Apply now for the The Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund for Filmmakers across Africa ($20,000 CAD funding)

A fund specifically designated for filmmakers who reside and work in Africa is called the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund (HDBID) for Filmmakers across Africa ($20,000 CAD funding). Grants for the development and production of feature-length or broadcast-length documentaries are available from the Fund. Every year, between four and ten initiatives are granted funding. Every application that is accepted will also be given consideration for a mentorship program.

HOT DOCS COMMUNITY

A year-long mentorship program led by international mentors will be extended to up to five funded projects. The program includes participation in Hot Docs and Durban FilmMart/Durban International Film Festival, year-round mentorship from seasoned documentary professionals, and access to a private digital filmmaker lab. In the past, these fellowships have covered round-trip airfare, lodging, and assistance with obtaining accreditation for these foreign marketplaces and festivals.

Qualifications

The candidate needs to:

• As the project’s principal rights holder and producer
• possess a production business registered in a country on the African continent mentioned in our FAQ section that is connected to the project.
• In any situation, the producer and director need to:
• own citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and spend the most of their time living and working in Africa. The FAQ section has a comprehensive list of all the countries that are financed.
• possess a minimum of one professional credit from the past
• Maintain a current account with Hot Docs by the application date.

The undertaking needs to:

• be created and filmed in Africa
• Be a top-notch film or an hour-long documentary that is aired to audiences both domestically and abroad (fiction, television shows, and school projects are not acceptable formats).
• as of April 2024, be in development, production, or post-production. Projects that will be finished by Hot Docs 2024 will not be considered by the Fund.

Reapplication eligibility:

• Regardless of the outcome of the Development Fund application, a project may apply to the Fund and then, at a later date, the Production Fund.
• Projects that are submitted but do not win financing may only be submitted once more in a different fund stream. Resubmission requests need to be sent in writing to [email protected]. A project may receive a direct invitation to resubmit from the selection committee in certain cases.

Selection Standards

• The Selection Committee will notify the applicants of its decision about four months following the deadline for submissions.
• Selections will be determined in collaboration with Hot Docs and Blue Ice Docs officials after applications that are judged full and suitable are presented to the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund Advisory, which is composed of experts in the documentary business who reside and work in Africa.
• For Further Details: Visit the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund’s official website. Deadline:  January 5, 2024