Color Congress, a new collective dedicated to supporting people of color in documentary filmmaking, has arrived. Described by a press release as “a national collective of organizations led and staffed by people of color committed to centering and strengthening nonfiction storytelling by, for, and about people of color across the United States,” Color Congress has launched with a fund of $1.35 million. Organizations run by and/or serving people of color in the documentary world will be able to apply for unrestricted two-year grants beginning January 21.
Color Congress co-directors Sahar Driver and Sonya Childress will connect and support different organizations “to transform the documentary landscape toward one that strengthens people of color visibility, voice, and power, and in doing so pushes the documentary field to become a more powerful force for social change.”
The goal is to help organizations become self-sustainable; offer funding that will ensure organizations can continue serving filmmakers, leaders, and audiences of color; and build collective power among the various organizations.
“After spending the last two decades leveraging the power of documentary film, I understood the power — and the limits — of what a single film can accomplish. Today’s existential challenges require a sea-change in thought and action; so to truly catalyze social change we need robust cinema authored by people closest to the most critical issues of our time,” said Childress. “By supporting the organizations that nurture filmmakers of color, we can ensure impactful nonfiction storytelling will flourish.”
Color Congress’ mission was shaped by “Beyond Inclusion: The Critical Role of People of Color in the U.S. Documentary Ecosystem,” a report that surveyed 200 nonfiction film organizations serving or led by people of color. “The report pointed to decades of work — many of these organizations were developed in the 1960s and 70s during a similar moment of cultural turmoil — and structural and systemic barriers to authorship and support that still persist today,” according to the press release.
“What became clear through the research was that majority POC and POC-led organizations have consistently centered people of color in their programming. And despite being fragmented across communities, regions, disciplines, and priorities, I began to see this as a powerful ecosystem,” Driver explained. “They have persevered in a field that has consistently underestimated, undervalued, and overlooked filmmakers, leaders, and audiences of color. So it is this ecosystem that will continue to ensure beautiful and nuanced POC storytelling saturates culture and helps to transform it. I am grateful for the opportunity to support, resource, and connect these organizations at a time when there is already so much energy and organizing afoot that deserves it.”
Color Congress will host two virtual public events at Sundance 2022: “Shifting Power from Within: The New Gate Openers” on January 21 and “Introducing Color Congress” on January 26.
The open call for funding applications will run January 21-February 21. Head over to Color Congress’ website to find out more.
