2023 Black Cinema Collective Filmmaker Microgrant Awards!
Presenting the awardees of the 2023 BCC Filmmaker Microgrant for 1st time Black filmmakers!
ALT: A cropped image of Black men on an outdoor film set in an unknown urban environment. In the foreground one person is holding a Canon DSLR camera rig filming another person pointing and speaking to the camera. CAPTION: "Documenting Life In Leimert Park" by joey zanotti from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Congratulations from the BCC + NWFF Teams to all filmmakers!
We are excited to announce the four (4) awardees and four (4) honorable mentions for 2023 Black Cinema Collective Microgrant!
After careful consideration and deliberation by Seattle-based filmmakers Maya Santos and Tifa Tomb, the grant was awarded to four talented new voices in storytelling:
AWARDEES
Amber Flame
Leah Teklemariam
Taylor-Nicole Tinsley
Cacey Williams
The number of applications received is a testimony of how important it is to support Black filmmakers in our community. It was a close call for the juror deliberations.
In recognizing the wealth of thoughtful work happening in the budding filmmaking community of the Pacific Northwest, Tomb and Santos also selected four Honorable Mentions as talented filmmakers to watch!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
James Braddy
Bianca Cha-camp
Rick Dupree
Sara Mou
“Reading through the applications, I was so impressed with the visions and imaginations of all the filmmakers. I loved reading about their creative dreams for films. Grants like this are so important to encouraging folks to keep taking steps towards making those visions a reality to share with the world.”
TIFA TOMB, Filmmaker
2023 BCC Filmmaker Microgrant Juror
ALT: A darkened movie theater scene with most audience in shadows and two people's faces highlighted by illumination from what is assumed to be a large movie screen. CAPTION: Curta na Central: O Hip Hop é foda! - 18/04/2017" by centralfde is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Award$, Prizes + Artist Development Support
Each of the four (4) awardees receives $2500 in unrestricted funds.
Within the year receiving this grant, Awardees will also receive the following benefits courtesy of grant co-sponsor Northwest Film Forum (NWFF):
Four (4) movie passes to NWFF film programs and/or festivals screenings
Unlimited Workshop and Class waivers
Use of NWFF editing lab, or community spaces for gatherings.
Mentorship/consultant sessions with Seattle film artists, BCC + NWFF program leadership
A film screening and promotional support* (if the awardee's film is completed within 1 year from date of award)
About Awardees
Click images for bios.
About Jurors
Click images for bios
ABOUT the 2023 BCC Filmmaker Microgrant
Black Cinema Collective (BCC), a cinema programs organization based in Seattle centering local and global works by African and Afro-Diasporic filmmakers, launched their first microgrant in January 2023 for first-time Black filmmakers based in Washington or Oregon.
Based on the work and communities BCC serves, Black identifying, queer, trans, straight, non-binary, non-gender conforming applicants, 18+ with an active interest in film, cinema studies, Afro-Diasporic filmmaking were invited to apply.
We received more than 30 applications during the grant period which took place from January to March 2023. Due to the availability of organizational opportunities, currently enrolled students, and current contractors, team, and staff members of BCC and NWFF were not eligible to apply.
The 2023 Black Cinema Collective Filmmaker Microgrant is organized by BCC lead organizer Berette S Macaulay with development and management support by BCC co-organizers Savita Krishnamoorthy and Abbie Altamirano, and NW Film Forum's Managing Director Christopher Day, and Executive Director Derek Edamura. Grant Media Open Call design by jas moultrie, Grant Media Announcement design by Chile.
This microgrant is fiscally supported by the Creative Equity Grant received by Black Cinema Collective in 2021 from the Seattle Foundation. Artist development package of awards is offered through generous co-sponsorship support by Northwest Film Forum.
ALT: Three quarter close up shot of two male appearing Black people looking through a suspension cinema camera rig. One is seated on a high seat, the other standing to their right. CAPTION: "African Film maker" by Fidelis ogunseri ocsfilms is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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