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Andrew Neilly, Nancy Amaral
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Isabella Miller, BFF Program Director
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For Immediate Release
BERKELEY FILM FOUNDATION’S 2020 GRANT AWARDS
BERKELEY, Calif., July 25, 2020 – The Berkeley FILM Foundation (BFF) is proud to announce that it has awarded $165,500 to 15 independent filmmakers who reside or work in the cities of Berkeley, Emeryville, Richmond, El Cerrito, Albany, and Oakland.
Since its founding in 2009, BFF has awarded more than $1.86 million to 181 film projects that push boundaries and inspire change. In its effort to encourage the next generation of local filmmakers, BFF has awarded $171,000 to 51 student filmmakers.
“2020 was a groundbreaking year for the Berkeley FILM Foundation because it marked the most challenging competition in our history with a record number of applications. We regret that we were not able to fund more projects given the incredible talent we see from East Bay filmmakers. We know that the pandemic has hit the independent filmmaking community hard and have been impressed by the resilience and creativity that has emerged, even in this very stressful time. That is what makes this community so important." – Abby Ginzberg, Board President of the Berkeley FILM Foundation
This year’s Saul Zaentz Award for $25,000, given each year to honor the legacy of renowned filmmaker and a BFF Founder, goes to Emily Cohen Ibañez for Fruits of Labor, a poetic documentary that follows a 17-year-old farmworker in California’s Central Coast whose life is overturned by increased ICE raids in her community which threatens her family and her future.
The $20,000 Al Bendich Award is granted to Untitled Prison Hunger Strike Film by Lucas Guilkey and JoeBill Muñoz is a documentary film about the rise and fall of long-term solitary confinement in California prisons. The Award is given in honor of civil rights attorney, social justice advocate and BFF founding member, Al Bendich.
We are also happy to announce the launch of the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation Elevate Award for $25,000 in partnership with the Berkeley-based Jonathan Logan Family Foundation (JLFF). This new award will support one emerging filmmaker each year for five years and will reflect JLFF's mission: to advance social justice by empowering world-changing work in documentary, investigative journalism and arts & culture. This year’s Elevate Award is granted to OAKLEAD by Alex Bledsoe, a documentary that brings to light the public health crisis of lead poisoning in Oakland and how parents are organizing to protect their children from environmental racism.
Other films receiving 2020 grants are:
Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? - Francisco Núñez Capriles
The Lake Merritt Monster - Benjamin MulHolland
Vivien's Wild Ride - Jessica Anthony and Vivien Hillgrove
Two Rivers – Todd Darling
We Still Here / Aquí Estamos - Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi
When You Were Young - Tracey Quezada
Shelter In The Palace - John Slattery
Student Films
8 Days at Ware – Meg Shutzer and Rachel Mueller
Na Luta Delas – Orion Rose Kelly and Pedro Cota
My Own Mecca – Alba Roland Mejias
Alpha Phi Nightmare – Neil Haeems
Crow Country – Tsanavi Spoonhunter
BFF Diversity:
Although BFF does not collect demographic information about its applicants, we know that at least one third of our grantees are filmmakers from under-represented communities, including LGBTQ, people with disabilities, senior citizens, people of color, and immigrants and that well over half of our grantees are women. We believe that our audiences reflect similar demographics.
Berkeley FILM Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) grant organization for independent filmmakers founded by the City of Berkeley, Wareham Development, and the Saul Zaentz Company with a mission to nurture, sustain and preserve the thriving local film community while attracting the next generation of filmmakers. The BFF focuses on supporting the ideals reflected in Berkeley culture: social, historical and innovative documentary and dramatic works. Many of the BFF grant winners have gone on to screen at U.S. and international film festivals, been recognized with prestigious awards, received television broadcasts, and are making a difference around the world.
Please visit our website for announcements of upcoming events: www.berkeleyfilmfoundation.org, www.twitter.com/BerkeleyFilmFdn and www.facebook.com/BerkeleyFilmFoundation.