Documentary filmmaking is all the more important in the era of “fake news.” So the fact that the International Documentary Association (IDA) has announced a cohort of 12 films that will receive the IDA’s Enterprise Production Fund is all the more welcome. Created to support the “feature-length documentary films telling urgent, revelatory stories characterized by a strong journalistic foundation,” the fund was launched in 2017 and has now provided $1,900,000 in funding to 35 documentary projects in both production and development.
The current crop of films have been selected to receive a total of $850,000. Grantees will receive additional resources and expertise through IDA and its partners Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the UCLA Documentary Film Legal Clinic, and Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors.
As the press release, notes, of the 12 projects, seven are directed by women, 11 have female directors and/or producers, and eight are directed by filmmakers who identify as diverse.
The projects were selected by journalists, filmmakers, and industry professionals. The Fund received 275 submissions.
“This slate of grantees perfectly reflects the goals of this fund,” says Carrie Lozano, Director of the IDA Enterprise Fund. “The films are capturing breaking news on the ground; exploring unique and underreported angles of pressing issues; and demonstrate extraordinary vision and commitment to journalistic excellence. We are committed to supporting a range of stories and storytellers and are delighted that this diverse cohort includes so many women, people of color, and LGBTQ directors and producers whose work will substantially contribute to the public discourse.”
The projects selected for the Enterprise Production Fund and their descriptions are below, courtesy of IDA.
And She Could be Next
(Grace Lee, director/producer; Marjan Safinia, director/producer; Jyoti Sarda, Producer)
In a polarized America, where the dual forces of white supremacy and patriarchy threaten to further erode our democracy, women of color are claiming power by running for political office. “And She Could Be Next,” made by a team of women filmmakers of color, asks whether democracy itself can be preserved—and made stronger—by those most marginalized.
Ernie & Joe
(Jenifer McShane, director/producer)
“Ernie & Joe” follows two officers with the San Antonio Police Department who are diverting people away from jail and into mental health treatment—one 911 call at a time. They are not only redefining policing and its mandate to “keep people safe,” but are also transforming the ways in which law enforcement agencies across the US think about, approach and help those with a mental health diagnosis.
Knock Down the House
(Rachel Lears, director/producer; Robin Blotnick, producer; Sarah Olson, producer)
In 2018, a young bartender in the Bronx, a coal miner’s daughter in West Virginia, a grieving mother in Nevada, and a registered nurse in Missouri join a movement of insurgent candidates challenging powerful incumbents in Congress. Without political experience or corporate money, these women attempt to do what many consider impossible—until one of them pulls off the most shocking political upset in recent American history.
Mama Bears
(Daresha Kyi, director/producer; Laura Tatham, co-producer)
“Mama Bears” is a feature-length documentary that explores the many ways in which the lives of conservative, Christian mothers are impacted and utterly transformed when they decide to affirm and advocate on behalf of their LGBTQ children. As members of a private Facebook group—which they call the “mama bears”—they offer one another support and understanding in the struggle to overcome the teachings of their fundamentalist churches.
Philly District Attorney
(Ted Passon, director/producer; Yoni Brook, director/producer; Josh Penn, producer)
Radical civil rights attorney, Larry Krasner, leads a band of activists who set out to end mass incarceration by taking over the agency at its center: the district attorney’s office. Embedded behind closed doors, the film watches an unprecedented criminal justice experiment unfold to ask: can outsiders reform a system from within?
Skin of Glass
(Denise Zmekhol, director/producer; Leah Mahan, co-producer; Amir Soltani, co-producer)
“Skin of Glass” is the story of São Paulo’s largest vertical favela, a 25-story office tower that is a treasure of mid-20th century architecture and Denise Zmekhol’s late-father’s masterpiece. The film follows Zmekhol’s journey to discover her father’s threatened legacy as an artist, as she confronts the harsh reality of inequality destroying the city he loved.
Through the Night
(Loira Limbal, director/producer; Duana C. Butler, producer)
To make ends meet, Americans are working longer hours across multiple jobs. This modern reality of non-stop work has resulted in an unexpected phenomenon: the flourishing of 24-hour daycare centers. Through the Night is a verité documentary that explores the personal cost of our modern economy through the stories of two working mothers and a child care provider, whose lives intersect at a 24-hour daycare center.
Unsettled
(Tom Shepard, director/producer; Jen Gilomen, producer)
“Unsettled: Seeking Refuge in America” follows the stories of LGBT refugees and asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East as they flee persecution in their countries of origin to seek better and safer lives in the US.
Untitled Safe Schools Project
(Todd Chandler, director/producer; Danielle Varga, producer)
“Untitled Safe Schools Project” explores the landscape of 21st century school safety in the United States, illuminating the complex ways in which we as a nation struggle to understand and prevent violence, and endeavor to create safer schools.
Women in Blue
(Deirdre Fishel, director/producer; Beth Levison, producer)
A high-profile police shooting rocks the Minneapolis Police Department, and its reform-minded, first female chief is forced to resign. Following three women officers— who carry on the fight to transform the MPD and restore community trust—”Women in Blue” explores gender, violence and policing in America.
Anonymous Project – Human Rights
No description available yet.
Anonymous Project – Investigative
No description available yet.
