The LEF Foundation is excited to announce 4 grants totaling $20,000 to independent documentary filmmakers creating innovative feature-length films, each with a unique artistic voice.
The LEF Moving Image Fund invests in projects that demonstrate excellence in technique, strong storytelling ability, and originality of artistic vision and voice. In addition to this criteria, the grantees represent a group of filmmakers at different stages in their artistic careers, from emerging to established makers.
LEF received approximately 30 inquiries for this deadline. The 4 projects receiving awards will receive $5,000 each in pre-production support.
The selected filmmakers address a broad range of subjects while sharing a unique intimacy with their subjects and bringing a strong creative eye to their work. The grantees are:
Pre-Production
Jenny Alexander
Dream Generation (wt)
This film follows the story of three undocumented immigrant youth as they struggle to change the world around them – a world where they are considered illegal in the communities where they were raised. In their efforts to change the immigration policies that shape their lives they must confront their greatest fears, and risk losing the only place they know as home.
Alexander Berman and Elizabeth Rose
In the Volcano’s Shadow
The Bezymianny volcano, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, is part of the largest concentration of active volcanoes in the world. A group of American, Russian, and Japanese researchers study the volcano to unravel a mystery: what makes volcanoes erupt? Native to the area, the Eveny people try to answer the same question through their own cultural practices. In the Volcano’s Shadow explores the stories of the scientists, the aboriginals, and the quest to understand disaster.
Jane Gillooly
The Suitcase of Love and Shame
A suitcase purchased on eBay containing reel-to-reel audiotapes recorded in the mid-1960’s reveals an uncensored chronicle of a remarkable affair. The content inside reflects the disappointment, humiliation, and regret of a Midwestern man and his mistress. This film explores an era in American history when the reality and disgrace of marital instability condemned the true love between this eccentric pair to secrecy.
Ken Winikur and Ben Avishai
J Street
Through the story of a small, energetic Washington, DC lobby group, J Street explores the battle currently being waged over the hearts and minds determining what support for Israel really means. This film looks at the American political system, and how a sophisticated grassroots movement can organize itself to make its voice heard in the highest levels of government.
The LEF Foundation extends its warmest congratulations to this group of grantees and our best wishes for success to all the projects reviewed for this deadline.
Upcoming grant deadlines are 18 September 2010 for projects seeking pre-production support and 28 January 2011 for projects seeking support for production or post-production. Please check www.lef-foundation.org for details regarding LEF Moving Image Fund guidelines and eligibility.
For more information on the Foundation or its funded projects, please contact Program Manager Sara Archambault: 617.492.5333 or sara@lef-foundation.org.
A private family foundation dedicated to the support of contemporary arts, LEF was established in 1985 with offices in Massachusetts and California. The Moving Image Fund was launched in 2001 through the LEF office in Cambridge, MA to support independent film and video artists. Since its inception, the Moving Image Fund has supported over 200 independent filmmaker projects with more than $2,000,000 in funding.