Ford Foundation Launches $50 Million Fund for Next-Generation Documentary Filmmakers

NEW YORK, 19 January 2011 — One day before the start of the Sundance
Film Festival, a program of the Sundance Institute, and its gathering
of independent filmmakers from around the world, the Ford Foundation
today announced a five-year, $50 million initiative to help find and
support a new generation of filmmakers whose works address urgent
social issues.

The new initiative, called JustFilms, will invest $10 million a year
over the next five years to support and expand the community of
filmmakers and mediamakers around the world focused on creating
documentaries with passion and purpose, but who often lack funding to
realize their visions or reach audiences.

"With the growth of the Web and social networks, the potential global
audience for filmed content with a social conscience has exploded,"
said Luis Ubiñas, president of the Ford Foundation. "We want JustFilms
to support visionary filmmakers from around the world to create works
on urgent social issues, and help them reach and engage audiences."

JustFilms will build on the foundation's longtime support for
documentaries, including such landmark productions as "Eyes on the
Prize," "State of Fear" and "Why Democracy," among scores of others.
It will also leverage the foundation's global network of 10 regional
offices to identify and lift new talent from around the world and to
strengthen emerging communities of documentary filmmakers.

the rest at:

http://www.fordfoundation.org/newsroom/news-from-ford/443