross-programmatic initiatives such as the Women@Sundance and Catalyst Forum (both are by invitation only). Grantees can also access services provided by Sundance Institute Creative Partnerships and Alumni Programs.

Catalyst

Sundance Institute’s Catalyst program builds a culture of partnership between independent investors and filmmakers. Each year, we endeavor to unlock funding for ambitious new independent film projects and to grow the community of indie-film supporters. Catalyst trains selected filmmakers to effectively present their films for independent financing, connects them to our network of potential funders, and provides them with continued support throughout the lives of their projects. We also offer Catalyst artists guidance in building successful investor relationships; access to mentorship; and critical project, pitch, and budgetary feedback. Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival alumni are uniquely eligible for this opportunity, and applications are solicited by invitation.

Women at Sundance

Women at Sundance is a multifaceted initiative dedicated to creating gender equality in American media. We support women filmmakers to grow and sustain their careers through a yearlong fellowship program, through an annual Financing and Strategy Workshop, and through Catalyst Women, which provides direct access to prospective investors. We convene networks and communities of artists, industry, and supporters committed to advancing women behind the camera at our annual Sundance Film Festival Women’s Brunch and through special events throughout the year.

Creative Partnerships

The Documentary Film Program has established a portfolio of innovative field-building creative partnerships and international collaborations that benefit the global documentary community. These strategic initiatives provide funding and networking opportunities for established filmmakers, and support and mentor emerging international artists. Activities include convenings, workshops, solicited requests for proposals, and one-on-one meetings.Current partnerships include:

BBC World Service/Sundance Nonfiction Audio Collaboration >

Stories of Change | Skoll Foundation >

Resources

Sundance Collective

With more than nine thousand playwrights, composers, digital media artists, and filmmakers served through Institute programs over the last 35 years, the Sundance community of independent creators is more far-reaching and vibrant than ever before.

If you have been selected for any Institute lab, program or festival, you are a member of this community. Sundance alumni receive support throughout their careers, including access to tools, resources and advice as well as artist gatherings and more. Alumni are also encouraged to actively contribute to the Institute’s creative community and to our mission to discover and develop work from new artists.

Advice for Filmmakers

The Sundance Documentary Film Program believes that artful storytelling can transform conversations and cultures. Through our non-recoupable grants and artist support opportunities, we seek to engage with fresh voices and veterans in the field who are pursuing financially viable nonfiction projects with clear and forward-going storytelling, strong artistic vision, and the potential to reach an audience. Our staff can be found attending forums and festivals around the globe in the hopes of connecting with filmmakers and artists, and we are always available via email at dfp@sundance.org.

Support for the Documentary Film Program

The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program is made possible by founding support from The Open Society Foundations. Generous additional support is provided by Ford Foundation; John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Luminate; Sandbox Films; The Kendeda Fund; The Charles Engelhard Foundation; Gucci; CNN Films; Compton Foundation; Genuine Article Pictures; Nion McEvoy & Leslie Berriman; Violet Spitzer-Lucas and the Spitzer Family Foundation; Code Blue Foundation; EarthSense Foundation; Harbour; Adobe; WNET New York Public Media; and two anonymous donors.

Application	The application for the 2021 Documentary Creative Producing Lab and Fellowship is now closed. The 2022 application will open November 2021. .
Dates	Lab: July 26–39, 2021 Summit: July 30-August 1, 2021
Number of Fellows:	5
Location	TBD
Eligibility	Candidates are required to have produced or co-produced at least one documentary short (experience as an executive producer does not qualify). Candidates must be lead producer on the project they are applying with. Candidates may not be the director of the submitted project. Candidates must be in production or post-production on project. Candidates must live in the United States, though the project may be filmed internationally. Candidates must be available for the entirety of the Lab and Summit dates above.
Costs	There is no cost to participate in this Lab.
Description and Format	The Documentary Film Program’s Creative Producing Lab and Fellowship is a yearlong program designed to nurture emerging producers with project-specific support through the Creative Producing Lab and Creative Producing Summit, year-round mentorship from industry mentors, and ongoing support from Sundance Institute staff. The program is designed to hone emerging producers’ creative instincts and evolve their communication and problem-solving skills at all stages of their next feature film project.
Deliverables	Fellows are required to acknowledge Sundance Institute and the Creative Producing Initiative support partners, to provide reporting at the close of the fellowship year, and to participate in possible blogs, interviews, and panels. Fellows should be willing to give back to the Sundance Institute creative community through willingness to coach, advise, or mentor future fellows from Sundance Institute. Accepted fellows also must provide a current producers’ agreement or memo of understanding for the project they have applied with.

Schedule	The Sundance Institute Documentary Fund accepts submissions through periodic open calls. The next call for entries will be announced in early 2024.
Size of Grant Pool	30 to 40 projects per year
Eligibility	The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program (DFP) prioritizes support for independent nonfiction films with budgets under $1 million in U.S. dollars. Creative and editorial control must be held by members of the films’ key creative teams. In our funding we continue to uplift productions led by artists from communities that have been traditionally marginalized (e.g., artists who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities), unearthing historically underrepresented narratives. We remain committed to elevating voices beyond our borders, celebrating the rich diversity of filmmaking traditions around the world. Our current international priorities are artists living and working in regions that lack a robust infrastructure of support for independent film, regions of conflict, and countries where freedom of expression is under threat. Applicants may submit at any production phase from development through post-production. All proposals must convey some vision for a finished film. Projects that have not yet secured characters or subjects, are unable to articulate a story or structure, or are unable to explain the project’s driving central question are discouraged from applying. We are unable to consider proposals for story research. You do not need any prior funding or a fiscal sponsor in order to apply. Once your film premieres, we are unable to provide post-production funding support. We therefore encourage applicants to apply at least six months before an anticipated premiere. Picture-locked cuts are also ineligible for post-production funding. Projects that have previously received a grant through the Documentary Fund are not eligible to apply for additional funding through this open call. Contact DFP staff for more information.
What we do not fund	Fiction films, short films (please see our Documentary Short Fund for information on grants for shorts), series, NGO films, advocacy films, educational films, or branded content. We also tend not to fund purely historical or biographical films unless they show clear contemporary relevance or innovation in form. Once your film premieres, we are unable to provide post-production funding support. We therefore encourage applicants to apply at least six months before an anticipated premiere. Picture-locked cuts are also ineligible for post-production funding.
Entry Fee	There are no entry fees associated with applying to the fund.
Requirements	Applicants are required to fill out an online application. Please consult our proposal checklist for required questions. Applicants will also be required to upload a line-item budget that covers the entire project from development to finish. View a sample budget: PDF or Excel. (Source: Robert Bahar)
Evaluation Criteria	Proposals to the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund are evaluated on several criteria, including artful film language, engaging storytelling, originality, feasibility, contemporary cultural relevance, journalistic rigor (where applicable), and potential to reach and connect with its intended audience. The Documentary Fund prioritizes funding films from early- career and emerging artists. To that end, film teams’ experience level and access to resources, both financial and creative, are taken into consideration. The creative team’s connection to and engagement with the community they are working with is also taken into consideration.
Application assistance for applicants with disabilities	The Sundance Documentary Film Program is committed to providing assistance to artists who require support with the application process. Any director or key creative individual on a project who self-identifies as deaf, hard of hearing, having a disability, or living with a mental illness may request assistance at any stage of the application process. Available support includes a limited amount of funding for the artist to hire an ASL interpreter, transcriber (i.e. CART or similar real-time captioning), or text or copy editor to assist in the preparation and gathering of materials required for a grant application. This is not meant to be used to hire a professional grant writer but rather to support an artist with a disability to submit their own grant application. To request assistance and for additional information please email dfp@sundance.org.
Grant Categories	Development (up to $40,000): There is no reel required with an application, but access to location and characters must be confirmed. The proposal should clearly articulate a potential direction for the project and ask questions that would indicate a layered and nuanced approach. Mood reels, stills, or some visual references for or depiction of the project in development are recommended. Prior work samples are strongly recommended for development applications. Production/Post-production (up to $100,000): Production grants provide funds to projects that are able to deliver to us at least 10 minutes of edited material. At least 20 minutes are required for post-production grants. The reel should convey the narrative and aesthetic approach for the final film.

Apply

Documentary Film

Documentary Fund Proposal Checklist

Fellowships

Labs

Documentary Fund​

Special Opportunity Funds

Alumni Support

Catalyst

Women at Sundance

Creative Partnerships

Resources

Sundance Collective

Advice for Filmmakers

Support for the Documentary Film Program

News & Stories

Art of Editing Fellowship

Art of Nonfiction Fellowship

Documentary Edit and Story Lab

Documentary Creative Producing Lab and Fellowship

Sundance Institute | Documentary Short Fund

Documentary Film Producers Track

Still have questions? Read our FAQ.

How To Apply

Endowment Support

Documentary Fund