The Redford Center Awards Grants To 22 Documentaries

Today, The Redford Center announced that they are more than tripling the size of their 2020 Grants Program to award 22 filmmaking teams with funding, tools, and support for their environmentally-focused feature documentaries. This momentous expansion solidifies The Redford Center's commitment to utilizing impact-driven film and media to build the movement toward environmental justice, protection, and repair.

Amid a convergence of crises, the films selected for Redford Center Grants support this year tell critical and compelling stories that meet the current moment, offer viewers pathways for action and engagement, and share a persistent goal of creating a just transition to a healthier future for all. The diverse portfolio of filmmakers and projects, all in varying stages of development and production, shine a light on a wide variety of urgent issues including food security and sovereignty, climate solutions and just recovery, environmental toxins and community health, racial justice, and civic participation, indigenous wisdom and rights, and endangered habitat and species protection. Information on the films in the 2020 cohort can be found at RedfordCenter.org/Grantees.

"The Redford Center is deeply grateful to be able to scale up our commitment to investing in solution-oriented storytelling at a time when we and our world need so much hope," said Jill Tidman, Executive Director, The Redford Center. "This year's grantees represent an exciting range of films and filmmaking approaches and will serve a pressing need to engage far more people, and a more diverse population, in the movement to solve the environmental and climate crises."

Selected from 160 applications, the 2020 cohort is made up of 16 grant winners and an inaugural class of six mini-grant winners, making this the third and largest group of grantees in The Redford Center's history. Each of the 16 projects in the 2020 cohort will receive a $20,000 cash grant and the latest GoPro gear, while the six mini-grant award winners will receive a $1,000 cash grant. All filmmakers will receive networking and partnership opportunities, guidance on impact strategies and goals, promotional support, and will be eligible to receive additional production funds in 2021.

The Redford Center Grants Program is funded by The New York Community Trust, with support from KindHumans and GoPro For A Cause. Additional funding for the 2020 cohort is provided by Janice and Matthew Barger, Shari and Dan Plummer, and the Pisces Foundation.

A biennial program, The Redford Center's 2020 cohort is preceded by a class of seven films in 2018 and six films in 2016. Projects from past cohorts have premiered to global audiences and screened at festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Hot Docs, and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. Additionally, the film Inventing Tomorrow (2018) was the recipient of a 2019 Peabody Award. More information about The Redford Center Grants Program, previous cohorts, and this year's grantees can be found on RedfordCenter.org/Grantees.

Co-founded in 2005 by Robert Redford and his son James Redford, The Redford Center uses impact-driven film and media to build the movement toward environmental justice, protection and repair. The nonprofit organization produces, funds and supports a diverse portfolio of filmmakers and projects that represent often unheard but necessary perspectives taking action to preserve and restore the planet.

The Redford Center's Fiscal Sponsorship Program extends its nonprofit status and excellent filmmaker support to kindred environmental impact film and media projects. The Redford Center's original productions include: FIGHTING GOLIATH: Texas Coal Wars (2008) which helped prevent the construction of nearly 200 new coal-powered plants. WATERSHED (2012) which has secured over $13 million to support on-the-ground restoration work and obtain water rights for the Colorado River Delta region. The Redford Center's current film and campaign, HAPPENING: A CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTION (2017) has screened in all 50 US states and 45 countries, with over 2 million views on HBO in the US alone. Redford Center Grants provides development and production funding for environmental impact stories that drive awareness, engagement and action on a variety of topics that are relevant to, or take place in, the United States. To learn more, please visit RedfordCenter.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube.