16.01.02
Sundance Institute Creates Sundance International Documentary Fund |
(Park City, UT, January 2002 - Sundance Institute founder and president Robert Redford has announced the establishment of the Sundance International Documentary Fund. Made possible by a $4.6 million grant from the New York-based Open Society Institute (OSI), the Sundance International Documentary Fund is a significant expansion of the organization&';s long-standing commitment to documentary film.
With the goal of creating an initiative that demonstrates the impact powerful films have in promoting social justice and social change, the new Fund brings together OSI&';s longstanding commitment to human rights with the Sundance Institute&';s considerable experience with international filmmakers and its support for documentary filmmaking. For the past 20 years, the Sundance Institute has presented professional development workshops for filmmakers in numerous countries in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia.
"As the Institute marks 20 years of support for independent voices in filmmaking, we are particularly grateful to have OSI as a partner in continuing this innovative, and much-needed source of support for documentary film," said Redford. "Documentaries from around the globe that bear witness to issues of human rights, social justice, civil liberties and freedom of expression bring forth truth in ways which can have a profound effect on societies and lives," continued Redford. "Bringing these truths forward is critical, now more than ever."
The OSI grant supports the transition of the Soros Documentary Fund, originally established in 1996, to the Sundance Institute and sustains this unique and important source of support for projects that deal with vital, yet extremely challenging subject matter. The Sundance International Documentary Fund will be directed by Diane Weyermann, who also led the Soros Documentary Fund. Weyermann, Director of the Sundance Institute International Program, has been instrumental in working with both OSI and the Sundance Institute to develop a vision for the future of the Fund. Gara LaMarche, OSI Director of US Programs, commented: "The Open Society Institute is pleased that Sundance will continue the important work of the Soros Documentary Fund by assisting filmmakers in creating works that offer a window into global and personal struggles for human rights and social justice. The Sundance reach and reputation will give these urgent films the broader audience they deserve."
The grant to the Sundance Institute requires that additional funds be raised, beginning in 2003. The intention is to use this additional capital to broaden the scope of the Sundance International Documentary Fund program, perhaps to include feature films, or expanded marketing and distribution assistance, while retaining its primary emphasis on human rights issues.
The Sundance International Documentary Fund will consider projects in several categories. Seed funds are available to filmmakers for developing projects in the research or early pre-production phase. Projects in production or postproduction are also eligible for support. Upon completion of their projects, grantees may apply for a supplemental grant to support costs such as the development of educational materials, distribution and exhibition, and subtitling for foreign broadcast. More details on the Fund&';s award guidelines can be found on the Sundance Institute website, www.sundance.org.
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