SFFILM

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Doc

SFFILM Documentary Film Fund

 
Applications for the 2025 SFFILM Documentary Film Fund are now open!

Overview

The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund (DFF) supports engaging documentaries in post-production which exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters, and an original, innovative visual approach. Since its launch in 2011, the SFFILM Documentary Film Fund has distributed more than $900,000 to advance new work by filmmakers nationwide.

DFF grants are awarded once each year to documentary feature projects and are open to filmmakers internationally. The Documentary Film Fund grants its support to approximately 3-4 projects each year with grants of $10,000 – $15,000. As with all SFFILM grants, in addition to the cash awards, recipients will gain access to numerous benefits through the comprehensive and dynamic SFFILM Makers artist development program.

The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund has an excellent track record for advancing compelling films that go on to critical acclaim. Previous DFF winners include Sarvnik Kaur’s Against the Tide, winner of the Sundance 2023 Vérité Filmmaking Prize; Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborne’s Going Varsity in Mariachi, winner of the Sundance 2023 Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award; Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh’s multiple Sundance winner Writing With Fire and Jessica Kingdon’s Ascension both nominated for the 2022 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; Ljubo Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska’s Honeyland, which won a record number of juried awards at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for Academy Awards for both Best Documentary Feature and Best Foreign Language Film.

Timeline

  • Grant opens Tue, March 4, 2025
  • Regular Deadline Mon, June 23, 2025 (Application Fee $30)
  • Final Deadline Mon, July 7, 2025 (Application Fee $50)
  • Finalists Notified in September 2025
  • Recipients Announced in October 2025

Who Can Apply

  • Applicant must be at least 18 years old.
  • Applicant must be in a key creative role for the film: ideally, the producer or director.
  • SFFILM members will have all fees waived.
  • Filmmaker may not be SFFILM employee or board member.
  • Filmmaker may not be a full-time student.
  • Project cannot be a work for hire.
  • Project must be a feature length documentary (60 minutes or more).
  • Project must be within 3 months of beginning post-production from the final deadline.
  • Projects can be produced or based anywhere in the world.
  • Projects must be consistent with SFFILM’s mission and represent an imaginative contribution to the moving image art form.
  • Project reflects innovation in storytelling and visual style.
  • Projects that primarily use interviews as a storytelling device will not be considered.

HOW TO APPLY

  • To begin the application process, navigate to the “Apply Now” page to review the required items for submission. If you have not yet created an account for the SFFILM Grant Platform, please do so (please note: this is separate from your SFFILM member account).
  • Filmmaker clearly articulates the intended goals for the grant.
  • Filmmaker explains how the project takes a visually innovative approach.
  • Filmmaker demonstrates how the grant will impact short- and long-term professional and artistic goals.
  • It is recommended that the 10-minute sample be 1-2 scenes from the film and not a trailer.
  • Only one application per project will be accepted.
  • Please note that while we encourage filmmakers to apply for to the SFFILM Festival and other SFFILM Makers grant, fellowship, and residency programs, winning a Documentary Film Fund grant does not guarantee acceptance into any of the above programs.
  • Films that have previously submitted to this fund may reapply if significant progress has been made since the last submission.
  • Filmmakers will be notified of their application status via email by the end of November. Funds for grantees will be available shortly thereafter.
  • Email grants@sffilm.org if you have any questions.

Finalist Materials

10-25 applicants will be chosen as finalists. The following materials will be required for further consideration before the winners are selected. Finalists will have two – three weeks to submit these items:

  • A work sample that is up to 10 minutes long. You may share either an excerpt (or excerpts) OR a full cut of your film with specific time codes for the 10 minutes you feel most strongly represent your artistic vision, characters, and story. The external review committee will only see this work sample and not the original one you submitted. We highly recommend that your work sample be a scene or scenes versus a trailer or teaser. The review committee will not be able to watch more than 10 minutes.
  • An updated, detailed budget (should include line items, not just top sheet)
  • Any updates to the film or stage that you would like to share with the review committee (1-2 paragraphs max, please)

 

FAQs

Do I need to live in the Bay Area to be eligible for the SFFILM Doc Film Fund grant?
No. The SFFILM Doc Film Fund is open to filmmakers based anywhere in the U.S. or internationally.

What stage does this fund support?
The SFFILM Doc Film Fund supports feature-length documentaries in post-production. While we know the documentary production process is often nonlinear with various stages happening at the same time, a project must be within about 3 months of beginning post-production from the final deadline (ie: production should be done by October 2025).

What should my visual sample include?
We recommend sending 1-2 scenes so that the review committee can get a sense of the story and characters and if it can sustain a feature length film, your access to the central subjects, and the artistic voice and direction of the film. We recommend sending the scene(s) you feel most strongly portray these elements in lieu of a trailer. We understand the scenes will be in progress and do not expect them to be picture locked, color corrected, or finalized in any way.

If you send materials over 10 minutes, we cannot guarantee that the review committee will be able to watch more than the first five minutes of the materials you send. If you do not want the first five minutes to be watched, please include the timecode of the five minutes you would like the committee to watch.

What types of films does this fund support?
The SFFILM Doc Film Fund supports a range of films from around the world. Films do not have to have a strong social issue and most often do not have that at the center of the film. The fund supports documentaries that exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters and an innovative visual approach. Recent examples of this include Going Varsity in Mariachi, Against the Tide, Ascension, Honeyland, and Hale County This Morning.

How many projects are granted each year?
The Documentary Film Fund grants its support to approximately 3-4 projects each year with grants of $10,000 – $20,000.

When are applicants notified?
All applicants will be notified of their status through the SFFILM grant platform by late-November.

For more information about our grants and fellowships, please contact grants@sffilm.org.