Reach Film Fellowship

Program Guidelines & Application

The Reach Film Fellowship (RFF) is a specialized program for early-career filmmakers who are making artful, socially relevant short films between 5 and 15 minutes long.

Four filmmakers per year are selected to receive a $5,000 grant, production support, and seven months of mentorship, career advising and industry exposure as they progress through the entire production and post-production process and prepare for submissions to festivals and distributors.

To understand what we mean by “artful” and “socially relevant” please check out the descriptions of films Cinereach has previously supported through its Grants program and previous years of the Reach Film Fellowship. The Cinereach mission is to support films at the intersection of engaging storytelling, visual artistry and vital subject matter. In simpler terms, we are looking for a balance of good filmmaking craft and the ability to tackle meaningful themes without didacticism.

The Fellowship program spans August – April each year. Participating filmmakers must complete a ‘festival cut’ of their short films during the course of the program in order to participate in the culminating Reach Out screening event.

Applications typically open in April and close in July (specific dates will be announced in early 2011). In the weeks following the deadline, select finalists may be invited to interview with Cinereach staff. In mid-to-late August, Cinereach will notify four filmmakers of their acceptance to the program.

Eligibility
The Reach Film Fellowship seeks applicants who are emerging, early-career filmmakers and have completed at least one short film. Recent film school graduates and self-taught filmmakers with the equivalent experience are excellent candidates. Current students can apply as long as they will have graduated by summer 2010. Applicants must live in or near New York City during the course of the Fellowship cycle. Please visit our FAQ page and email us with any additional questions about eligibility prior to applying.

Selection Criteria
Selection of Fellowship participants will be based on the the following criteria (once eligibility is confirmed):

a) quality and originality of script and/or treatment
b) the ability of the filmmaker to express ideas clearly, compellingly and professionally
c) consistency of the project with the Cinereach mission to champion “vital stories, artfully told”
e) practical feasibility of the project and budget, and likelihood of completion by March 2011
f) qualifications and previous work of applicant and qualifications of key team members