Sundance Institute’s documentary Fund will be supporting 23 selected independent documentary film projects this year through grants totaling over $1 million. This initiative has previously funded notable films including Oscar-nominated features “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” “Minding the Gap” and “The Edge of Democracy.”
In addition to shrinking budgets for commissioned docuseries and one-offs, there has been a dramatic decline in distribution deals for indie docs, making the Sundance Institute grant vital to the nonfiction community. Especially to those filmmakers in the docu space working on social issue documentaries.
This year, the documentaries awarded grants explore a large breadth subject matters from around the world, telling stories about Indigenous People and Native Americans, transgender youth, secrets of a family’s lineage, people with disabilities and an untitled feature about Uvalde, Texas. Of the 23 films, six are in development, 14 are in production and three are in post-production.
“The stories and themes explored by this incredibly talented group of artists beautifully embody Sundance’s spirit and the mission of our program today,” said Paola Mottura, documentary Film Fund director. “These projects carry tremendous potential for narrative change and remind us of the vital importance of bold, risk-taking independent film for a healthy democracy and a thriving civil society.”
The documentary Fund grants are made possible by the Open Society Foundations, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Gucci, and the Kendeda Fund.
See below for the full list of 2023 documentary Fund films.
“The Beauty of the Donkey” (Switzerland, France, Kosovo)
Director: Dea Gjinovci
Producers: Dea Gjinovci, Emma Lepers, Ilir Hasanaj
“The Days I Would Like to Forget” (Ukraine, France, Austria)
Directors: Alina Gorlova, Yelizaveta Smith, Simon Mozgovyi, Maksym Nakonechyi
Producers: Eugene Rachkovsky, Ralph Wieser, Nabil Bellahsene
“Girl-Tubers” (Brazil)
Director: Tali Yankelevich
Producer: Leonardo Mecchi
“Looking at Ourselves” (U.S.)
Director and Producer: Lourdes Portillo
“My Mothers’ Tale” (U.K.)
Director: Mizgin Arslan
Producers: Shirine Best, Avesta Kadire
“Somebody’s Gone” (U.S.)
Directors: Cyrus Moussavi, Hubert Taylor
Producer: Brittany Nugent
In production:
“The 3,000 Project” (U.S.)
Director and Producer: Keith McQuirter
“…that’s why He made momma” (U.S.)
Directors: Lendl Tellington, Salome Sykes
“Adam’s Apple” (U.S.)
Director: Amy Jenkins
Producers: Brit Fryer, Amy Jenkins
“Life After” (U.S.)
Director: Reid Davenport
Producers: Colleen Cassingham, Jess Devaney
“Listening to the World” (Ukraine, Germany, Sweden)
Director: Yelizaveta Smith
Producers: Olga Beskhmelnytsina, Eugene Rachkovsky
“Niñxs” (Mexico)
Director: Kani Lapuerta Laorden
Producer: Suleica Adriana Pineda Rodríguez
“Our Seeds” (Turkey, Germany)
Director: Erhan Arık
Producers: Meryem Yavuz, Manuel Rees, Frank Carsten Walter
“Powwow People” (U.S.)
Director: Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk/Pechanga)
Producers: John Cardellino, Adam Piron (Kiowa/Mohawk)
“Redlight to Limelight” (India)
Director: Bipuljit Basu
Producer: Nilotpal Majumdar
“Remaining Native” (U.S.)
Director: Paige Bethmann (Haudenosaunee)
Producers: Paige Bethmann, Jessica Epstein, Judd Erhlich
Untitled Yemen Project (Yemen, Netherlands, U.S.)
Directors and Producers: Sara Ishaq, Sonia Kennebeck
“When They Were Here” (U.S.)
Directors: Ivan MacDonald (Blackfeet), Ivy MacDonald (Blackfeet)
Producers: Ivan MacDonald, Mridu Chandra, Jessica Jane Hart
“Widow Champion” (Kenya)
Director: Zippy Kimundu
Producers: Zippy Kimundu, Heather Courtney
“Will They Ever Come Back?” (Colombia)
Director: Ángela Carabalí
Producers: Sandra Tabares-Duque, Ángela Carabalí
Post Production:
“Ride with Delivery Workers” (U.S.)
Director: Jing Wang
Producers: Jing Wang, Dr. Do Jun Lee, Annie Berman, Nicholas Wong
Untitled (Myanmar)
Director and Producer: Min Min Hein
Untitled Uvalde documentary (U.S.)
Director: Anayansi Prado
Producers: Anayansi Prado, Mary Recine
