Women In Film's Film Finishing Fund Grants Seek Submissions

The Women in Film’s Film Finishing Fund, which awards grants of up to $15,000 to filmmakers making projects by, for and about women, is seeking submissions for the 2012 cycle. Applicants should hurry, since the entry process began in January — though it was only announced today — and closes May 18. The in-kind grants cover such post-production needs as online editing, closed captioning, color correcting and more. Now in its 27th year, the Women in Film’s Film Finishing Fund has awarded more than $2 million in funds to help complete 170 films. Among those are the 2008 documentary short Oscar winner Freeheld, and the 1994 Oscar-winning documentary Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision.

Los Angeles, CA – March 7, 2012 – The Women In Film Foundation’s Film Finishing Fund (WIFF FFF) supports films by, for and about women by providing cash grants of up to $15,000 and in-kind donations. The in-kind grants may include post services, such as online editing, sound mixing, color correction, closed captioning, in addition to others. The new grant cycle is currently open and WIFF FFF is accepting submissions. Filmmakers who are eligible may find more information and apply through: http://www.wif.org/fff.

Since the inception of the Fund in 1985, the Foundation has awarded more than $2 million in cash and in-kind services to 170 films, ensuring that innovative films can be completed and seen by audiences worldwide. The FFF is run by experienced industry professionals who have an eye for spotting talent and potential.

The program funds filmmakers working in both short and long formats in all genres—narrative, documentary, educational, animated and experimental. We encourage applications from around the world. Previous applicants have represented New Zealand, Germany, Canada, France, Spain, Denmark, India, United Kingdom, Hungary, Australia, Finland, The Philippines, Sweden, Chile, Romania, Ireland, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Application Requirements:
In order to apply for a FFF grant, there are slightly different requirements for documentary and narrative films:
*A documentary filmmaker must have completed principal photography and a rough cut.
*A narrative filmmaker must have finished 90% of principal photography and a rough cut at the time of application.
*Filmmakers do not have to be Women In Film members to apply for the FFF, however this year, if you are a member of WIF, you will receive a reduced application fee. Please note that student projects are not eligible to receive Film Finishing Funds.
Film Finishing Fund History:
Among the many FFF success stories is the 2010 Narrative Feature CIRCUMSTANCE which won the Audience Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and the 2008 Oscar-winning Short Documentary FREEHELD. CIRCUMSTANCE producer Melissa Lee said, “We were so honored and grateful for Women in Film’s support of our film. The post production grant was crucial to us finishing Circumstance and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without the Women in Film Foundation’s Film Finishing Fund supporting projects like ours.”

Film Finishing Fund recipients’ films have won and been nominated for many major awards including Emmy and Academy Awards, Gotham Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. They have screened at festivals worldwide including Sundance, Toronto, South by Southwest, LA Film Festival, Vancouver, AFI Fest, Tribeca, San Francisco, Montreal, Berlin, Avignon, Dubai, and Chicago. They have aired nationally on HBO, PBS (“Frontline” and “POV”), OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network), Showtime, and internationally on various European, Asian, and Australian television channels.
RECENT ACCOLADES:
• ZERGUT (2011 Winner) premiered at AFI Fest in 2011
• CIRCUMSTANCE (2010 Winner) was nominated for an INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD and was nominated for a GOTHAM AUDIENCE AWARD. It enjoyed a successful limited theatrical release by Roadside Attractions.
• CRIME AFTER CRIME (2010 Winner) aired in November 2011 on OWN as part of Oprah’s new Documentary Club
• HABIBI (2010 Winner) recently won best film in the Muhr Arab feature competition and the Fiprisci critics prize for Arab feature at the Dubai Festival.
• GIRLS ON THE WALL (2008 Winner) won the Emmy for Best Documentary of Current Significance for the Midwestern Region in Fall 2010
FFF Winners have been recognized by the Motion Picture Academy:
• WOMAN REBEL was short-listed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 2009 Oscar® documentary short subject and premiered on HBO in August 2011
• FREEHELD won the 2008 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short
• MAYA LIN: A STRONG CLEAR VISION was a1994 Oscar®-winning Documentary
• THE COLLECTOR OF BEDFORD STREET – 2002 nominee
• SPEAKING IN STRINGS – 1999 nominee
• THE FRAGILE PROMISE OF CHOICE – 1995 nominee
• REGRET TO INFORM – 1993 nominee
• BEYOND IMAGINING – 1991 nominee
• LAS MADRES DE LA PLAZA DE MAYO – 1986 nominee

FFF Winners have won awards at top film festivals:
• CIRCUMSTANCE – Winner, Sundance US Dramatic Competition Audience Award
• CRIME AFTER CRIME – Winner, San Francisco International Film Festival’s Golden Gate Award for Investigative Documentary Feature
• MY SO-CALLED ENEMY – Winner, Newport Beach Film Festival 2011: Jury Award, Best Feature Documentary Film
• WAR DON DON – Winner, Special Jury Award, South by Southwest Film Festival
• A WALK IN THE SEA: DANNY WILLIAMS AND THE WARHOL FACTORY -Winner, 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, NY Loves Docs
• AMERICAN BLACKOUT – Winner,2006 Sundance Special Jury Prize
FFF Winners are Emmy winners:
• MEN WHO MOLEST, CHILDREN WHO SURVIVE ( prod: Rachel Lyons) 1985
• GIRLS LIKE US (dir: Jane Wagner and Tina Di Feliciantonio) 1993
• ANIMATED WOMEN (prod: Patty Wineapple, dir: Sybil DelGaudio) 1994
• BE GOOD, SMILE PRETTY (dir: Tracy Droz Tragos) 2004
FFF Winners are broadcast on top networks:
• CRIME AFTER CRIME aired in November2011 on OWN (dir: Yoav Potash)
• BAD BLOOD Aired on PBS, June 2011; (dir: Marylin Ness)
• WAR DON DON Aired on HBO2, September 2010; (dir: Rebecca Richman Cohen)
• RUN GRANNY RUN Aired on HBO in 2007; (dir: Marlo Poras)