News

Congratulations to the SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) team for winning two Critics Choice Awards - well deserved!

• SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Best Political Documentary Best True Crime Documentary Directors Julian NoiseCat, Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn

Catapult-supported films SUGARCANE and UNION have been nominated for the Gotham Awards. Wishing the best of luck to these teams!

• SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Best Documentary Feature Nominee Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn

• UNION (2021 Development Grant)  Best Documentary Feature Nominee Directors Stephen Maing, Brett Story  Producers Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone

Happy to share that 3 Catapult-supported films have been shortlisted for International Documentary Association’s Best Feature Documentary Award!

• AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noemi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

• KAMAY (2020 Development Grant) Director/Producer Ilyas Yourish Producers Hanne Phylpo, Evelien de Graef, Karsten Stöter, Serge Gordey

• SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn

6 Catapult-supported films are headed to IDFA including the world premiere of WRITING HAWA (2022 Development Grant) and the forum pitch of CROCODILE (2019 Development Grant). Co-Director Megan will be on the IDFA Forum jury!

• AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Best of Fests Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

• SABBATH QUEEN (2010 Development Grant) Best of Fests Director/Producer Sandi DuBowski

• SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Best of Fests Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn

• UNION (2021 Development Grant) Best of Fests Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

• WRITING HAWA (2022 Development Grant) WORLD PREMIERE | International Competition Director Najiba Noori Co-Director Rasul Noori

• CROCODILE (2019 Development Grant) IDFA Forum Director/Producer Pietra Brettkelly

Photo credit: International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

As announced in an exclusive with Filmmaker Magazine, we are thrilled to present this year’s Catapult Development Grantees! Below is our final slate of our 2024 Development Grant – Catapult’s flagship program supporting documentary filmmakers when funding is riskiest and hardest to find.

• ** holds you tight ** Director/Producer: Jane M. Wagner Producer: Carrie Weprin
• A Bird with a Knife Director/Producer/Editor: Cecilia Brown Director/Producer/Cinematographer: Winslow Crane-Murdoch
• Captions Will Be Needed Writer/Director: Natalia Almada Producers: Josh Penn, Esther Robinson
• Click & Clack Director: Amanda Micheli Producer: Serin Marshall
• The Dating Game Director/Producer: Violet Du Feng Producers: Joanna Natasegara, Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas, James Costa

• Dream of Grape Gardens Director/Producer: Sahra Mani Producers: Maéva Savinien, Frédéric Corvez, Delphine Maury, Alemberg Ang

• FIXERS Director: Ora DeKornfeld
• Free Joan Little Director: Yoruba Richen Producer: Christalyn Hampton
• I Dream of Villainy Director: Rohan Ranganathan Producers: Aman Mann, Shaunak Sen
• The Mammoths That Tried to Escape the Kingdom of Elrik Khan Director/Co-Writer/Producer: Tamara Kotevska Director of Photography/Co-Writer/Producer: Jean Dakar
• The Search Director: Alex Pritz Producer: Will N. Miller
• SEIZED Director/Producer: Sharon Liese Producers: Sasha Alpert, Paul Matyasovsky
• Untitled Alexandra Billings Project Director/Producer: Nico Opper Producer: Jude Harris

• The Untitled Memory Project Directors/Producers: Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh

• Untitled Twin Athletes Documentary Director: Georgina Cammalleri Producer: Gannesh Rajah

Major news for SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat):

Actress Lily Gladstone has joined the SUGARCANE team as an Executive Producer.

SUGARCANE nominated for 8 Critics Choice Documentary Awards. Best Documentary Feature Best Director Best New Documentary Filmmaker(s) Best Cinematography Best Editing Best Historical Documentary Best Political Documentary Best True Crime Documentary Directors Julian NoiseCat, Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn

Congratulations and wishing you all the best of luck!

Pleased to announce 6 Catapult films will screen at DOC NYC Film Festival, including the world premiere of WE’RE ALL WE GOT (2022 Development Grant). Co-Director Megan will head over to NYC to be a panelist for the Fall Conference Pitch Day - special mention to EJ LEE: ALL AMERICAN (2022 Development Grant) also attending!

Hope to see you there

• **BLACK SNOW (2020 Development Grant) ** North American Premiere | US Competition Director Alina Simone Producer Kirstine Barfod

• CASHING OUT (2022 Development Grant) Shorts: The American Dream Director/Producer Matt Nadel Producer Luke Hodges

• HOMEGROWN (2019 Development Grant) NYC Premiere | American Stories Director/Producer Michael Premo Producer Rachel Falcone

• SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Shortlist Feature Directors Julian NoiseCat, Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie Kellen Quinn

• THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT (2023 Rough Cut Retreat) NYC Premiere | Fight The Power Director Emily Mkrtichian Producers Brock Williams, Mara Adina

• WE’RE ALL WE GOT (2022 Development Grant) WORLD PREMIERE | Shorts: A Child’s Eye Director/Producer Alex Takats Producer Tévan Wilson

Photo credit: DOC NYC

The 2025 Catapult Research Grant is OPEN! We will be accepting LOIs until Wednesday, Nov 13 at 5pm PT.

Our latest program seeks to address filmmaker sustainability and diversity in the field, with a focus on artists from systemically marginalized communities. In 2025, we will focus on supporting a cohort of three (3) mid-career filmmakers who share a desire to deepen their craft and an ongoing commitment to the art of nonfiction storytelling. The grant can be used for a variety of needs for developing new nonfiction film ideas including: research, writing, travel, crew, identifying and gaining access to protagonists, and any preliminary production costs associated with shaping the artistic vision or capturing early footage.

Photo credit: LIFE AFTER (2021 Research Grant) Dir. Reid Davenport Prod. Colleen Cassingham

The 35th New Orleans Film Festival is around the corner and two Catapult films will be screening: HAPPY CAMPERS (2020 Development Grant) and THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT (2023 Rough Cut Retreat). Our Co-Director Theresa will also be on the pitch jury for South Pitch Documentary.

• HAPPY CAMPERS (2020 Development Grant) Director/Producer Amy Nicholson

• THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT (2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Director/Producer Emily Mkrtichian Producers Brock Williams, Mara Adina

Sending a shoutout to our Catapult Co-Founder and Board Secretary Bonni’s film THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT. Congratulations!

Film credit: Arts District New Orleans

Two Catapult-supported films have received Emmy wins! One of the documentaries, EAT YOUR CATFISH, was first supported by Catapult almost a decade ago! Huge congratulations to these talented film teams and all the nominees for their outstanding work.

• EAT YOUR CATFISH (2015 Development Grant) The News & Documentary Emmy Awards Winner - Outstanding Social Issue Documentary Directors/Producers Adam Isenberg, Noah Amir Arjomand, Senem Tüzen

• GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT (2017 Development Grant) 76th Primetime Emmy Awards Winner - Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking Director/Producers Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson Producer Tommy Oliver

Four Catapult supported films are headed to Camden Film Festival! In addition, EJ LEE: ALL-AMERICAN (2022 Development Grant) was selected as LEF/CIFF fellow. Our wonderful Co-Director Megan Gelstein will also attend as a forum panelist.

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Best of Fest Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

DRIVER (2019 Development Grant) *Best of Fest * Director/Producer Nesa Azimi Producers Nicolas Borel, Ines Hofmann Kanna

HOMEGROWN (2019 Development Grant & 2022 Rough Cut Retreat) Spotlight Director/Producer Michael Premo Producers Rachel Falcone, Marshall Hanig, Jim Urquhart, Robyn Braun Serrano

UNION (2021 Development Grant) Best of Fest Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

EJ LEE: ALL-AMERICAN (2022 Development Grant) LEF/CIFF Fellowship Director/Producer Jason Rhee Producer Zoe Sua Cho

Special shoutout to our Co-Founder and Board Secretary Bonni Cohen’s new film WHITE HOUSE EFFECT screening at the festival.

Photo credit: Maine Magazine, Nicole Wolf

We’re thrilled to share our major newsletter announcements and favorite moments from this summer.

Our Catapult team is growing! Join us as we welcome Tabitha Jackson to our Board of Directors. We recently gathered our board and staff in San Francisco for several days of strategic planning, as we look ahead to our milestone anniversary in 2025.

We also reunited with our amazing filmmakers: the SABBATH QUEEN (2010 Development Grant) team closing night at San Francisco Jewish Film Festival & intern Amin with director Penny Lane at the Roxie screening of CONFESSIONS OF A GOOD SAMARITAN (2019 Development Grant).

Read more about Tabitha in Documentary Magazine’s exclusive HERE and in our newsletter!

Fall is on the horizon! Get ready for this season with our Catapult grantees’ upcoming events, and take a look back at their summer achievements.

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze Onion Award for Best Film | MakeDox Creative Documentary Film Festival

COEXISTENCE, MY ASS (2020 Development Grant) Director/Producer Amber Fares Producer Rachel Leah Jones JFI Completion Grant | Jewish Film Institute

HAPPY CAMPERS (2020 Development Grant) Director/Producer Amy Nicholson Official Selection | New Orleans Film Festival

POSTMORTEM (2021 Development Grant) Director Marilyn Ness Producer Beth Levinson Screening & Play | Mosaic Theater Company

SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn Official Selection - TIFF Lightbox

THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT (2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Director Emily Mkrtichian Producer Brock Williams Official Selection | New Orleans Film Festival

TIME HUNTER (2022 Development Grant) Director/Producer Daniel Chein Co-Director Mushiva Producer David Felix Sutcliffe Producer Lab | Docs by the Sea

Photo credit: KING COAL 2020 Development Grant, dir Elaine McMillion Sheldon

Congratulations to THE EASY KIND for their world premiere at Telluride Film Festival! We are so excited to see this film on the big screen.

THE EASY KIND (2020 Development Grant) Director Katy Chevigny
Producer Marilyn Ness

We also want to congratulate our Co-Founder and Board Secretary Bonni Cohen’s two film premieres (THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT & IN WAVES AND WAR)

Don’t miss the festivities - Elizabeth Cook: A Solo Performance at Abel Gance Open Air Cinema on Saturday 7PM

Two Catapult films are screening at Film at Lincoln Center’s New York Film Festival, including the world premiere of MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW!

**MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW (2021 Development Grant) ** Director Julia Loktev

UNION (2021 Development Grant) Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

HOMEGROWN (2019 Development Grant) will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival’s Critics’ Week. Congratulations!

HOMEGROWN (2019 Development Grant) Director/Producer Michael Premo Producers Rachel Falcone, Marshall Hanig, Jim Urquhart, Robyn Braun Serrano

All Venice Critics’ Week entries will compete alongside titles in the official selection for the fest’s Lion of the Future prize, which is worth $100,000. Runs from August 28-Sept 7.

Congratulations to these Catapult supported films on their Emmy® nominations! Wishing you all continued success.

BEYOND UTOPIA (2018 Development Grant) 76th Emmy Awards Nomination - Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking Director Madeleine Gavin Producers Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen, Sue Mi Terry

EAT YOUR CATFISH (2015 Development Grant) News & Doc Emmy® Nomination - Outstanding Social Issue Documentary Directors/Producers Adam Isenberg, Noah Amir Arjomand & Senem Tüzen

GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT (2017 Development Grant) 76th Emmy Awards Nomination - Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking Director/Producers Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson Producer Tommy Oliver

LIFT (2018 Development Grant) News & Doc Emmy® Nomination - Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary Director/Producer David Petersen Producer Mary Recine

NOTHING LASTS FOR EVER (2012 Development Grant) News & Doc Emmy® Nomination - Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary Director/Producer Jason Kohn Producers Amanda Branson Gill & Jared Goldman

Photo credit: Getty Images

As announced in an exclusive with VARIETY, we are thrilled to present with True/False Film Fest the 2024 Rough Cut Retreat filmmaker cohort and mentors! Now in its ninth year, our Rough Cut Retreat offers a one-of-a-kind, immersive mentorship experience designed for documentary filmmakers who lack strong feedback networks.

• Mentors: Ramona Diaz, Amy Foote, Peter Nicks, David Teague, and Noland Walker

• Projects:

The Inventory

Director ilana coleman and Producer Ivonne Villalón

The Last Nomads

Directors Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić

Natchez

Director Suzannah Herbert and Editor Pablo Proenza

The Nile Splits

Director Zuff Shoya and Sound Designer Khaleel Lee

Seeds

Director Brittany Shyne and Editor Malika Zouhali-Worrall

Film Movement has acquired North American rights to Agent of Happiness! A 2024 theatrical release is on the horizon - stay tuned.

Congratulations, team!

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Arun Bhattaraii & Dorottya Zurbo Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

READ HERE

Mark your calendars and get your popcorn ready! PBS has announced POV’s 37th season slate featuring 4 Catapult supported films, including Rough Cut Retreat alumni! Tune in starting June 24th, 2024: season opener KING COAL.

AGAINST THE TIDE (2020 Development Grant) Director Sarvnik Kaur Producer Koval Bhatia, Quentin Laurent

BREAK THE GAME (2022 Rough Cut Retreat) Director/Producer Jane M. Wagner Editor Stephanie Andreou

HUMMINGBIRDS (2022 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Silvia Del Carmen Castaños, Estefanía “Beba” Contreras Producers Jillian Schlesinger, Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Leslie Benavides, Ana Rodriguez-Falco, Diane Ng, Rivkah Beth Medow

KING COAL (2020 Development Grant) Director/Producer Elaine McMillion Sheldon Producers Shane Boris, Diane Becker, Peggy Drexler

READ HERE

Celebrating the start of summer with our Catapult grantees’ phenomenal events and accomplishments:

AGAINST THE TIDE (2020 Development Grant) Director Sarvnik Kaur Producer Koval Bhatia, Quentin Laurent

• Streaming on BBC Four BBC

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Arun Bhattaraii, Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze Special Mention | Millennium Docs Against Gravity Audience Award | Margaret Mead Film Festival Official Selection | Sydney Film Festival International Competition/TEEN | Biografilm Italy Official Selection | Docs Ireland

BLACK SNOW (2020 Development Grant) Director Alina Simone Producer Kirstine Barfod Shortlisted for the Sustainable Future Award | Sydney Film Festival

BREAK THE GAME (2022 Rough Cut Retreat) Director/Producer Jane M. Wagner Editor Stephanie Andreou Summer Showcase | Montclair Film

HUMMINGBIRDS (2022 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Silvia Del Carmen Castaños, Estefanía “Beba” Contreras Producers Jillian Schlesinger, Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Leslie Benavides Theatrical Release | DCTV Firehouse Cinema

SUGARCANE(2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn Official Competition Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Documentary | Seattle International Film Festival  Best Documentary Feature | Mountainfilm festival Special Mention | Millennium Docs Against Gravity  Best Documentary Feature | SLO International Film Fest Documentary Competition Winner | MSPIFF 2024 Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award | Margaret Mead Film Festival Summer Showcase | Montclair Film

UNION (2021 Development Grant) Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone Official Selection | Docs Ireland

UNTITLED LORENA Directors Rodrigo Reyes and Dawn Valadez Jury Award | DocLands Film Festival

6 Catapult supported films are making their way to Sheffield DocFest, including two slated for the MeetMarket.

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) UK premiere Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

BLACK SNOW (2020 Development Grant) UK premiere | Tim Hetherington Award nomination Director Alina Simone Producer Kirstine Barfod

THE NOBLE HALF (2022 Rough Cut Retreat) MeetMarket Director Khaula Malik Producers Brit Fryer, Afnahn Khan Editor Hena Ashraf

RECKONING (2023 Development Grant) MeetMarket Director/Producer Mauricio Monteiro Filho Producers Charlie Rosser

SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Roger Ross Williams Selection – Social Impact Documentaries Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn

UNION (2021 Development Grant) Roger Ross Williams Selection – Social Impact Documentaries Directors/Producers Stephen Maing, Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone, Martin Dicicco

Photo credit: Sheffield DocFest, 2023

READ HERE

Check out these 6 Catapult supported films screening at DC/DOX!

THE BONES (2015 Development Grant)

North American Premiere

Director Jeremy Xido Producer Ina Fichman

DRIVER (2019 Development Grant) DC Premiere Director/Producer Nesa Azimi Producers Nicolas Borel, Ines Hofmann Kanna

LOOK INTO MY EYES (2020 Development Grant)  DC Premiere | CENTERPIECE FILM Director/Producer Lana Wilson Producer Kyle Martin

SABBATH QUEEN (2010 Development Grant) DC Premiere Director/Producer Sandi DuBowski

SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) DC Premiere Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn

UNION (2021 Development Grant) DC Premiere Directors/Producers Stephen Maing, Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone, Martin Dicicco

Photo credit: DC/DOX

READ HERE

ARRAY has acquired our Catapult supported film, FOR OUR CHILDREN! Congratulations to this exceptional team.

The documentary will be released on Netflix TOMORROW

FOR OUR CHILDREN (2020 Development) Director/Producer Débora Souza Silva Producers David Felix Sutcliffe, Adina Luo

READ HERE

ALL THAT BREATHES (2019 Development Grant) has won a Peabody Award! Our heartfelt congratulations to this brilliant team for all their hard work and dedication

ALL THAT BREATHES (2019 Development Grant) Director Shaunak Sen Producer Aman Mann, Teddy Leifer

READ HERE

What an amazing Spring so far! Here are the highlights of our Catapult grantees’ exceptional achievements:

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Arun Bhattaraii, Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

Audience Award: Documentary Feature - SFFILM Festival

Official Selection: DocLands

Opening Night: DocsBarcelona

Official Selection: Margaret Mead Film Festival

Official Selection: Seattle International Film Festival

DREAMS OF THE WILD OAKES (2023 Development Grant) Director Marjan Khosravi Producers Milad Khosravi, Stephanie von Lukowicz, Thibaut Amri

The Party Film Sales Award: Visions Du Réel

Unifrance Doc Award: Visions Du Réel

Official Selection New Voices: Sunny Side of the Doc

THE HOLLY (2014 Development Grant) Director Julian Rubinstein Producer donnie l. betts, Dia Sokol Savage, Sarah Dowland

Investigative Reporters & Editors’ Longform Journalism in Video award: IRE Awards

KAMAY (2020 Development Grant) Directors Ilyas Yourish & Shahrokh Bikaran Producers Hanne Phlypo, Evelien De Graef, Serge Gordey, Karsten Stöter

Interreligious Award: Visions Du Réel

NATCHEZ (2023 Development Grant) Director/Producer Suzannah Herbert Producer Darcy McKinnon

Suzannah Herbert selected: Film Independent 2024 Documentary Story Lab

SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn

The Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award: Full Frame Film Festival

Golden Gate Documentary Award: SFFILM Festival

Official Selection: DocLands

Opening Night: Margaret Mead Film Festival

Official Selection: Seattle International Film Festival

TIME HUNTER (2022 Development Grant) Directors Daniel Chein + Mushiva Producer David Felix Sutcliffe

DocPitch Finalist DocLands: please vote by TONIGHT!

UNTITLED LORENA (2023 Development Grant) Co-directors Rodrigo Reyes & Dawn Valadez

DocPitch Finalist: DocLands please vote by TONIGHT!

Photo Credit: SMALL TOWN UNIVERSE, 2016 Development Grant, dir/prod Katie Dellamaggiore, prod Nelson Dellamaggiore

Congratulations to ALL THAT BREATHES for their Peabody Awards nomination! We are delighted to see this film team’s hard work recognized.

ALL THAT BREATHES (2019 Development Grant) Director Shaunak Sen Producer Aman Mann, Teddy Leifer

Photo credit: Sarah E. Freeman/Grady College, 2016

READ HERE

Congratulations to PHANTOM PARROT (2019 Development Grant) on being acquired by Tribeca Films for their inaugural slate!

Phantom Parrot 2019 Development Grant Director Kate Stonehill Producer Steven Lake

READ HERE

We cannot wait to see the world premieres of two Catapult supported films at the Tribeca Film Festival! What an amazing achievement.

DRIVER (2019 Development Grant) World Premiere | Documentary Competition Director/Producer Nesa Azimi Producers Ines Hofmann Kanna, Nicolas Borel

SABBATH QUEEN (2010 Development Grant) World Premiere | Documentary Competition Director/Producer Sandi DuBowski

READ HERE

Register now for Women Make Movies “The Skills That Pay the Bills”! Our very own Co-Director Megan Gelstein will be featured in a 4-part webinar series focusing on the hard skills that lead to success, including fundraising, pitching, finances, and proposal writing.

Pitching: What Judges Really Look For: Thursday, April 25 at 9 - 10:30am PDT

READ HERE

9 Catapult-supported films are screening at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival! Our Co-Director Megan will also be attending.

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) World Showcase Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

A BAND OF DREAMERS AND A JUDGE (2021 Development Grant) Festival Favourites Director/Producer Hesam Eslami Producer Etienne De Ricaud

THE BONES (2015 Development Grant) Surprise Screening Director Jeremy Xido Producer Ina Fichman

DREAMS OF THE WILD OAKES (2023 Development Grant) Deal Maker Director Marjan Khosravi Producer Milad Khosravi

LOOK INTO MY EYES (2020 Development Grant) Special Presentations Director/Producer Lana Wilson Producer Kyle Martin

THE NOBLE HALF (2022 Rough Cut Retreat) Deal Maker Director Khaula Haider Malik Producers Afnahn Khan, Brit Fryer, Khaula Malik Editor Hena Ashraf

RECKONING (2023 Development Grant) Hot Docs Forum Director/Producer Mauricio Monteiro Filho Producers Charlie Rosser, Clive Patterson, Hugh Davies

UNION (2021 Development Grant) Special Presentations Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

#WHILEBLACK (2022 Development Grant) Hot Docs Forum Directors Jennifer Holness, Sidney Fussell Producers Ann Shin, Geeta Gandbhir, Tara Jan

Check out our three films headed to Visions Du Réel, including KAMAY’s world premiere and DREAMS OF THE WILD OAKES as a pitch project!

DREAMS OF THE WILD OAKES (2023 Development Grant) VDR PITCHING Director Marjan Khosravi Producer Milad Khosravi

KAMAY (2020 Development Grant) WORLD PREMIERE | International Feature Film Competition

Directors Ilyas Yourish, Shahrokh Bikaran Producers Ilyas Yourish, Hanne Phylpo, Evelien de Graef

UNION (2021 Development Grant) SWISS PREMIERE | Grand Angle Competition

Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

Photo Credit - Visions Du Réel, 2022

Read here

Special thanks to our 2024 Catapult Research advisors. They will provide group and dedicated mentorship to this year’s filmmaker cohort, as they explore a new film concept. We appreciate your guidance and support!

This year’s advisors are:

• Steven Bognar

• Yance Ford

• Geeta Gandbhir

• Simon Kilmurry

• Michèle Stephenson

Read Realscreen’s press release or visit our research grants page for more info.

Get to know our 2024 Catapult Research Grant filmmaker cohort. Each filmmaker will receive a $10,000 grant and six months of mentorship and professional development as they explore a new film concept. We’re excited to support your work!

This year’s grantees are:

• Hazel Gurland-Pooler

• Set Hernandez

• Arielle Knight

• Tracy Heather Strain

• So Yun Um

Read Realscreen’s press release or visit our research grants page for more info.

As announced in an exclusive with VARIETY, we are excited to unveil our 2024 Catapult Research filmmaker cohort and advisors! Now in its fourth year, this program expands our mission to provide critical early-stage support to documentary artists with bold new perspectives.

Each filmmaker will receive a $10,000 grant and six months of mentorship and professional development as they explore a new film concept.

Don’t miss our four films headed to Full Frame Documentary Film Festival April 4–7, 2024! We are thrilled to see the festival back in person this year.

Special programs include: remembering festival founder Nancy Buirski, and the world premiere of JULIA’S STEPPING STONES directed by our grantees, Steven Bognar and the late Julia Reichert.

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat)  NEW DOCS Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

LOOK INTO MY EYES (2020 Development Grant)  INVITED PROGRAM Director Lana Wilson Producer Kyle Martin

SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat) NEW DOCS  Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn

UNION (2021 Development Grant)  NEW DOCS Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

Photo courtesy of Duke University and Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

READ HERE

Now open! We are accepting applications for the 2024 ROUGH CUT RETREAT until April 21, 2024. Visit roughcutretreat.org for more information and instructions to apply.

This year’s retreat will take place July 21 - 25 at Whispertree in Northern California. Launched in 2016 by Catapult Film Fund and the True/False Film Fest, Rough Cut Retreat offers a one-of-a-kind mentorship experience that unites nonfiction filmmakers and mentors in a creative, supportive, and engaged atmosphere. We seek work that displays ambitious, idiosyncratic approaches to nonfiction storytelling and prioritize filmmakers who lack strong feedback networks.  📧 Questions? Contact Program Coordinator Lindsey Arrington (lindsey@truefalse.org)

READ HERE

The Catapult Film Fund Development Grant application is now open! Apply by Monday April 15th at 5:00pm PST.

Who should apply? Nonfiction filmmakers in development looking to create a work sample/fundraising piece that will help launch their project into production. Filmmakers should have access to the protagonists and a story at the core of the project that they are uniquely positioned to tell. Visit our website to read through the frequently asked questions before applying.

Featured image: GREENER PASTURES (2018 development grant), dir/prod Sam Mirpoorian + prod Ian Kibbe

READ HERE

Nat Geo has successfully acquired SUGARCANE. Congratulations, team!

SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 RCR) Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn

READ HERE

Six of our Catapult-supported films will screen at CPH:DOX and one is selected for the CPH:FORUM! Our Co-Director, Megan, will also be attending the festival.

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant & 2023 RCR) Highlights Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

BLACK SNOW (2020 Development Grant) WORLD PREMIERE | F:ACT Award nomination Director/Producer Alina Simone Producer Kirstine Barfod

LOOK INTO MY EYES (2020 Development Grant) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Director Lana Wilson Producer Kyle Martin

THE BONES (2015 Development Grant) WORLD PREMIERE Director Jeremy Xido Producer Ina Fichman

UNION (2021 Development Grant) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE | F:ACT Award nomination Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

THE LISTENERS (2023 Development Grantee) CPH:FORUM Director/Producer Lindsey Dryden Producer Samantha Steele

NIGHT OF NIGHTS (2020 Development Grant) WORLD PREMIERE | DOX:AWARD Nomination Director Truman Producer Violet Feng

READ HERE

In this month’s newsletter: Upcoming Catapult Deadlines. NEA Award + Celebrating Our Filmmakers! READ HERE

Want more updates like this? SUBSCRIBE HERE

Photo credit: ASK THE SEXPERT, dir/prod Vaishali Sinha (2013 Development Grant)

5 of our Catapult-supported films are headed to the True/False Film Festival! Our Co-Director, Theresa, will be in Missouri attending. We can’t wait!

A BAND OF DREAMERS AND A JUDGE 2021 Development Grant Director Hesam Eslami

AGENT OF HAPPINESS 2020 Development Grant & 2023 Rough Cut Retreat Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

LOOK INTO MY EYES  2020 Development Grant Director Lana Wilson Producer Kyle Martin

THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT (World Premiere) 2023 Rough Cut Retreat Director Emily Mkrtichian

UNION 2021 Development Grant Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

Photo: Grid of film stills (credit - True/False)

READ HERE

Four of our Catapult-supported films are screening at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival! A special mention to UNTITLED PENNHURST DOCUMENTARY as one of the 2024 Big Sky Pitch Projects. Also, our very own Theresa, Co-Director and Chief Operations Officer, will be on the pitch forum. See you there!

CONFESSIONS OF A GOOD SAMARITAN 2019 Development Grant Director Penny Lane Producer Gabriel Sedgwick

GREENER PASTURES 2018 Development Grant Director/Producer Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian Producer Ian Kibbe

HAPPY CAMPERS 2020 Development Grant Director/Producer Amy Nicholson

UNTITLED PENNHURST DOCUMENTARY Big Sky Pitch Projects 2022 Development Grant Directors/Producers Nathan Stenberg & Mike Attie Producers Daniel J. Chalfen, Katarina Poljak

WITHOUT ARROWS WORLD PREMIERE 2018 Development Grant Directors/Producers Jonathan Olshefski, Elizabeth Day

Photo: Crowd at Big Sky (credit - Explore Big Sky)

READ HERE

Congratulations to BEYOND UTOPIA for winning the 2024 duPont-Columbia Silver Baton!

BEYOND UTOPIA 2018 Development Grant Director Madeleine Gavin Producers Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen & Sue Mi Terry

We want to also add a special mention to THE TERRITORY (2019 Development Grant) for earning their place as a duPont-Columbia finalist!

READ HERE

Congratulations to our two Catapult-supported films for winning 2024 Sundance Film Festival awards!

Directing Award: U.S. Documentary SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant & 2023 RCR)  Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn

U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art Of Change UNION (2021 Development Grant)  Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

READ HERE

Catapult Film Fund is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment For The Arts for a Grants for Arts Projects award!

This grant will support our year-round artist development programs. In total, the NEA will award 958 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling more than $27.1 million that were announced as part of its first round of fiscal year 2024 grants.

READ HERE

Congratulations to BEYOND UTOPIA for their BAFTA nomination!

BEYOND UTOPIA  2018 Development Grant Director Madeleine Gavin Producers Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen, Dr. Sue Mi Terry

READ HERE

Congratulations to GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT and NOTHING LASTS FOREVER for their Cinema Eye Honors Award wins!

Outstanding Visual Design GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT 2017 Development Grant Winners: Thomas Curtis and Sean Pierce Directors/Producers Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson Producer Tommy Oliver

We commend directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson on also winning Outstanding Nonfiction Short for BLACK GIRLS PLAY: THE STORY OF HAND GAMES!

Outstanding Broadcast Cinematography  NOTHING LASTS FOREVER 2012 Development Grant Winner: Heloisa Passos Director/Producer Jason Kohn Producers Amanda Branson Gill & Jared Goldman

READ HERE

In this month’s newsletter: Catapult Films For Your Consideration. Celebrating Emmy Wins, Oscar Shortlists + Sundance Premieres! READ HERE

Want more updates like this? SUBSCRIBE HERE

Photo credit: UNION, dirs Stephen Maing, Brett Story, prods Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone (2021 Development Grant)

Congratulations to the film team of THE TERRITORY (2019 Development Grant) on your well-deserved Creative Arts Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking!

Director/Producer Alex Pritz

Producers Darren Aronofsky, Sigrid Dyekjær, Will N. Miller, Gabriel Uchida & Lizzie Gillett

Congratulations to our three Oscar® shortlisted films!

BEYOND UTOPIA 2018 Development Grant Director Madeleine Gavin Producers Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen & Sue Mi Terry

GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT 2017 Development Grant Director/Producers Joe Brewster & Michèle Stephenson Producer Tommy Oliver

A STILL SMALL VOICE 2020 Development Grant Director Luke Lorentzen Producer Kellen Quinn

We would like to make a special mention to Joe Brewster & Michèle Stephenson for their documentary short “Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games” also shortlisted!

READ MORE

In our monthly newsletter, we reflect on this year’s memorable moments as our team prepares to sign off for the winter break.

This fall, we said farewell to long-time staffer Emily Hoover-Finnigan after ten wonderful years with Catapult. As our first official employee, she helped lay the foundation for the organization we are today. Join us as we wish her well on her next adventure overseas. Thank you, Emily!

READ MORE

These following four Catapult-supported films are premiering at the Sundance Film Festival 2024:

AGENT OF HAPPINESS (2020 Development Grant) Directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó Producers Noémi Veronika Szakonyi & Máté Artur Vincze

LOOK INTO MY EYES (2020 Development Grant) Director Lana Wilson Producer Kyle Martin

SUGARCANE (2021 Development Grant) Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie Producers Emily Kassie & Kellen Quinn

UNION (2021 Development Grant) Directors Stephen Maing & Brett Story Producers Samantha Curley & Mars Verrone

These following Two Catapult-supported films were nominated for the the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards:

GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT (Development Grant 2017), Director/Producers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, Producer Tommy Oliver - Best Documentary

JOONAM (Development Grant 2018), Director Sierra Urich, Producer Keith Wilson - Truer Than Fiction: Sierra Urich

These following 3 Catapult-supported films were nominated for the the 2024 International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards:

AGAINST THE TIDE (Development Grant 2020), Director/Producer Sarvnik Kaur, Producer Koval Bhatia - Best Feature Documentary, Best Director

GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT (Development Grant 2017), Director/Producers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, Producer Tommy Oliver - Best Feature Documentary, Best Original Music Score

KING COAL (Development Grant 2020), Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Producers Molly Born, Curran Sheldon, Peggy Drexler, Shane Boris & Diane Becker - Best Cinematography

These following 8 Catapult-supported films receive 17 nominations for the Cinema Eye Honors Documentary Awards:

AGAINST THE TIDE (Development Grant 2020), Director Sarvnik Kaur, Producer Koval Bhatia - Spotlight

BEYOND UTOPIA (Development Grant 2018), Director Madeleine Gavin - Audience Choice Prize, Outstanding Production

CONFESSIONS OF A GOOD SAMARITAN (Development Grant 2019), Director Penny Lane, Producer Gabriel Sedgwick & Nickolas Hasse - The Unforgettables, Audience Choice Prize

GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT (Development Grant 2017), Director/Producers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, Producer Tommy Oliver - Outstanding Nonfiction Feature, Outstanding Original Score, Outstanding Visual Design, The Unforgettables

KING COAL (Development Grant 2020), Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Producer Molly Born - Outstanding Cinematography

NOTHING LASTS FOREVER (Development Grant 2012), Director Jason Kohn, Producers Amanda Branson Gill & Jared Goldman - Broadcast Film, Broadcast Editing, Broadcast Cinematography

A STILL SMALL VOICE (Development Grant 2020), Director Luke Lorentzen, Producer Kellen Quinn - The Unforgettables

TUBA THIEVES (Rough Cut Retreat 2021), Director Alison O'Daniel - Outstanding Sound Design, Outstanding Debut

We are pleased to announce our 2023 Development Grant recipients. This year’s slate features stories from around the world, including Brazil, India, Iran, Mexico, Morocco, Romania, and the United States, with more than half of the projects by women filmmakers. Learn more about the selected projects and film teams here

The Flagmakers (a 2017 development grant recipient) won a 2023 News and Documentary Emmy Award! Congratulations to director/producers Cynthia Wade and Sharon Liese.

The short focuses on the employee-owned Eder Flag in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, where they sew and ship five million American flags a year. The flagmakers — locals, immigrants and refugees — stitch stars and stripes as they wrestle with identity and belonging.

We recently concluded our 2023 research program and are full of gratitude for the amazing conversations we’ve shared over the past six months. Together we explored innovative approaches to story, character development, and dramatic structure while deepening our connection as a creative community. Congrats again to our incredible cohort of film teams: Chris Filippone & R.J. Lozada, Sofian Khan, Sam Osborn & Alejandra Vasquez, Lauren Wimbush, and Farihah Zaman. We are excited to see what happens next!

Special thanks to our advisors for their generosity of knowledge: Ramona S. Diaz, Sara Dosa, Jacqueline Olive, David Osit, and Kristine Samuelson. Read more about the program and selected projects on our website.

Earlier this month we spent a week at the Shire in the Woods in McGrath, Minnesota where we discussed storytelling, editing, and diagnosed what is and isn’t working with five projects in rough cut. We return inspired and excited for these films and filmmakers as they move towards the finish line in time for fall festival submissions!

Catapult Film Fund and True/False Film Fest today announced the selected films and mentors for their eighth annual Rough Cut Retreat, a summer gathering that immerses underserved filmmakers and industry mentors in a deeply creative retreat space. This year’s retreat will take place July 23-27 at Shire in the Woods in McGrath, Minnesota and is presented with support from CMP who share Catapult and True/False’s passion for bold and creative new nonfiction filmmaking.

The 2023 RCR supported films (and attending members of the film teams) are Agent of Happiness (directors Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó), How to Build a Library (co-director Christopher King and editor Michael Onyiego), Mai American (director Kevin Truong), There Was, There Was Not (director Emily Mkrtichian), and Untitled Residential School Documentary (directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie).

Mentors are chosen for their ability to guide filmmakers through the final stages of filmmaking, as well as their deep generosity of spirit. This year’s group includes director Steven Bognar (American Factory), editor Fiona Otway (Iraq in Fragments), director Yoruba Richen (The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks), editor David Teague (Life, Animated), and director Stephanie Wang-Breal (Blowin’ Up).

Rough Cut Retreat was born out of Catapult and True/False’s shared vision of supporting filmmakers who lack significant institutional support and feedback networks. These directors often work without access to informed critical feedback about their work, and RCR exists to counteract that marginalization, championing work that pushes boundaries both in its content and aesthetics. The retreat aims to provoke dynamic discussion, providing feedback and guidance at a critical moment in the post-production process.

Each year, five filmmaking teams are matched with mentors that have been hand-picked for their editorial insights and ability to aid filmmakers in realizing their vision. Over an intense four days of screenings and discussion they receive critical, supportive feedback, helping to move films from rough to fine cut with an eye on winter festival deadlines.

Previous RCR projects include: 2023 Sundance premiere Joonam (director Sierra Urich, 2022 RCR participant), 2023 Berlinale premiere Hummingbirds (directors Estefanía Contreras and Silvia Castaños, 2022 RCR participant) Documentary Director Special Jury Mention 2023 Tribeca Film Festival Break the Game (director Jane M. Wagner, 2022 RCR participant) 2022 Emmy Award Winner Mayor (director David Osit, 2019 RCR participant), and 2022 Oscar nominated Ascension (director Jessica Kingdon, 2021 RCR participant).

Read about the projects HERE

The Catapult Film Fund Development Grant application is now open!

Apply by Monday, July 10th at 5:00pm PST.

Who should apply? Nonfiction filmmakers in development looking to create a work sample/fundraising piece that will help launch their project into production. Filmmakers should have access to the protagonists and a story at the core of the project that they are uniquely positioned to tell. Visit our website to read through the frequently asked questions before applying.

Join us in congratulating our co-founder, Bonni Cohen, as she officially moves to Catapult’s Board of Directors!

“We really believe in not just the individual project, but the sustainability of a career in filmmaking.”

As reported in DEADLINE, we are proud to announce our 2023 Research Grant film teams: Sofian Khan; R.J. Lozada and Chris Filippone; Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborn; Lauren Wimbush; and Farihah Zaman. Each film team will receive a $10,000 grant and six months of mentorship and professional development as they explore a new film concept. Now in its third year, our newest program expands Catapult’s commitment to supporting documentary filmmakers at the earliest stage.

Special thanks to our advisors Sara Dosa, Ramona S. Diaz, Jacqueline Olive, David Osit, and Kristine Samuelson who will offer guidance, feedback, and industry insights as our filmmakers conceptualize their projects. The Catapult Research Grant is made possible with support from XRM Media.

Join us as we congratulate co-founder Lisa Kleiner Chanoff as she officially transitions to her role as Chair of Catapult Film Fund’s Board of Directors. Lisa started Catapult with filmmaker Bonni Cohen in 2010 to fill a gap in the nonfiction landscape for early-stage funding. As Chair, she will lead board governance for our nonprofit and support Co-Directors Megan Gelstein and Theresa Navarro, who took the helm in 2022. READ MORE

We are proud to announce our final slate of 2022 development grants – Catapult’s flagship program supporting documentary filmmakers when funding is riskiest and hardest to find.

After a competitive round of review, we selected eleven new projects that dare to expand the way we think about life, death, and our connection to one another. These are stories that truly stayed with us, ranging from Latinx visionaries fighting for accessibility in our cities to a women-led expedition tracking the “doomsday glacier” on Antarctica.

We believe early-stage support is essential and are happy to be the first industry funder onboard eight of these projects.

Visit the development page to read more about each of these projects.

It’s been a big year for Catapult as the team continues to welcome new people and new roles! We are excited to announce the addition of Miriam García as Program Officer and the promotion of Emily Hoover-Finnigan to Associate Director of Communications and Operations.

These changes reflect our dedicated efforts to support applicants and grantees, increase program outreach, and improve our internal processes as part of our mission to provide critical early-stage funding and mentorship to nonfiction filmmakers. Read more about Miriam and Emily below and be sure to follow us on socials. Next updates include the 2022 round two development grantees!

As part of our shift to a co-leadership model, we are thrilled to announce the hiring of Theresa Navarro as Co-Director and Chief Operations Officer.

We are now accepting applications for the next round of the Catapult Research Grant. The application closes Monday, November 14th at 5:00pm PST and the program will begin in early 2023.

We return from the 7th annual Rough Cut Retreat excited and inspired by the work and creativity of this group and eagerly await the filmmaker’s next steps on the road to the final cut!

The Rough Cut Retreat is a collaboration between Catapult Film Fund and True/False Film Fest, with support from the Chicago Media Project, and took place at the Carey Institute for Global Good. The retreat unites nonfiction filmmakers and mentors in a creative, supportive, and engaged atmosphere. Filmmakers screen their rough cut and the group discusses storytelling, editing, and diagnoses what is and isn’t working with the film. Film teams leave with insight and ideas to move to the project towards the finish line in time for fall festival submissions.

Read more about the filmmakers and mentors

Nominated for 2022 Documentary Emmys are seven Catapult-supported films! Congratulations to the filmmaking teams on this recognition and achievement!

A THOUSAND CUTS, Director Ramona S. Díaz (Nominated for Best Documentary, Outstanding Social Issue Documentary)

FATHOM, Director Drew Xanthopoulos (Nominated for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary, Outstanding Sound)

IN THE SAME BREATH, Director Nanfu Wang (Nominated for Best Documentary, Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary, Outstanding Direction: Documentary)

MAYOR, Director David Osit (Nominated for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary)

PRAY AWAY, Director Kristine Stolakis (Nominated for Outstanding Social Issue Documentary)

STORM LAKE, Directors Beth Levison & Jerry Risius (Nominated for Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary)

SIMPLE AS WATER, Director Megan Mylan (Nominated for Outstanding Direction: Documentary)

The Emmy Documentary Categories awards will take place on Thursday, September 29th, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Announcing the first grantees 0f 2022! It is with great pleasure that we announce the filmmakers receiving Catapult Film Fund’s first round of Development Grants for 2022. This extraordinary slate of projects tells a wide range of stories, including a widespread mysterious illness linked to government malfeasance in Canada, one woman’s life or death attempts to escape Afghanistan, the only in-house cable TV station set inside a Florida county jail, and an environmental entanglement and the complexities of stewardship as seen in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. These wildly diverse projects reflect Catapult’s firm commitment to championing distinctive nonfiction films from around the world. Meet the filmmakers and projects.

It is with much excitement and gratitude that we share news about Catapult. We are embarking on a new chapter, with a transition to a co-leadership model and the creation of two new positions. Megan Gelstein, Catapult’s longtime Senior Program Director, has been promoted to Co-Director and Chief Program Officer, effective immediately.

Announcing our latest development grantees! Meet them and read more about the films

The 2022 Rough Cut Retreat application is live!

Applications for the Catapult and True/False Rough Cut Retreat are now OPEN through April 29! APPLY HERE

At the height of summer, when filmmakers are neck-deep in the editing process, Rough Cut Retreat offers a one-of-a-kind mentorship experience. Launched in 2016, RCR unites nonfiction filmmakers and mentors in a creative, supportive, and engaged atmosphere.

The retreat will take place July 23-28 at The Carey Institute for Global Good in Rensselaerville, New York.

Questions? Email lindsey@truefalse.org

We are excited to announce the 2022 Catapult Research Grant cohort and advisors! Launched last year with support from XRM Media, the research grant is an expansion of Catapult’s commitment to providing support at the earliest stages when it is riskiest to give and hardest to find. Meet the cohort and advisors below and read more about the program on the Research Grant page.

Catapult Film Fund announces a $100,000 gift from XRM Media to support the Catapult Research Grant program. This brings XRM’s total program support to $150,000 over three years, which includes their initial grant to launch the research grant in its pilot year.

The 2022 Academy Award nominations are out and a special congratulations goes to two Catapult-supported films: When We Were Bullies (director Jay Rosenblatt) and Ascension (director/producer Jessica Kingdon, producers Kira Simon-Kennedy, Nathan Truesdell). We are thrilled for the achievements of the filmmakers and the recognition from the documentary community.

Catapult receives an NEA grant!

We’re thrilled to share below the latest eight projects to receive our flagship development grants. These films exemplify the stories Catapult believes investing in; they reveal the state of the world and explore the complexities of the human condition.

Five films we previously supported — All That Breathes, Instant Life, Mija, Riotsville, USA, and The Territory — are heading to the Sundance Film Festival for their world premieres!

Catapult-supported films: Ascension (Dir. Jessica Kingdon), North by Current (Dir. Angelo Madsen Minax), Rebel Hearts (Dir. Pedro Kos), Storm Lake (Dirs. Beth Levinson, Jerry Risius), In the Same Breath (Dir. Nanfu Wang) are shortlisted for the 37th IDA Documentary Awards! Congratulations to the filmmakers. The awards will be held in February 2021.

The Catapult Research Grant is now open! 🎉

Catapult’s Research Grant was launched last year to address a critical gap in early film funding: support at the research stage. This expands our ongoing commitment to developing nonfiction films and mentoring filmmakers by providing financial and professional resources even earlier. Five filmmakers will receive grants of $10,000 in addition to six months of mentorship and professional development opportunities. We are grateful for the support of XRM Media to continue this program.

Catapult launched a decade ago to fill a gap in film funding by offering development grants. This year we added a new program, the Catapult Research Grant, to further expand our support for early stage funding which is often the hardest find. We just wrapped up the pilot program with the first cohort of research grantees.

Announcing the continuation of the Catapult Research Grant with major support from XRM Media!

Get to know Alina Simone, director of Black Snow (a recent grantee)

Read about the most recent Rough Cut Retreat, with our True/False Film Fest partners and supported by the Chicago Media Project.

Latest grantees, Rough Cut Retreat recap, and Filmmaker Spotlight, read all about what Catapult has been up to this summer!

Eight Catapult supported films head to Tribeca, opening Wednesday.Congratulations to the filmmakers!

Following a Tribeca premiere in June, Pray Away will head to Netflix!

Crip Camp and Welcome to Chechnya are nominated for a Peabody Award!

The Catapult Research Grant is the newest expansion of our ongoing commitment to support nonfiction films and filmmakers. Our new program provides a $10,000 grant plus six months of mentorship and professional development to five filmmakers in the early conception and research phase of developing a new film idea.

We are pleased to announce our newest grantees! Click below to read more.

Welcome To Chechnya heads to HBO in recognition of Pride Month

Ringside documents the lives of Kenneth Sims Jr., Destyne Butler Jr., and their aspirations to achieve boxing glory. Premiering tonight on Showtime!

A great list of important documentaries to watch about race in America, curated by the Creatively Speaking Film Series. Included is Catapult grantee The Feeling of Being Watched.

Updated regularly and in partnership with Firelight Media and ITVS, the International Documentary Association has consolidated a list of federal relief resources for filmmakers.

We hope this finds you well and safe. We are reaching out to let you know a little bit about how and what we are doing.

At the moment, the Catapult Film Fund team is safely sheltered-in-place in San Francisco. Like you, we face the day-to-day challenges of working remotely, but are grateful to be connected and engaged with the inspiring work of non-fiction films.

The Catapult-True/False Rough Cut retreat returns this summer! Applications now open. Apply here

AMERICAN FACTORY wins the Academy Award for Best Documentary!

I CARRY YOU WITH ME (dir. Heidi Ewing) NEXT Audience Award & NEXT Innovator Award

CRIP CAMP (dir./prod. Jim LeBrecht & Nicole Newnham, prod. Sara Bolder) Audience Award: U.S. Documentary

WELCOME TO CHECHNYA (dir. David France, prod. Alice Henty, David France, Askold Kurov, Joy A. Tomchin) U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing: Tyler H. Walk

Congratulations to the 6 Catapult Grantees premiering at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival!

A Thousand Cuts

Crip Camp

I Carry You With Me

Once Upon a Time in Venezuela

Us Kids

Welcome to Chechnya

Catapult grantees took home 4 awards at the IDA Awards program. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, a most impressive group!

American Factory - Best Directors, Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert

Midnight Family - Best Editing, Luke Lorenzten & Paloma López Carrillo

The Raft - Best Musical Score, Hans Appelqvist

Freida Lee Mock received the Career Achievement Award

American Factory directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert win Best Documentary at the IFP Gotham Awards! Fellow grantee and AXS founder, Jason DaSilva (When We Walk), was honored for his filmmaking.

Catapult Fall Newsletter

Thrilled to see 9 Catapult grantees nominated for Cinema Eye Honors Awards!

17 Blocks

Always in Season

American Factory

Hail Satan?

Life Overtakes Me

Midnight Family

Our Time Machine

The Raft

XY Chelsea

👀 Airing on POV 9/30 is Catapult supported The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros! Also streaming: Grit: The Documentary and The Feeling of Being Watched

🏆 Tune in tomorrow for the 40th Annual News and Documentary Emmy’s! 👏 Nominated are 3 Catapult supported projects:

🏆 ‘The Oslo Diaries’ - Outstanding Historical Documentary 🏆 ‘Survivors’ - Outstanding Social Issue Documentary 🏆 ‘Wildland’ - Outstanding Nature Documentary, Outstanding Cinematography, and Outstanding Editing

Also nominated is 2016 Rough Cut Retreat participant ‘Quest’.

There’s more to the Satanic Temple than you might think… catch Hail Satan? in theaters to see for yourself! 😈

17 Blocks heads to Dokufest!

Thank you for your contributions to documentary film and for being part of the Catapult family 🧡

On World Elephant Day, Elephant Path Film will be streaming on Facebook! August 12, 3pm ET / 12pm PT on WORLD Channel 🐘

Looking for seed funding for your project? Learn more about the ITVS Diversity Development Fund 👇

📣 Elephant Path Film will be streaming this Wednesday 8/7 on Witness - Al Jazeera! 📺

📣 In partnership with SFFILM, we are pleased to announce the three recipients of the 2019 SFFILM Catapult Film Fellowships. Congrats to the film teams! 🎉

Six Catapult grantees will be showcased at IFP’s Project Forum, September 15 – 19 in Brooklyn. Congratulations to the film teams! 👏

The Liegnitz Plot Mayor Murders That Matter A Place to Learn Untitled Storm Lake Project Punch 9 for Harold Washington The Bones

😈 Haven’t seen Hail Satan? Lucky for you, it’s now streaming! 👏

17 Blocks will headline MTV’s new documentary film program! Proud to be an early supporter of this important and timely film.

📣 MTV Documentary Films launches with Catapult supported 17 Blocks 🙌

Great opportunity alert! Check out the below announcement of a new partnership.

Congrats to the producers headed to the Creative Producing Labs at the Sundance Institute! In attendance will be Catapult grantees Anya Rous (Pray Away) and Jameka Autry (Through the Night). 👏

Catapult grantee “Survivors” launched an oral history project “We Survive, Stories of the Ebola Outbreak” aimed at preserving the critical African perspective on the Ebola outbreak. Make a donation to the project today, and it will be matched! 🙌💵

Please consider supporting the oral history project helmed by the brilliant filmmakers of SURVIVORS. And as a very special opportunity – on July 18th every donation will be matched up to 50%!

THE RAFT reviewed by Cosmopolitan Magazine. Of course they did.

📣 Announcing the latest grantees, the 2019 Rough Cut Retreat participants, films in distribution, and more in our Summer Newsletter! 📰

“…a moving reminder of the harm that comes from denying the truth of crimes done by those in power.”

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros in The Stranger

Exploring resignation syndrome in Life Overtakes Me

👏 Congratulations to all the new The Academy members, particularly Catapult grantees 🎉

Steven Bognar (dir. American Factory) Jessica Devaney (prod. Always in Season, The Feeling of Being Watched, Pray Away, The Rashomon Effect) Mor Loushy (dir. The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros) Carrie Lozano (dir. The Ballad of Fred Hersch) Farihah Zaman (dir. Remote Area Medical)

The Raft is coming to the Bay Area!

Netflix announces that AMERICAN FACTORY will open globally in 190 countries on Netflix and in select North American theaters on August 21. So proud to be the first supporter of this incredible project.

Dreamaway continues its successful international festival run! 👏

Called a “startling and effective documentary” by the Los Angeles Times, The Feeling of Being Watched is in theaters this week in LA 🎟

‘Through the Night’ heads to the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Edit and Story Lab! 🙌

Catapult grantee Davy Rothbart talks to The Hill about his recently released film 17 Blocks.

💯% stream the amazing short “Life Overtakes Me” on Netflix

“It’s a powerful argument for how necessary it is to watch the watchers.”

The Feeling of Being Watched 👁 in the The Hollywood Reporter

👏 Congratulations to Catapult-supported Loira Limbal, Jameka Autry and Malika Zouhali-Worrall of ‘Through the Night’ who are headed to Sundance Film Festival’s 2019 Documentary Edit and Story Lab! 🎞

Great review of The Feeling of Being Watched 👁 in the Los Angeles Times

“You feel like you’re watching a ’70s conspiracy thriller, but this is today and it’s nonfiction.”

Recognition, awards, and continued festival success for Dreamaway! 🤩

Midnight Family is off to the 65th Taormina Film Fest, bravo!

XY Chelsea is Documentary of the Week on WNYC 👍 🎧

A bit early for The Academy Award predictions? Either way, we are happy to see Hail Satan? mentioned!

Thank you LA TIMES for the great review of THE RAFT. In theaters now!

Life Overtakes Me is now streaming on Netflix! 👀 💻

“‘Life Overtakes Me’ calls attention to an awful and easily preventable situation with calm and grace. It’s hard to ask much more of a documentary.” ❤️

The Raft is the The New York Times Critic’s Pick! Now in theaters ⛵️ 👍 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/movies/the-raft-review.html

Congratulations Midnight Family! Winner of Sheffield Doc/Fest’s Grant Jury Award 🎉👏

“In Penny Lane’s documentary Hail Satan?, viewers learn how TST has challenged the Christian domination of public life in the United States”

Great review of Midnight Family from their recent screening at the Sheffield Doc/Fest 👍

When We Walk will screen at the 30th anniversary of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival 🙌

Congratulations to Catapult grantee Jessica Devaney! One of four recipients of Cinereach’s 2019 Producer’s Award 👏🎉

Another great review of THE RAFT - now in theaters!

Director Tim Travers Hawkins talks about his film ‘XY Chelsea’ airing on Showtime tonight!

A great piece in IndieWire on Catapult supported ‘The Raft’ 🌊⛵️

“…bizarre, captivating, and borderline unbelievable..”

👇👀

Check out the trailer for “XY Chelsea,” which airs Friday 6/7 on Showtime!

Don’t miss “XY Chelsea,” which premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival in May and airs Friday 6/7 on Showtime!

📣 Coming to Netflix June 14th - Life Overtakes Me

Hail Satan? is in theaters July 26th for Sundance Film Festival London at the Picturehouse Central! Review by The Digital Fix 👀

😈 Hail Satan? heads the the UK! Catch the trailer 👇

The best things to watch in June! Rolling Stone picks ‘XY Chelsea’ 👍

Great piece on ‘XY Chelsea’ in Film Threat 👏

“Regardless of how someone might feel about what she’s done, XY Chelsea will definitely give you some insight into why she did it and maybe will help inform a better understanding of what’s going on behind the scenes…”

Coming to Netflix in June… ‘Life Overtakes Me’! 👀

XY Chelsea review in the The Guardian 👍

Great piece on The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros in the Los Angeles Times 📰

Thank you Higher Ground for supporting Crip Camp!

Catapult supported ‘Survivors’ is now streaming! 👀

📣 Life Overtakes Me is coming to Netflix on June 14th! 👀

Catapult funded 17 Blocks heads to San Francisco for SF Indie Fest! 🎟

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros is coming to US theaters!

Hey San Francisco! The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros is coming to the Roxie Theater! 🎟

American Family heads to AFI Docs as the Centerpiece film! Also screening: 17 Blocks, Midnight Family, and Always in Season 📽

Midnight Family is headed to Sheffield Doc/Fest to compete in the Grand Jury Award category! 🤞

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros wins Best Documentary at the Premios Platino 🏆

Midnight Family wins the special jury prize for cinematography at the Montclair Film Festival! 🙌

📣 Our Time Machine 时光机 takes home Best Cinematography from Tribeca, Comcast Documentary Winner from CAAMFest, & Grand Jury Award from Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 🏆 and continues with screenings around the US and beyond!

BBC News recommends you watch The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros this month 👍

The Los Angeles Times reviews XY Chelsea 📰👀

NBC News reviews The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros

“One thing we wanted to do with the film is put up a mirror to the audience and say look, this past is not so past. It’s the present. And unless you address it, the past will keep coming back” -dir. Almudena Carracedo

Following their Hot Docs premiere, When We Walk is off to the Human Rights Watch Film Festival!

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros in the The New York Times 📰

Not 1, not 2, but 3 Catapult grantees 🙌 are recipients of the Jacquie Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund, presented by Black Public Media and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Congrats to ‘A Place to Learn (Kevin Shaw, Rachel Dickson), ‘Through the Night’ (Loira Limbal, Jameka Autry) and ‘Gil Scott-Heron’ (Orlando Bagwell, Yvonne Shirley)

“These projects, and the makers behind them, speak to our mission to bring diverse content and makers to the public media audience”

👀 Inside peek of the ‘Colour of the Wind’ team pitching at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival Pitch Forum where they won the $20k first look prize! 🙌

🎉 Time For Ilhan takes home a Daytime Emmys Award! 🏆

🎉Congratulations Atomic Homefront, winner of the 2019 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in Domestic Television! 👏

Great review of ‘XY Chelsea’ in the The Hollywood Reporter from their screening at the Tribeca Film Festival!

Thrilled that 2 Catapult supported projects won awards at Tribeca! Best Cinematography went to Yang Sun and Shuang Liang for “Our Time Machine” and the Best Editing went to Jennifer Tiexiera for “17 Blocks” Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to Tribeca. What an honor!

Hail Satan? heads to London for the Sundance Film Festival! ✈️🇬🇧

Part two of the Forum Report from Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, including Catapult Grantees ‘Instant Life’ (Aaron Schock & Mark Becker) and 💵 prize winner🥇’Colour of the Wind’ (Claire Sanford, Adam Pajot Gendron & Dagmar Jacobsen) 👇

Read part one of the report from the 20th edition of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival Forum, including Catapult supported ‘The Bones’ by Jeremy Xido 🦖

Claire Sanford’s ‘Colour of the Wind’ takes home the First Look Prize of CAN$20,000 at this year’s Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival​. Congratulations to all the winners!

The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund is accepting applications for feature documentaries near post production. Apply now! 👇

Higher Ground Productions (The Obama’s production company in partnership with Netflix) announce their latest slate including Catapult supported ‘American Factory’ and ‘Crip Camp’

When We Walk premieres at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 👏

Out Magazine talks with XY Chelsea director Tim Travers Hawkins 👀

📣 Attention Bay Area (also New York & L.A.)! Catapult supported, Academy Award Nominated The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros is coming to a theatre near you! 👀🎟

Elephant Path Film is now streaming! 🌍🐘

The The Chicago Critics Film Festival will screen Catapult grantees Life Overtakes Me and Our Time Machine 时光机 📽🎟

Pitching at this year’s Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, are three Catapult-supported films: The Bones (Jeremy Xido), Colour of the Wind (Claire Sanford), and Instant Life (Mark Becker & Aaron Schock) 👏

Hail Satan? on NPR All Things Considered! 🎧

“The latest documentary by Penny Lane, Hail Satan? follows the history of the Satanic Temple and its colorful protests in the name of religious freedom and separation of church and state…”

IndieWire talks with Catapult grantee Sam Green about his latest work and his on-going project The Oldest Person in the World 🌍

‘Life Overtakes Me’ directors Kris Samuelson and John Haptas on air to talk about the film with KPFA Radio 🎧

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros in Variety “Looking for justice isn’t looking for revenge” 🖤

Hail Satan? “…serves as a reminder of why we embrace nonconformity, pluralism and tolerance.” Great read in the Washington Post 👏

Hail Satan? 😈 is coming to US theaters soon! Nice piece in the The Guardian 👇

“Penny Lane’s Hail Satan? may look like a mockumentary, but it’s not.” The Wall Street Journal 📰👀👇

Hail Satan? in Rolling Stone “…a portrait of religious freedom and social hypocrisy” 🔥

📰 The Los Angeles Times chats with Hail Satan? director Penny Lane 🔥

Always in Season at the SFFILM Festival! 🧡

Penny Lane of Hail Satan? talks with Vulture 👀

Seven Catapult Film Fund supported projects are screening at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival ! Don’t miss American Factory, Always in Season, Anbessa, Midnight Family, Our Time Machine 时光机, When We Walk and XY Chelsea!

Only a few hours to go before the brilliant Oscar shortlisted documentary Charm City premieres on PBS. NOT TO BE MISSED!

Tribeca Film Festival (NYC) Sun, 4/28 - 5:30 pm (filmmakers & subjects in attendance) Tue, 4/30 - 7:00 pm (filmmakers & subjects in attendance) Fri, 5/3 - 7:00 pm Tickets: http://bit.ly/OTM_Tribeca

Hot Docs Documentary Festival (Toronto, Canada) Wed, 5/1 - 5:30 pm (filmmakers in attendance) Fri, 5/3 - 3:00 pm (filmmakers in attendance) Sun, 5/5 - 5:30 pm Tickets: http://bit.ly/OTM_HotDocs

DocLands (San Rafael, CA) Sat, 5/4 - 3:00pm (filmmaker in attendance) Tickets: http://bit.ly/OTM_doclands

LA Asian Pacific Film Festival (Los Angeles) Sun, 5/5 - 12:00 pm (filmmaker in attendance) Tickets: http://bit.ly/OTM_LAAPFF

CAAMFest (San Francisco & Oakland) Sat, 5/11 - 7:30 pm (filmmaker in attendance) Wed, 5/15 - 6:30 pm Tickets: https://caamfest.com/2019/movies/our-time-machine/

Great news: Midnight Family will be in theaters this summer!

Catapult grantees Our Time Machine 时光机 and American Factory will be screening across the bridge at the Rafael Theater during the DOCLANDS Documentary Film Festival May 2-5. Presented by California Film Institute 📽

Catapult grantee ‘American Factory’ at the SFFILM Festival 🙌

Midnight Family screens at the SFFILM Festival 👏

San Francisco Chronicle heads to the SFFILM Festival to catch Penny Lane’s Hail Satan? 😈📽

A reflective piece in Film Threat about ‘Life Overtakes Me’ screening at the SFFILM International Film Festival ❤️🎞

DOC10 round-up where Hail Satan? and Midnight Family both screened 👏

Great piece and conversation with Hail Satan? 😈 director Penny Lane in Vox 👀

“Lane’s films are always funny and weird and always pushing at the way we think about ‘truth.’”

Charm City airs on PBS April 22nd!

Catapult supported 17 Blocks heads to the Tribeca Film Festival! 👀

Elephant Path Film premieres on WORLD Channel April 21st! 🐘

Premiering May 1st at the Tribeca Film Festival, Showtime Networks just released a first-look trailer for the highly-anticipated Chelsea Manning documentary, “XY Chelsea”. Coming to Showtime June 7th.

Great review of Midnight Family which screened at New Directors/New Films and heads to the SFFILM Festival next week!

Great piece in Interview Magazine on Hail Satan?, coming to SFFILM Festival next week! 😈

Thrilled to see filmmakers Arthur Pratt, Banker White, and Anna Fitch nominated for a Peabody Award for their Catapult supported project SURVIVORS. Congratulations to all the nominees!

After screening at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, Hail Satan? comes to theaters soon!

Congratulations to Life Overtakes Me (dirs. Kris Samuelson & John Haptas) winners of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Audience Award!

American Factory, Midnight Family, and The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros are headed to the Montclair Film Festival!

Time For Ilhan director Norah Shapiro talks to Newsweek about Omar’s “swift political rise”.

XY Chelsea will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and has been picked up by Dogwoof.

Luke Lorentzen’s documentary “Midnight Family” is named “7 exciting movies from emerging directors to watch for in 2019”.

Apply now to join us and our partners True/False Film Fest this summer at the Rough Cut Retreat for a one-of-a-kind mentorship experience. Deadline is April 15th.

Life Overtakes Me heads to the Aspen Film’s Shortsfest!

“Quiet and intimate, the film unobtrusively ushers viewers into the homes — and stories — of three families with parents who now juggle domestic routines and the uncertainty of their asylum status with caring for an inert young patient.”

The Independent sits down with Assia Boundaoui, dir. of The Feeling of Being Watched 👀

Midnight Family receives a special jury mention at CPH:DOX! 🎉

“…the jury unanimously gave the Firebird Award to Midnight Family directed by Luke Lorentzen for ‘its non-judgmental approach to a story of interlocked poverty and tragedy is deeply moving.’” -香港國際電影節 Hong Kong International Film Festival - HKIFF

Incredible review of Catapult supported Ringside in The Hollywood Reporter, which premiered at the 2019 Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival.

If you missed 2019 Sundance this year, you can see all 5 Catapult supported projects at the 2019 SFFILM Festival opening April 10th! Always in Season, American Factory, Hail Satan?, Life Overtakes Me, Midnight Family.

Time For Ilhan director Norah Shapiro goes behind the scenes about the documentary. https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/the-filmmaker-who-followed-the-trajectory-of-fearless-ilhan-omar-1.841293

Midnight Family is headed to the New Directors/New Films festival in NYC! 👏

Dreamaway heads to Ayam Beirut Al Cinema’iya as they continue a successful festival tour!

Now streaming! Catapult grantee Time For Ilhan

“…By turns terrifying and exhilarating, ‘Midnight Family’ unfolds with such velocity that it may take a while for your ethical doubts to catch up to what’s happening. When they do, they leave you gasping.” -The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/movies/new-directors-new-films-critics-notebook.html

Catapult grantee Joonam (dir. Sierra Urich) will receive a grant from Tribeca Film Institute aimed at “…groundbreaking projects that bring marginalized voices with vital stories to tell, to a mainstream audience.” https://www.screendaily.com/news/tribeca-all-access-2019-selects-14-projects-from-under-represented-voices/5137883.article

As Spain struggles to confront its past, The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros shows signs of a shift.

Excited to see four Catapult grantees make their way to our hometown for the SFFILM Festival!

Always in Season (Dir. Jacqueline Olive; prod. Jacqueline Olive, Jessica Devaney)

American Factory (dir. Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert; prod. Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, Jeff Reichert, Julie Parker Benello)

Hail Satan? (dir. Penny Lane; prod. Gabriel Sedgwick)

Life Overtakes Me (dir. Kris Samuelson, John Haptas)

Midnight Family (dir. Luke Lorentzen)

Jason Dasilva’s When We Walk is set to premiere at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival! Congrats to the team! 🎉

The Best Mexican Film Award for $25,000 goes to “Midnight Family” at the FICG Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara 👏

👋🏼 Catapult grantee dir. Luke Griswold-Tergis of Pleistocene Park Movie with Russian scientist Nikita Zimov last night at The Battery discussing the park’s efforts to revive an extinct ecosystem by reintroducing woolly mammoths. Read more about this fascinating project in The New Yorker 👇🏼

Midnight Family wins Best Director (Luke Lorentzen) and Best Film at the 34th FICG Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara. Congratulations to the team! 🎉👏

Grit, The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros, and The Feeling of Being Watched will air on POV (PBS) this fall!

Three Catapult supported films will screen at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival as part of the Special Presentations Program.

Always in Season (dir.Jacqueline Olive, prod. Jacqueline Olive and Jessica Devaney)

American Factory (dir. Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, prod. Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, Jeff Reichert, Julie Parker Benello)

XY Chelsea (dir. Tim Travers Hawkins, prod. Julia Nottingham, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa, Isabel Davis)

Three Catapult grantees have been selected to attend the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival Forum to pitch their film! Congrats to The Bones (Jeremy Xido), Colour of the Wind (Claire Sanford), and Instant Life (Mark Becker & Aaron Schock).

Opening the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is Catapult grantee American Factory!

Also screening: Always in Season, Grit, Life Overtakes Me, Midnight Family, Hail Satan?, The Raft.

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros takes home an Audience Award form Thessaloniki International Film Festival - ENG! 🎉

Midnight Family is screening at FICG Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara and vying for the festival’s largest cash prize.

Happy International Women’s Day! Proud to support these talented filmmakers.

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros screens at the Miami Film Festival this weekend

Time For Ilhan releases 3/8 for International Women’s Day

🎉Excited to see three Catapult funded projects premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, congrats to the filmmakers! 👏

17 Blocks (dir. Davy Rothbart, writer Jennifer Tiexiera, prod. Alex Turtletaub, Michael B. Clark, Marc Turtletaub, Rachel Dengiz, Davy Rothbart

Our Time Machine (dir./prod. Yang Sun, S. Leo Chiang, writers S. Leo Chiang, Bob Lee)

XY CHELSEA (dir. Tim Travers Hawkins, writer Mark Monroe, prod. Julia Nottingham, Lucas Ochoa, Thomas Benski, Isabel Davis)

👉 Incase you missed it at the Sundance Film Festival, Directing Award winner AMERICAN FACTORY will also be screening!

Congrats to Always in Season!

Hail Satan?’s official trailer! Catch it in theaters this spring.

Hail Satan? comes to theaters this spring!

Midnight Family will head to New Directors/New Films March 27 – April 7 in New York City! 🎥 👀

Congrats to Anbessa // a movie on their world premiere at Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival! 🎉

Currently in production, The Liegnitz Plot explores the Holocaust through stolen stamp collections.

Always in Season - “Unforgettable”

“A nuanced, layered reminder of how far we still have to go to correct the injustices of this country’s past and present.” -Always in Season

The The Hollywood Reporter calls Always in Season ”Infuriating and eye-opening”

Always in Season: “Haunting, difficult and necessary”

Time For Ilhan is nominated by the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Documentary!

46% of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival directors were women, including Hail Satan?, dir. by Penny Lane 👏

Great Hollywood reporter review of ‘Midnight Family” - 2019 Sundance Film Festival winner “Best Cinematography”!

Three Catapult Film Fund supported projects received top prizes at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival! Congratulations to AMERICAN FACTORY (Directing Award: U.S. Documentary) ALWAYS IN SEASON (U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Moral Urgency), and MIDNIGHT FAMILY (U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematography). Thank you to everyone at Sundance for this tremendous honor.

Three Catapult Film Fund supported projects received top prizes at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival! Congratulations to AMERICAN FACTORY (Directing Award: U.S. Documentary) ALWAYS IN SEASON (U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Moral Urgency), and MIDNIGHT FAMILY (U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematography). Thank you to everyone at Sundance for this tremendous honor.

Great interview in the Washington Post with the brilliant Marilyn Ness about her film CHARM CITY!

Hail Satan? screens this weekend at the Sundance Film Festival 👀

The Feeling of Being Watched 👁‍🗨 heads the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London 👏

Midnight Family review in Variety 👇👀

“Poetically composed and effortlessly segueing between graveyard-shift stillness and chaotic rides through the darkened streets of Mexico City, Midnight Family is a unique cinematic gem.” -Filmmaker Magazine

Shedding light on the Satanic Temple in Hail Satan? Premiering here at the Sundance Film Festival!

Midnight Family is making its World Premiere here at the Sundance Film Festival! Great interview with director & DP Luke Lorentzen.

“Society needs skeptics. It needs outsiders to stand up for themselves and fight against the dominant ideas”

Penny Lane, dir. of Hail Satan? discusses the film at the IndieWire/Dropbox lounge at the Sundance Film Festival.

Congratulations to the Always in Season team on a beautiful and moving film and to the Lacy family for sharing their story. #Sundance

A lovely day on Main Street! Off to the premiere of Jackie Olive’s Always in Season, producer Jessica Devaney, editor Don Bernier 🙌🎥

Hail Satan?, premiering to a full house at Sundance Film Festival right now! 👏

We aren’t the only ones excited to see Hail Satan? at Sundance Film Festival!

“…thoroughly researched and beautifully produced documentary…” Great piece about Catapult-funded ‘The Oslo Diaries’ 🤝

Announcing our full list of 2018 Catapult grantees! Proud to be supporting these amazing projects. Congratulations to the filmmakers! 🎉🙌

Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival is Catapult grantee Hail Satan? “…the 95-minute feature might get people to confront some of their misconceptions about ‘the great overlord of the underworld, and have a laugh along the way.’”

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a collection of documentaries about him and his work.

💻👀 Tomorrow our friends at ITVS will host a webinar about budgeting: from guidelines to building a realistic budget that will get your film finished on time and pay everyone an equitable salary. RSVP 👇

Glad to be a part of these efforts 👏

🙌 Catapult grantee Time For Ilhan and dir. Norah Shapiro!

📣 Our friends over at ITVS are accepting applications for their Open Call through 2/15. See below for more information on eligibility criteria 👇

Today join Supervising Producer Michael Kinomoto and guest speakers Jon Olshefski & Sabrina Gordon (Quest), and Laura Green & Anna Moot-Levin (The Providers) in a webinar to learn what ITVS is looking for. RSVP: https://ovee.itvs.org/screenings/ztti9

Great review of Marcus Lindeen’s new documentary The Raft in Forbes!

Congratulations to filmmaker Ramona Diaz, winner of a Creative Capital Award for her Catapult-supported project!

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros Robert Bahar on documentary budgeting 👇💸

The Raft opens in the UK on Friday 1/18!

“What we wanted to do with the film was to be an instrument to open that conversation about forgetting, about our past, and also our present”. The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros is shortlisted for an Oscar by The Academy and is screening around Spain and the US.

🎥 Come see The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros this Wednesday at 6:30pm at Landmark’s Opera Plaza Cinema in San Francisco! Q&A with the filmmakers following the screening.

The English trailer for The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros 👀👇

Apply now to Working Films’ Impact Kickstart grant! Open to feature length documentaries in late production or post-production that address issues of social or environmental justice. Artists of color, women, LGBTQ, gender nonconforming, and differently abled creators are strongly encouraged to apply.

Ilhan Omar for Congress, the subject of Time For Ilhan, will become one of the first two Muslim women sworn in to Congress on Thursday.

Happy New Year! 🎉🥂🎆

Shortlisted for an Oscar by The Academy are two Catapult-supported documentaries, Charm City & The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros! Congrats to the filmmakers! 🎉👏

One of the best shows on Netflix this year: Catapult-supported Wild Wild Country!

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros is nominated for a Premios Goya!

Two Catapult grantees win at the 34th Annual International Documentary Association Awards. Congratulations to the filmmakers! 🎉👏🏆

Wild Wild Country - Best Limited Series The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros - Pare Lorentz Award

Congratulations to the Catapult grantees headed to the 2019 Sundance Film Festival! 🎉

Always in Season (Jackie Olive) American Factory (Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, & Julie Parker Benello) Hail Satan? (Penny Lane & Gabriel Sedgwick) Midnight Family (Luke Lorentzen, Kellen Quinn, Daniela Alatorre, & Elena Fortes)

Congratulations to Life Overtakes Me dirs. Kris Samuelson and John Haptas! The 5th Catapult-supported film headed to the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. 🎉

📢 Just announced! The latest 2018 grantees 🎉 Ghost Wives, The Girl with Seven Names, Tour Guide, Untitled Criminal Justice / High School Project, and Untitled Parkland Project. Read more about these fascinating projects, updates from Catapult-supported films, and what the team has been up to 👇

Hail Satan? (Penny Lane & Gabriel Sedgwick) picked up by Magnolia Pictures and will premiere at Sundance Film Festival! 👏

As The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros screens across Spain, directors Robert Bahar and Almudena Carracedo reflect on the film’s impact and the change in discourse around the country’s history.

Tomorrow is the last day to apply for Catapult funding in 2018! We will resume on January 1st 2019. 👍

☃️Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings from Catapult Film Fund ❄️

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dreamaway heads to Cairo International Film Festival!

“…she takes into her own hands the very notion of being watched — and with a level of boldness we’d all do well to emulate.” Assia Boundaoui’s The Feeling of Being Watched screening at the Arab American National Museum

The European Film Awards announced their nominees including The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros! 🎉

📢 Attention filmmakers! Please note we will not be accepting applications in December and will resume January 1st 2019. Get those proposals in by November 30th at 11:59 PST!

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros is nominated for a Cinema Eye Honors Spotlight Award 👏

You could say it’s a very important day for Ilhan Omar for Congress, the subject of Catapult-funded Time For Ilhan! ✍️🇺🇲️

Survivors heads to the IDFA! 🎉

Ilhan Omar for Congress of the Catapult supported Time For Ilhan featured in NPR! 👏

Grit: The Documentary is screening at DOC NYC 11/11 & 11/14! 🎟️👀

Catapult grantees Mayor (David Osit), Through the Night (Loira Limbal), and Charm City (Marilyn Ness), awarded the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund and Stories of Change grants! 👏🎉

Dreamaway at DOK Leipzig!

The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros wins “Best Testimony on Politics” at the Mezinárodní festival dokumentárních filmů Ji.hlava 👏

“While it must have been tempting for those involved to release some of the shocking material at various points in those six years, its impact and news value is greater by being presented as a whole story of that period of filming.” - The Oslo Diaries in The Guardian

“As one watches Ilhan Omar navigate multilayered prejudice with grace and grit, one comes away with absolute joy for her success against the odds.” 👏

DOC NYC announces “40 under 40” and we are proud to see so many Catapult grantees on the list! Congrats to Assia Boundaoui, Lyric R Cabral, Jessica Devaney, Sara Dosa, Maxim Pozdorovkin, Danielle Varga, and Farihah Zaman 🎉👏

“We’re asking for truth and justice. It’s all we have left.” The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros will screen in London before heading to home to Spain.

Great review of “The Raft” in The Independent.

Wild Wild Country is nominated for 5 Critic’s Choice Awards! 👏

أمل - Amal and Dreamaway have been selected for the IBF Europe – Distribution Grant through IDFA Bertha Fund. Congrats to the filmmakers!

Catapult supported The Quiet Zone receives a Science Sandbox/Sundance grant!

“There’s plenty to make you catch your breath during Marilyn Ness’s documentary Charm City” -The New York Times

“Hope and triumph lie in the fact that the victims will not stay silent as little by little, public pressure begins to force changes.” The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros continues to screen at festivals around the globe!

Great piece with Charm City dir. Marilyn Ness!

👁️‍🗨️ The Feeling of Being Watched named Audience Favorite at The Boston Globe Film Festival!

Elephant Path Film heads to DOC NYC! 👏

Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film for 2018” Assia Boundaoui brings 👁️‍🗨️ The Feeling of Being Watched home to the Chicago International Film Festival 📽️

Catapult supported The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros and Charm City are short listed for the International Documentary Association’s awards! 👏

Dreamaway heads to DOK Leipzig!

See Dreamaway at the BFI London Film Festival!

Catapult talks development funding at the International Documentary Association’s Getting Real ‘18!

📢 The Feeling of Being Watched will be the GlobeDocs Opening Night Film on Tuesday 10/9! 📽️

Great review of the Wild Wild Country soundtrack in Pitchfork 🎧

Time For Ilhan dir. Norah Shapiro is a part of the ‘Film Fatales’ organization where female (nonbinary and transgender welcome too) directors come together for support, compassion, collaboration 💪🎬

Opening tonight, the Vancouver International Film Festival will screen Catapult grantee “The Oslo Diaries”! 🇨🇦️

“The Oslo Diaries” wins Best International Feature-Length Documentary at the Jozi Film Festival 👏

California? It’s complicated - almost 40 million people and 40 million stories. California Humanities invites proposals for the 2018 California Documentary Project (CDP) grant program that tell stories from every corner of the state and that explore California in all its complexity. Apply now for development and production grants for your short, podcast, web series, feature (and more)!

🙌Catapult grantee and HBO Doc Films’ Solitary: Inside Red Onion State Prison, wins Outstanding Investigative Documentary at the Emmys / Television Academy congrats to the team! 🎉

🙌 Proud to see four Catapult supported projects at the Mill Valley Film Festival! Congrats to Charm City, Grit: The Documentary, The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros, and Time For Ilhan. See you in the North Bay! 📽️

Congratulations to Catapult supported Elephant Path Film! 🎉

Catapult co-founders Lisa Kleiner Chanoff & Bonni Cohen and grantees Michèle Stephenson & Robert Bahar Get Real at the International Documentary Association #docsgetreal

If you missed the Sundance 2018 premiere, “The Oslo Diaries” is now on HBO. Not to be missed.

The beautiful Wild Wild Country soundtrack is now available 🎧

Watch Survivors on POV tonight!

🗽 New York! “Survivors” is screening at a theatre near you 👇

Congrats to Rebel Hearts! Headed to Fast Track film finance market at the LA Film Festival.

🏝️ Dreamaway will make its US premiere! 🙌

👁️‍🗨️ The Feeling of Being Watched takes home the Audience Award at the Camden International Film Festival! 🎉Congrats to the team!

Congrats Assia Boundaoui! 🙌

The Oslo Diaries is streaming on HBO Documentary Films through Oct. 15th! 📺

🇸🇱 ️WeOwnTV’s Survivors heads to the Camden International Film Festival! Screening Sept 15th 🎟️

Wondering what to watch? 🤔 The The New York Times suggests Catapult supported The Oslo Diaries! Airing on HBO on Thursday.

Screening tonight at the San Francisco Green Film Festival 🌍 is the International Premiere of Wind Should Be Heard Not Seen 🌬️ the short of Catapult supported Hwangsa.

The International Documentary Association will screen Catapult grantees Charm City and The Silence of Others / El Silencio de Otros as part of the 2018 Documentary Screening Series. 🎟️📽️

Congratulations Wild Wild Country! 🎉 Winner of the Emmys / Television Academy award for Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Series 🏆

📢 Dream Away heads to London for the BFI London Film Festival! ️🇬🇧️

“If you want to understand why peace failed and what happened, you have to look at these three years of the Oslo Accords,” Mor Loushy & Daniel Sivan’s “The Oslo Diaries” premieres 9/13 on HBO.

Thank you to the wonderful Jennifer Battat and SFFILM for the support of these incredible doc projects, especially including Jennifer Maytorena Taylor’s “The Gut” (w/t).

Enjoy the Wild Wild Country soundtrack? 🎧 Listen to it soon!

Survivors is coming to POV (PBS) this fall!

The Oslo Diaries reviewed in Los Angeles Times 📰

📣Young Men and Fire 🔥 set to premiere at Camden International Film Festival! Also screening: The Feeling of Being Watched 👁️‍🗨️

THE OSLO DIARIES, which premiered at Sundance 20118 will debut on HBO in 9/13. Don’t miss this brilliant film.

The Oslo Diaries 🎥 screens tomorrow in New York! 🗽🍎

“The Oslo Diaries is a striking document, mixing never-before-seen footage shot by the negotiators themselves and current reflections from participants”

ITVS Diversity Development Fund offers producers of color up to $25,000 in research and development funding to develop a documentary for public television. See below for details!

Great review of ASK THE SEXPERT on NPR!

Catapult partners with SFFILM in grant making and mentoring filmmakers 🎥 Read in Forbes👇

The Silence of Others, nominated for the 2018 European Film Awards! 👏🎉

Time For Ilhan heads to Take One Action Film Festivals this fall!

The Oslo Diaries heads to the Jozi Film Festival!

The Silence of Others heads to LA Film Festival! 🎥

The Feeling of Being Watched at BlackStar Film Festival!

Catapult supported Wild Wild Country, nominated for 6 Emmys / Television Academy! 🙌

👏Congratulations The Silence of Others! Directors Almudena Carracedo & Robert Bahar won the Founders Award for Best Foreign Non Fiction Film at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival 🎉

The Feeling of Being Watched 👁️‍🗨️ will screen at BlackStar Film Festival 8/5! Catch dir. Assia Boundaoui speak on the panel Revert the Gaze: The Relationship Between Surveillance and Film in Communities of Color 👀

Almudena Carracedo & Robert Bahar’s The Silence of Others ️ heads to the LA Film Festival! 👏

Congratulations to all the wonderful projects receiving Fork Films support including four Catapult supported projects: “The Rashomon Effect” (Directed by Lyric R Cabral) “Crip Camp” (Directed by Nicole Newnham Malarkey & Jim LeBrecht) “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” (Directed by Michèle Stephenson & Joe Brewster) and “Syrian Families Film” (Directed by Megan Mylan) Thank you Fork Films!

Congrats to the Solitary team!

🎥The Oslo Diaries screened at the Jerusalem Film Festival 🇮🇱️

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project heads to the Creative Producing Labs at Sundance Film Festival!

Congratulations to all the wonderful films and filmmakers honored yesterday with an Emmy nomination — with a special Catapult nod to “Vegas Baby” (Amanda Micheli) “Solitary: Inside Red Onion State Prison” (Kristi Jacobson) and “Unlocking the Cage” (DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus), and “Wild Wild Country” (Maclain Way and Chapman Way). It is an honor to support your important work.

Catapult grantee Jason Dasilva talks about his latest doc with The New York Times

The Oslo Diaries heads to HBO this fall! 👌

Thrilled to see Catapult Film Fund grantee Jason Dasilva’s How Healthcare Makes Disability a Trap part of The New York Times Op-Docs!

Great review of Searching for Saraswati! 👏

The subject of All We’ve Lost featured in the Montana Innocence Project

Elephant Path Film premieres at the Congo International Film Festival - CIFF!

Congrats to the Wild Wild Country team!

Congrats to Chapman and Maclain Way and the Wild Wild Country team!

Thrilled to see Wild Wild Country nominated for Emmys / Television Academy in outstanding documentary or nonfiction series!

Wild Wild Country receives Emmys / Television Academy nominations! 👏🎉

Searching for Saraswati, now on The New York Times Op-Docs! 🙌

Excited to see Catapult Film Fund supported “Crip Camp” (James LeBrecht, Nicole Newnham, and Andy Gersh) head to the Sundance Documentary Edit and Story Lab to work with an incredible lineup of mentors. Congratulations to all the filmmakers!

Great review in NOW Magazine of The Oslo Diaries 👏📰

Congrats to Catapult grantee Agnieszka Zwiefka and the Scars team! 👏

Welcome to The Academy, Catapult grantees! Francisco Bello, Katy Chevigny, Sara Dosa, Tony Gerber, Jim LeBrecht, Ivy Meeropol, Siam Mo, and Marco Williams

👀 Watch Ask the Sexpert, now on Amazon Prime!

Great news - “Charm City” will air on PBS’ Independent Lens in spring 2019. Congratulations to Marilyn Ness (director), Katy Chevigny (producer) and the whole team.

Click here for all the latest Catapult Film Fund news - including the latest cohort of grantees!

Read all about our new fellowship with our SFFilm partners in RealScreen!

Catapult grantees The Force and Tig (Tig Notaro) featured in the best docs on Netflix! 👀💻

Great article in Vanity Fair about “Wild, Wild Country” and the brilliant Lisa Nishimura.

Catapult grantees The Silence of Others & أمل - Amal win big at Sheffield Doc/Fest!

Great review of The Silence of Others in the Screen International, currently screening at Sheffield Doc/Fest.

Survivors heads to the Shanghai International Film Festival! 🙌📽️

Catapult grantee Elephant Path Film 🐘 premieres at San Francisco IndieFest’s Doc Fest at Roxie Theater. 🙌🎉