In an effort to further the development of character-driven documentaries, the Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) has announced the HBO Fellowships of the inaugural TFI (Tribeca Film Institute) Documentary Fund. Three fellowships have been announced, and the winners will receive a combined $100,000 in fellowships and grants towards their documentaries, which focus on the role of characters in movies. The winners will also be given the chance to have one-on-one meetings with film industry figures during this year’s TFF.
Leah Wolchock was awarded the TFI/HBO “Documentary Screen Test” Fellowship for her documentary ‘Very Semi-Serious.’ She received $50,000 for the production of her first feature-length documentary, as well as a yearlong mentorship with an established filmmaker, She was also awarded a meeting with HBO Documentary Films. The movie looks at the personalities behind the famed New Yorker cartoons through live action and animation. The film also shows how the cartoonists’ humor shows the changing social and political landscape of urban life.
The documentary ‘A Contemplation of a Very Serious Matter,’ directed by Vladi Alpin, was awarded the TFI/HBO “Outside Looking In” Fellowship. He received $25,000 for his character-driven film, which strives to take its audience into someone else’s world. Alpin will also receive professional guidance from the TFI staff on the documentary’s production and a meeting with officials from HBO Documentary Films. The movie follows two friends who discover secrets behind a strange video posted on YouTube.
Banker White received the TFI/HBO “House I Live In” Fellowship for his documentary ‘The Genius of Marian.’ He was awarded $25,000, professional guidance from the TFI staff for the film’s production and a meeting with HBO Documentary Films officials for a documentary based on the filmmaker’s life. The movie follows his mother, Pam, as she experiences the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and her struggle to hold onto her personality.
The winners will also receive festival and distribution planning; fundraising; and meetings with industry executives and crew members. They will also be recognized at this year’s TFI Awards Luncheon on April 28. Beth Janson, the Executive Director of the TFI, has said that the purpose of the fellowships is to help create more awareness for character-driven documentaries. “Our hope is that the support provided through the TFI Documentary Fund is recognized in the industry and helps us open up even more opportunities for this critical funding.”
Written by: Karen Benardello
