top of page

DEADLINE EXTENDED!!!

2023 Black Cinema Collective 
FILMMAKER MICROGRANT

OPEN CALL!

We are excited to announce the launch of our 2023 Black Cinema Collective Filmmaker Microgrant for 1st time Black filmmakers based in Washington or Oregon.  

Documenting_Life_In_Leimert_Park_(49539702868).jpg

ALT: A cropped image of Black men on an outdoor film set in an unknown urban environment. In the foreground one person is holding a Canon DSLR camera rig filming another person pointing and speaking to the camera. 

CAPTION: "Documenting Life In Leimert Park" by joey zanotti from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The purpose of this grant is to support four (4) Black filmmakers in their first film project as well as providing resources from our co-sponsor Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) to support their creative endeavors and interests. 

This juried grant will offer four (4) awardees $2500 in unrestricted funds towards their first film.  

 

Films can be at any stage of development, as a short or feature length film, in any genre (art film, comedy, drama, fantasy, horror, musicals, mystery, romance, science fiction - you get the picture).

 

The grant application period is now *EXTENDED* to March 12th, 2023, 5:00pm PST 

 

Check our Application Workshop VIDEO facilitated by BCC Team Abbie Altamirano (Community & Youth Education Outreach) and Savita Krishnamoorthy (Research & Development, Operations, + Programs) on our FAQ page where questions are addressed about the application process.

 

​Since 2019 we have offered multiple programs, interactive film screenings and artist talks with filmmakers from the US, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.  This has been possible through our determined efforts to support Black+Brown artists and now we want to deepen our support for your work!

BCC’s first microgrant will be juried by Seattle-based filmmakers Maya Santos (Building for Equity Programs Manager, 4Culture)  and Tifa Tomb (Sn. Media Producer of Storytelling at UW)!!

image by michale.jpg

ALT: A close-up of a young Black person with braids hairstyle in an outdoor setting, in front of a large unidentified institutional building. Person is holding a Sony video camera and has a headset on. Obstructed view of another person on set with headphones on and holding a sound boom rod.

CAPTION: "Image" by michale is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Award$ and Artist Development Support & Prizes :

EXTENDED DEADLINE - March 12th!!!

 

This juried grant will offer four (4) awardees $2500 in unrestricted funds

Awardees will also receive the following benefits courtesy of grant co-sponsor Northwest Film Forum (NWFF):

  • Four (4) movie passes to NWFF film programs and/or festivals screenings valid for 1 year from date of award

  • Unlimited Workshop and Class waivers, valid for 1 year from date of award (*subject to availability/class capacity)

  • Use of NWFF editing lab, or community spaces for gatherings.  Valid for 1 year from date of award and subject to scheduling availability

  • Mentorship/consultant sessions with Seattle film artists, BCC + NWFF program leadership 

  • A film screening and promotional support

​*(if the awardee's film is completed within 1 year from date of award)

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Based on the work and communities BCC serves, Black identifying, queer, trans, straight, non-binary, non-gender conforming applicants are invited to apply. 

  • Active interest in film, cinema studies, Afro-Diasporic filmmaking, film criticism, and production. 

  • First time Black, African, and/or African-Diasporic filmmaker 

  • Applicants must be 18 years or older 

  • Must be a permanent resident of Oregon or Washington

  • Due to availability of related or organizational opportunities, currently enrolled students, and current contractors, team, and staff members of BCC and NWFF are not eligible to apply

  • Deadline now *EXTENDED* to March 12th, 2023, 5:00pm PST..  Applications received after this date will not be considered. 

ALT:  A darkened movie theater scene with most audience in shadows and two people's faces highlighted by illumination from what is assumed to be a large movie screen. 

CAPTION: Curta na Central: O Hip Hop é foda! - 18/04/2017" by centralfde is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

APPLICATION CRITERIA

To facilitate an accessible process for applicants, we've kept the process as simple as possible. 

 

Applications must include:

  • Completed application form via jotform

  • Artist statement, (words or video submissions accepted as links), including brief explanation of career goals and biographical information, and information on why you are interested in applying (600 words max, and no larger  than 3 megabytes) 

  • Your film synopsis (300 words) 

  • Work sample as image stills and/or video link (optional)

SUBMISSION PERIOD + INFO:   

8 weeks | Opened Jan 31st,

Now Closing March 12th, 5pm PST

APPLICATION WORKSHOP:

 

Watch on BCC FAQ webpage or BCC on YouTube.  Note Workshop was recorded on Feb 9th, so extension deadline is not reflected in the video. 

ABOUT JURORS:

Maya Santos headshot_edited.jpg

MAYA SANTOS

Filmmaker, Building for Equity Program Manager, 4Culture

Maya Santos is a Documentary Filmmaker and Screenwriter specializing in place-based stories. Graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture from Washington State University in 1999, Maya found her way to filmmaking through her passion for multimedia with isangmahal arts kollective, a Seattle-based interdisciplinary arts group. Founder/Creative Director of Form follows Function, a place-based media studio in Los Angeles from 2011-2020 and Adjunct Professor/Guest Lecturer at California State University Los Angeles, Television Film & Media Studies, Maya returned to her hometown during the pandemic and now serves as Program Manager of the Building for Equity Program at 4Culture. Visit mayasantos.com for more. 

Tifa Tomb, Filmmaker

TIFA TOMB

Filmmaker, Snr Media Producer of Storytelling, University of Washington

Tifa Tomb’s work as a director for Retch won Best film at the Seattle Black Film Festival (2020), and her short film Creak! (2021) was selected for the Seattle Children’s Film Festival. She works as a Sr. Media Producer of Storytelling at the University of Washington, freelance produces narrative work, and edits feature length and short narrative and non-fiction work.  After spending the last few years transitioning from an educational career into filmmaking, Tifa now pursues projects exploring themes of home, and the deconstruction of linear time. In 2022 she was thrilled to work as the director/producer of the docuseries: Seattle Black Arts Legacies for crosscut.com.

  • Application Deadline:  now *EXTENDED* to March 12th, 2023, 5:00pm PST.

  • Award announcement: Mon April 24th, 2023.

The 2023 Black Cinema Collective Filmmaker Microgrant is organized by BCC lead organizer Berette S Macaulay with development support by BCC co-organizers Abbie Altamirano and Savita Krishnamoorthy, and Northwest Film Forum's Managing Director Christopher Day, and Executive Director Derek Edamura.  Grant media design by jas moultrie.

 

This microgrant is fiscally supported by the Creative Equity Grant we received in 2021 from the Seattle Foundation. Artist development package of awards is offered through generous co-sponsorship support by Northwest Film Forum.

African_Film_maker.jpg

ALT:  Three quarter close up shot of two male appearing Black people looking through a suspension cinema camera rig.  One is seated on a high seat, the other standing to their right. 

CAPTION: "African Film maker" by Fidelis ogunseri ocsfilms is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

If you’ve been following our collective, love what we do,

and want us to continue, DONATE!   

THANK YOU for keeping us going!

bottom of page