Deadline: 2 December 2024
Entries are now open for Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund (HDBID) for filmmakers who live and work on the African continent.
The Fund offers grants in Development and Production for feature or broadcast-length documentaries. Approximately 4 to 10 projects are awarded each year. All successful applications will also be considered for a mentorship program.
Funding Information
- Development Grant
- Up to $10,000
- Grant can reflect up to 100% of the development budget.
- Production Grant
- Up to $40,000
- Grant can reflect up to 50% of the production budget.
- Short Documentary Grant:
- All eligible projects submitted to HDBID Fund will also be considered for The New York Times—Op-Docs short documentary, unless the applicant indicates otherwise. Op-Docs is a forum for short, opinionated documentaries, produced by independent filmmakers with wide creative latitude, covering current affairs, contemporary life and historical subjects. This does not affect your current or future application to HDBID Fund.
- Hot Docs Fellowship:
- Up to five funded projects will be invited to participate in a year-long mentorship program guided by international mentors, consisting of a private digital filmmaker lab, year-round mentorship from seasoned doc professionals, and participation at Hot Docs and Durban Film Mart/Durban International Film Festival. Historically, these fellowships included round-trip travel, accommodation and accreditation support for these international markets and festivals.
Eligible Projects
- The project must:
- Be produced and shot in Africa
- Be either a high-quality feature or broadcast-hour length documentary to audiences both locally and internationally (school work, series, and fiction pieces are not eligible)
- Be in development, production or post-production as of April 2024.
Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant must:
- Be the producer and primary rights holder of the project.
- Have a registered production company that is associated with the project in a country on the African continent.
- In all cases both the director and producer must:
- Hold citizenship, or have legal permanent residency, and primarily live and work in Africa.
- Have at least one previous professional credit to their name.
- Be in good standing with Hot Docs by application date.
- Eligibility for re-application:
- A project can submit to the Development Fund and, then submit to the Production Fund at a later deadline, whether or not the Development Fund application was successful. Submitted projects that do not receive funding may submit a maximum of one additional time only in another stream within the fund.
Selection Criteria
- Applicants will be informed of the Selection Committee’s decision approximately four months after the submission deadline.
- Applications deemed complete and eligible will be submitted to the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund Advisory, made up of documentary industry professionals who live and work in Africa, and selections will be made thereafter in conjunction with representatives from Hot Docs and Blue Ice Docs.
For more information, visit Hot Docs.