Don’t miss The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin !
The Rogovy Foundation supported film is now available to stream on PBS until January 15th!
The colorful story of writer Armistead Maupin, whose Tales of the City series inspired millions to claim their own truth.
To bolster the commitment to one of our key programs of interest, Civics, The Rogovy Foundation’s Frontier Fund has chosen to distribute $50,000 among several non-profit organizations which strengthen public knowledge and transparency.
The Rogovy Foundation places great value on the “Fourth Estate,” and supports journalism’s essential role in a functioning democracy. Below are the organizations receiving grants.
Project Specific Funding:
General Operating Funding:
We’re very pleased to support these hard-working organizations during this important period.
Congratulations to one of our 2017 Winter Award Winners: The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin!
The film will be premiering at this year’s SXSW Film Festival in March!
Schedule and details can be found on the SXFW website.
Four Documentaries Awarded Winter 2016 Grants from The Rogovy Foundation.
The Rogovy Foundation is pleased to announce the Miller / Packan Documentary Film Fund Winter 2016 award winners. The Fund awards grants totaling $150,000 to between six and ten film projects annually through its Summer and Winter open calls.
The Fund’s four selections represent a cross section of interests that the Foundation supports. The award winners for this Winter period are:
The Quiet Zone — In the radio-silent town of Green Bank, West Virginia — the only town in America with no cell phones or WiFi — astronomers search for life beyond our planet as local residents struggle to live, love, grow up, relocate and evolve on earth. Director: Katie Dellamaggiore.
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin — Interviews and stories follow the renowned author’s journey from intolerant conservative to beloved writer known for his outrageous wit and open heart. Director: Jennifer Kroot. www.documentary.org/film/untold-tales-armistead-maupin
The Guardians — An investigative documentary that examines the complicated history of court- appointed guardians in Nevada. Director: Billie Mintz.
In the Closed Room — Each year several American suspects confess to a crime they did not commit. Experts say that trained interrogators can get anybody to confess to anything. Defense lawyer Jane is determined to make this insanity stop. Director: Katrine Philp. www.goodcompanypictures.com/in-the-closed-room
During the Winter open call, nearly 200 documentary film projects were submitted to the Miller / Packan Film Fund. “We’re moved by the quantity, quality and scope of the projects submitted,” says Hugh Rogovy, Foundation Founder. “There’s an army of non-fiction filmmakers out there,” added Asher Rogovy, Foundation Vice-President, “working tirelessly to make a difference.”
Applications are now being accepted for the Summer 2017 open call, which ends May 15th.
Congratulations to the seven Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund award winners. We are particularly pleased to see My Country, No More directed and produced by Rita Baghdadi and Jeremiah Hammerling, and supported by the Rogovy Foundation, as one of the winners!
In the past the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund awarded grants to a larger number of documentaries, but this year curbed the final tally in an effort to allocate more funds to each project. Over the last nine years, the Fund has supported 73 films and handed out $1.15 million in grants.
In the second year that the AOL Charitable Foundation joins the Gucci Tribeca Fund, those awards go to three out of the seven projects whose documentaries illuminate the lives of women and youth around the globe…
The Rogovy Foundation Announces Summer Awards to Five Documentary Filmmakers
(New York, NY). The Rogovy Foundation is pleased to announce the Miller / Packan Documentary Film Fund Summer award winners. The Fund awards grants totaling $150,000 to between six and ten film projects annually. The Summer open call ended May 15th, 2016, and the Winter open call ends November 15th, 2016.
The Fund’s five selections represent a cross section of interests that the Foundation supports. The Summer 2016 Winners are:
Night School — Three adult students, over the course of a school year, challenge themselves to improve their lives through education. Director: Andrew Cohn. www.nightschoolfilm.com
Silent Forests — In Cameroon and Congo’s lush jungles, one of Africa’s most iconic species – the forest elephant – is being slaughtered to extinction. These are the men and women who are fighting to stop the flow of illegal ivory. Director: Mariah Wilson. www.facebook.com/silentforests/
My Country No More — Generations of family farming tradition go up in flames as the North Dakota oil boom leaves human memory, culture and identity scorched in its wake. Director: Rita Baghdadi. www.mycountrynomore.com
Pigeon Kings — Black and Latino men from South Central Los Angeles, who have a passion for breeding and training this acrobatic breed, prepare to compete in the Roller Pigeon World Cup. Director: Milena Pastreich. www.milenapastreich.com/birdmen.html
Losing Sight of Shore — The extraordinary journey of four women that row the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Australia unsupported. They are the first team, and the fastest team, to ever accomplish this phenomenal feat. Director: Sarah Moshman. www.losingsightofshore.com
During this Summer open call, 279 documentary film projects were submitted to the Miller / Packan Film Fund. “We’re overwhelmed by the strong response and number of worthy projects submitted,” says Hugh Rogovy, Foundation Founder. “We chose projects based upon the ideals and values of the Foundation,” added Asher Rogovy, Foundation Vice-President, “along with the quality of the film we hope to see.”
What inspired the Foundation to create the Miller / Packan Film Fund?
Documentary films can have an out-sized impact on specific issues. We’re a small foundation and the world has some very large problems. Our question was how can we best chip in, tackling these problems, given our size. We’ve already spent time in and around the film industry, and quickly realized that by supporting documentary film, our foundation can have a larger impact.
IDA: What’s the story behind ‘Miller / Packan’?
Mae Packan and Sally Miller were History and English teachers in a small Ohio public school system, spanning many decades, a long time ago. These two teachers had incredibly high standards for what makes a quality education, particularly when it comes to critical thinking and communication. They selflessly changed the lives of thousands of students. We value the awareness and skills that come from liberal arts.
Where did your passion for documentary film come from?
It stems from many sources, beginning with an interest in social change and how best to effect that change. In one sense, documentary films are a 21st Century form of essays. I’m not saying written essays are no longer valued, but film has a way of reaching people in a more engaging and visceral way.
Impact has become a major buzzword in the doc funding world over the past few years. What is the best way to determine if a film is a good fit for your grant?
Ideally, we are looking for projects that can open our eyes to societal change. They should be educational, entertaining and inspirational. Naturally this can be achieved in many ways, and many filmmakers position their projects this way. We try to step back and understand the message of the film and how it will influence its audience.
We appreciate that there are many compelling stories out there about individuals. However, we prefer stories with a collective significance, that may be told through individuals, rather than stories primarily about individuals.
Can an applicant speak with a grant officer at your organization directly?
Unfortunately we’re not set up for that. We all work remotely, and simply don’t have the bandwidth to handle direct conversations about projects. So we prefer emailed questions, and pride ourselves on our responsiveness. We do keep our Web site FAQs updated.
What are some recent films you feel exemplify the mission and goals outlined in The Miller / Packan Film fund?
There are many, big and small, and they are wide-ranging. Waiting for Superman, An Inconvenient Truth, Super Size Me, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Citizenfour, Brooklyn Castle. There are really many more. Let’s just say we’re excited about this period in time, which seems to be a golden age for documentary film. The access to technology, funding and distribution opens a world of possibilities.
Your main focus is to support films on education, the environment and civics. Are there any specific issues under those topics that you are looking to fund in 2016?
There are a couple topics we have discussed internally that we’d love to see made into films. The first is based upon the book Generations, by William Strauss and Neil Howe. It’s a fascinating look at a recurring generational cycle throughout our US history. Al Gore bought a copy for each member of congress when it came out. The other topic is about the change in society’s role models. Historically, role models tended to be national or community leaders who selflessly worked to improve the lives of others. Today, it seems like role models have an individual agenda and the media seems to relish their fall more than their rise.
www.documentary.org/blog/funderfriday-millerpackan-film-fund-rogovy-foundation
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