The Ford Foundation has unveiled a USD50 million initiative dedicated to identifying and supporting documentary filmmakers who focus on social issues.
Dubbed JustFilms, the five-year initiative will invest USD10 million per year in video, film and digital documentaries that show “courageous people confronting difficult issues and actively pursuing a more just, secure and sustainable world,” according to a news release from the foundation.
The Ford Foundation said the money will be invested in three ways: supporting organizations such as the Independent Television Service and the U.S.-based Sundance Institute, partnering with other Ford Foundation programs where the use of documentaries can attract more attention to social issues, and engaging independent filmmakers through an open application process.
JustFilms is led by award-winning filmmaker Orlando Bagwell. The project is already supporting three documentary works, including a four-part TV news special examining the suffering experienced by women in wars.
