Catapult Film Fund Awards $30,000 in Research Grants to Three Doc Filmmakers (EXCLUSIVE)

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Filmmakers Sabaah Folayan, Loira Limbal, and Peter Nicks have been chosen for the Catapult Film Fund‘s yearly research award. This grant comes with a cash prize of $10,000 each, along with a four-month mentorship program from industry professionals.

This year, I’m part of a project lineup that includes: Folyan’s “Flowing with Blessings,” which delves into an organization offering mobile laundry and shower facilities to Atlanta’s homeless community; Limbal’s “Between Oceans,” focusing on the lives of Black women immigrants from the Caribbean who annually leave their families behind for seasonal jobs in the U.S. via the H-2B temporary worker program; and Nick’s “All My Friends,” a poignant coming-of-age documentary that examines how a diverse group of youth deal with the heartbreaking loss of a friend, who was also the director’s daughter, at 16.

In its fifth year, Catapult’s research grant program aligns with the organization’s objective to offer crucial early-phase funding when it’s most difficult and perceived as the riskiest to provide. For this year, the focus is on assisting mid-career filmmakers. Out of 214 applicants, Folayan, Limbal, and Nicks were selected.

Or:

This is the fifth year that Catapult’s research grant program follows its mission to provide essential early funding, which is often hardest to secure and viewed as the riskiest to offer. In 20XX, the program will prioritize mid-career filmmakers. From a pool of 214 applicants, Folayan, Limbal, and Nicks were selected.

Or:

For the fifth consecutive year, Catapult’s research grant program supports its goal to offer vital early funding when it’s scarcest and most daunting to provide. In 20XX, the emphasis will be on helping mid-career filmmakers. From a pool of 214 applicants, Folayan, Limbal, and Nicks were chosen.

Folayan has produced three documentary films as the director, with her most recent one, “Ratified,” having its premiere at Atlanta’s BronzeLens Film Festival in 2024. On April 1 of the same year, Limbal took on the roles of president and CEO at Firelight Media. Her film titled “Through the Night” (2020), a documentary feature, was initially screened at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival. In 2012, Nick’s work, “The Waiting Room,” made it to the shortlist for an Academy Award. His Apple+ documentary titled “Underrated” about Stephen Curry was released in 2023.

Megan Gelstein, Catapult Film Fund co-director and chief program officer, stated that these are the filmmakers who dare to take creative chances, delving into intriguing questions they’ve posed for themselves. They display an unwavering commitment to probing deeply into social, artistic, and creative issues. Essentially, they cultivate a career rather than merely completing a project. It is an honor to assist them in their endeavors.

In the fourth month of the program, grant recipients will be matched with an advisor who best suits their individual project requirements and objectives. This year’s advisors include Oscar-winning director Steven Bognar (“American Factory”), filmmaker Stephen Maing (“Union”), and Dawn Porter (“Luther: Never Too Much”).

Or,

For the fourth month of the program, grant recipients will be assigned an advisor according to their unique project aims and objectives. This year’s advisors are Oscar-winning director Steven Bognar (“American Factory”), filmmaker Stephen Maing (“Union”), and Dawn Porter (“Luther: Never Too Much”).

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but feel that we’re living in extraordinary moments where the most crucial, intimate, and bold non-fiction pieces are necessary now more than ever. Yet, it seems harder than ever to find the backing needed for their production. Fortunately, my Oscar-shortlisted film “Union” received development support from Catapult in 2021, which has helped me navigate these challenging times.

2020 marked the debut of the Catapult Research Grant program, initiated following discussions with U.S. filmmakers regarding the major hurdles in launching new projects, notably funding, time constraints, and the absence of a supportive community. Previously, the grant amounted to $50,000, distributed among five filmmakers each year. This year, however, Catapult decided to support the unique requirements of mid-career filmmakers aiming to enhance their artistic abilities for career longevity by narrowing down the recipients to just three projects. The organization aims to provide a more in-depth and focused experience within this cohort to better assist them with their individual projects.

According to Gelstein, our society often undervalues artists. This issue becomes more pronounced when resources are limited and changes happen quickly. To cope with such challenges, one seeks a group of people who share the same perspective to offer support and find solutions. remarkably, this unique program we have this year is just that kind of community.

So far, our organization’s research grant program has supported more than 30 film teams from various backgrounds within the U.S. A significant majority, around two-thirds, of these teams define themselves as women or nonbinary, and over 90% identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Previous recipients of this grant include Jameka Autry (“Burden of Proof”), Reid Davenport (“I Didn’t See You There”), and directors Sam Osborn and Alejandra Vasquez (“Going Varsity in Mariachi”).

Catapult, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, was established in 2010 to tackle the shortage of early assistance and longevity in the documentary industry. As it approaches its 15th anniversary in 2025, it plans to mark the occasion with significant achievements in its primary Development Grant program, the Rough Cut Retreat collaboration initiated in 2010 with True/False Film Fest, and its Research Grant scheme.

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2025-04-07 20:16