With the Sundance Native Lab having returned to a (hybrid) in-person model for the first time in two years, Filmmaker asked 2022 fellows to reflect on their recent experiences through short diary entries. Read the rest of the 2022 cohort’s responses.  Sundance Native Lab was a transformative time that deeply reaffirmed my practice, giving me confidence in my work that I never had before. A huge part of it was being grounded by other Indigenous writers in my cohort and in the care of such amazing leaders such as Moi—I felt I was in a safe space to share my script in its […]

With the Sundance Native Lab having returned to a (hybrid) in-person model for the first time in two years, Filmmaker asked 2022 fellows to reflect on their recent experiences through short diary entries. Read the rest of the 2022 cohort’s responses.  Before the fellowship, I was feeling anxious. It’s a new environment with new people, cool people. I consider myself introverted, and thus out of my comfort zone. I was still in disbelief that I got chosen for the Full Circle Fellowship; I couldn’t believe that people would want to listen to me. I wasn’t sure of my voice as an […]

This May, the Sundance Native Lab kicked off with a unique two-pronged approach. From May 2-6, fellows met solely online, greeting each other and introducing their projects virtually through Zoom. The following week, from May 9-14, the Native Lab took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico—the first time fellows were able to convene in-person at the Lab’s Southwestern outpost since before the pandemic.  Established in 2004, the Native Lab at Sundance connects emerging Indigenous filmmakers with seasoned industry mentors, engaging in a series of workshops that focus on fortifying the fellows’ writing, directing, and technical skills. Several Full Circle fellows, […]

I’m very happy to be welcoming to Filmmaker‘s staff this week Natalia Keogan, who is our full-time Web Editor. Readers will be familiar with Natalia’s byline, as she’s written for the website and print magazine since 2019. Among her recent pieces for us are interviews with Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman about their Afrofuturist musical Neptune Frost, Leslie Harris about her seminal independent Just Another Girl on the IRT, and Jane Schoenbrun and Alex G about We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. A graduate of New York’s Craig Newmark School of Journalism, Natalia’s work has also been published at […]

In the storied history of France’s Luberon Valley, cinema has played a major role. As SCAD President Paula Wallace pointed out during this year’s SCAD Lacoste Film Festival: “The iconic films fashioned in the region of Provence are legendary. Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources, And God Created Woman—the list abounds with classics.” Now add the recently concluded SCAD Lacoste Film Festival to the notable cinematic features. The festival, which took place July 1–4 at SCAD’s location in majestic Lacoste, featured exclusive screenings, industry insights, a special tribute to Agnès Varda, and the presentation of the SCAD Etoile for Lifetime Achievement […]

I am a New Orleans based writer-director who is putting together a follow-up feature to my film Laundry Day. In 2021 I attached executive producer Corky Kessler and raised money to attend Sundance for the first time (I know, I know… overdue) with him as my defacto host. Of course, Sundance was canceled at the last minute, and I lost a big chunk of the money and what I thought was any hope of rubbing elbows with people who can help my new project, Drinking Music, get made at a substantial budget (my first seven-figure film). A few months later […]

Cine Gear Expo Los Angeles roared back over the weekend, as the multi-day tradeshow saw a number of key exhibitors return to its new home at the LA Convention Center. Attendees poured in by the thousands eager to get their hands-on the latest tech, soak up knowledge at a seminar or tune their skills during a masterclass.  While cloud-based technology emerged as a theme at NAB Show 2022, Cine Gear had its share of companies showcasing turn-key virtual production solutions. Among them is NoitomVPS, which combines a 5×7 capture space and hybrid tracking markers with optical cameras. The motion capture data […]

Color Congress, “the newly formed documentary intermediary organization,” announced today $1.35 million in two-year unrestricted grants to small-budgeted majority people of color and POC-led doc organizations across the U.S. The 17 grantees, selected from a pool of 120 applying organizations, are ones serving historically marginalized communities, have budgets under $300,000 and operate outside national media hubs. The inaugural grants range in amounts from $45,000 to $90,000. “Many of these organizations offer a creative home for documentary filmmakers of color that may not otherwise be served, while others ensure there are viable distribution pathways for the films that are produced,” explains […]

HBO Documentary Films and The Gotham Film & Media Institute’s Expanding Communities program have announced the Documentary Development Initiative, created for storytellers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or storytellers with disabilities with the intent of providing resources to develop thought-provoking, character-driven contemporary ideas for documentary films and limited series.  Through this initiative, up to ten selected filmmakers will be given grants of $50,000 for research and creative development at an early stage. HBO and The Gotham (Filmmaker‘s parent organization) will provide resources and mentorship to support the development of documentary projects and select grantees will have the opportunity to receive […]

Gabe Klinger previously wrote at Filmmaker about the making of his Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater (2013), which is now available on the Criterion Channel. Here, he recounts the last nine years of what he describes as “his sometimes uneasy path as a feature filmmaker” and discusses his latest project. — Editor  It’s approaching a decade since I shared some anecdotes in these pages about directing my debut feature, Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater. Conceived with support from Ciné+ — a French pay TV channel where one of our producers, André S. Labarthe, had a pipeline deal […]