Past
Grantees

Xiaolu Wang received $30,000 for Wet Togetherness. The film follows the spirit of a drowned child who leads the filmmaker on a pilgrimage to dismantle their fear of water. By visiting with the humans and marine mammals who explore interdependence and collective organizing, new forms of engaging with the water and each other emerge.

Flavio Alves received $20,000 in support of The Garden Left Behind, a feature-length narrative film about a Mexican trans woman struggling to build a life for herself as an undocumented immigrant in New York City.

Nira Burstein received $30,000 in support of Charm Circle. Catalyzed by her sister’s upcoming wedding, filmmaker Nira Burstein delves into the most significant partnership she’s been witness to thus far- that of her parents. Uri & Raya's relationship began as a whirlwind romance, beget three children, and currently, is in a state of constant chaos. Father and artist Uri juggles bills that are past due, a house falling apart, and a wife struggling for his attention.  A meditation on love and family, dreams and sacrifice,  Charm Circle explores what a marriage might be at the midnight hour.

Benjamin May received $30,000 in support of Wet House. Wet House documents life in Minneapolis' Wet House, where chronic alcoholics live, are cared for, are allowed to drink.

Nicholas Nerburn received $29,764 in support of The Great American Think-Off. This documentary film is centered on a public philosophy contest held every year in New York Mills, Minnesota, population 1,199. Four “thinkers” who have submitted essays on an agreed-upon philosophical question are brought to New York Mills, where they are invited to make their arguments before the town, who chooses a “Great American Thinker” by vote in their elementary school’s gym.