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The American Film Showcase (AFS) is the State Department's flagship film exchange program and is implemented by the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Cinematic Arts. AFS supports the exchange of U.S. films, filmmakers, and film experts in support of foreign policy priorities. The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy South Africa announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to support the 2020 American Film Showcase in South Africa, with a specific focus on the use of documentary film for conveying human rights messages. Concept notes are requested from organizations that have the necessary capacity, experience, and knowledge to support the implementation of the AFS 2020 program in South Africa. Logistical and financial management capabilities, linkages with existing film events and programs, and a focus on innovative approaches will be critical components of a successful proposal. AFS brings award-winning contemporary American documentaries, independent films, and filmmaking know-how to audiences around the world, offering a view of American society and culture as seen by independent filmmakers. Funded by a grant from the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and produced by the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA), the Showcase highlights the value of film in fostering understanding and cooperation, dialogue, and debate. AFS will include a visit from American documentary filmmakers to engage with local audiences, as well as a film collection for use in related activities. See: http://americanfilmshowcase.com/current-afs-slate/. A U.S. government staff member must be present at all screenings of films provided through AFS, and Embassy officials will guide the selection of films for the activities implemented through this project.

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (PAS Mumbai) seeks proposals for a project entitled "LGBT Pride Month Film Festival 2020." The three-day program in Mumbai would center around the screenings to the general public of seven to ten American films that outline the legal and social aspects of the struggle for gay rights in the United States or that illustrate how the perceptions of gay people by Hollywood and the general public have changed over time, in particular how gay characters are portrayed in film. Attendance at the festival and film screenings will be free and open to the general public

The National Endowment for the Humanities, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, announces the launch of the special initiative, Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle. The project brings together four nationally acclaimed films that connect the stories of the long civil rights movement to spark public conversations about the changing meanings of freedom and equality in U.S. history. Up to 500 communities across the nation will receive these four inspiring NEH-funded films on Civil Rights history, accompanied by programming resources to guide public conversations. Each participating site will receive an award of up to $1,200 to support public programming exploring the themes of the Created Equal project.

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the National Endowment for the Humanities has developed a special project as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative: Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle. Up to 500 communities across the nation will receive a packaged set of NEH-funded films on Civil Rights history, accompanied by programming resources to guide public conversations about the changing meanings of freedom and equality in U.S. history. NOTE: Each participating site will receive an award of up to $1,200 to support public programming exploring the themes of the Created Equal project. The films featured in the set are The Abolitionists, Slavery by Another Name, The Loving Story, and Freedom Riders. Applications are open to museums and historical societies; humanities councils; public, academic, and community college libraries; and nonprofit community organizations.

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA, or "Bureau") announces an open competition for the FY 2018 Global Media Makers (GMM) program. GMM will connect approximately 12 to 18 mid-career film and television professionals ("Fellows") from approximately six to eight countries with leading U.S. entertainment and media professionals ("Mentors"). These Mentors will facilitate behind-the-scenes access, bolster participants' technical skills and creative content development, and build the foundations for lasting professional networks. This program will focus on film and television projects in development and match participants' areas of interest with Mentor expertise. Fellows will travel to Los Angeles, California for a five-to-six week residency to work on projects with Mentors and receive state-of-the-art-training and industry access to support conceptual development of independent, authentic, and compelling content for distribution in their home countries. Following the residency, Mentors will travel to a select number of the Fellows' countries, when possible, for continued creative consultation and engagement. Both Mentors and Fellows will mutually benefit from the extended creative and professional development, which will promote dialogue and understanding and lead to greater creative and entrepreneurial connections.

The U.S. Embassy in Moldova seeks to support independent voices in the Moldovan media landscape through the development of good quality local production capacity in the Republic of Moldova in the interests of plurality of views and editorial independence. Specifically, this initiative seeks to support the development of the community of filmmakers and digital content creators who use their medium to present an alternative vision of Moldovan society and culture. The U.S. Embassy seeks a qualified implementing partner that will select, mentor and monitor a series of sub-grantees from the Moldovan creative community.The project will include two major components: 1. Planning and administration of sub-grantees applying for production related initiatives. The grant recipient must solicit applications from emerging or established Moldovan filmmakers, NGOs and creative studios based on an open competition, and select participants based on merit, potential and proposed project goals and outcome. 2. Mentorship of filmmakers, studios and NGOs that successfully pass the selection stage for film production, film festivals, and other non-news production projects. Grant recipient need to mentor the funds recipients in all the cycles of the projects: Planning, Script writing (where necessary), Pitching, Production, Distribution, Fundraising etc. The funding competitions to be announced by the grant recipient of this funding opportunity should be opened to individuals and entities from/registered in the Republic of Moldova and can include different formats, i.e. documentary, narrative, animation, or experimental formats. The themes and goals shall be discussed together with the U.S. Embassy team and the grant recipient.

The U.S. Embassy in Moldova seeks to support independent voices in the Moldovan media landscape through the development of good quality local content production capacity in the Republic of Moldova in the interests of plurality of views and editorial independence. Specifically, this initiative will contribute to the practical training and education of young generation of producers, filmmakers, and TV content producers etc to improve their operational processes. The U.S. Embassy seeks a partner to implement the American Film Showcase, which will consist in organizing a one-week training program for Moldovan content producers. The grant recipient will be responsible for overall logistical coordination, including promotion of the event, selection of participants in consultation with the U.S. Embassy, travel and lodging for international participants, and venue rental.

Indiana University's African Studies Program invites applications for a short-term residency to conduct research in IU's Libraries/African Studies Collections. Indiana University's African Studies Collection ranks among the top tier of such collections in the U.S. It comprises more than 150,000 volumes of monographs and over 700 serial subscriptions as well as materials in other formats (e.g. posters, slides, film/video, audio tapes, etc). The focus of the collection is on the humanities and social sciences, supporting a wide range of students and faculty in such departments as history, anthropology, fine arts, theatre & drama, literature, folklore, ethnomusicology, communication and culture, linguistics, religious studies, education, political science, business, economics, journalism, and applied health science. This residency is intended for faculty members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or at other U.S. colleges / universities with limited Africa collections, to conduct research in Indiana University's libraries and special collections in support of curriculum development or publications. The successful applicant will receive an award that covers domestic travel, accommodations in Bloomington, and a modest per diem for up to two weeks of research. The award will cover expenses up to a maximum of $2,000 and must be used before August 01, 2014. The recipient is expected to reside in Bloomington during the period of her/his award.

These fellowships support long-term, unusually ambitious projects in the humanities and related social sciences. The ultimate goal of the project should be a major piece of scholarly work by the applicant. ACLS does not fund creative work (e.g., novels or films), textbooks, straightforward translation, or pedagogical projects.

Sundance Institute deepened its commitment to Native artists by launching a new Native Producers Fellowship, which identifies emerging Native producers and supports their professional development and the development of their projects. Responding to a crucial need to cultivate more Native American producers who can manage production; oversee packaging, financing, and distribution; and engage with the marketplace; this Initiative aims to support the sustainability and longevity of Native artists throughout their careers. Native Producing Fellowships will follow the model of Sundance Institute's Creative Producing Fellowships. The Initiative will identify two Fellows and support their attendance at the Sundance Film Festival in January, where they will participate in the Festival's Native Forum, and at Sundance Institute's Creative Producing Summit in the summer. Native Producing Fellows will be considered for ongoing support and opportunities within the Institute's Creative Producing Initiative and Creative Producers Lab after they participate in the Native Program's Producers Fellowship.

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations is accepting proposals from non-Unitarian Universalist groups in the U.S. and Canada for community organizing campaigns aimed at creating systemic change in the economic, social, and political structures that affect the lives of those who have been excluded from resources, power, and the right to determination. Through the Fund for a Just Society, UUAC supports projects that are less likely to receive conventional funding because of the innovative or challenging nature of the work or the economic and social status of the constituency. UUAC does not fund social services, educational programs, or advocacy projects. Grants are not awarded for the purposes of re-granting, equipment, capital campaigns, politically partisan efforts, educational institutions, medical or scientific research, or cultural programs. The organization will consider the funding of films, publications, or curricula if they are an integral part of a strategy of collective action for social change. UUAC does not fund individuals.

California Documentary Project, a competitive grants program that supports documentary film, radio, and new media productions designed to enhance an understanding of California and its cultures, peoples, and histories. Projects must use the humanities to provide context, depth, and perspective and be suitable for California and national audiences through broadcast and/or distribution. CDP grants support projects at the research and development, production, and public engagement stages.

The Pop Culture Collaborative represents an innovative hub for high impact partnerships and grants designed to help organizations and individuals leverage the reach and power of pop culture for social justice goals. Their 'Pop Up' Rapid Response Grants are designed to support a short-term project developed in connection to a recent or upcoming acute political or cultural time hook, and must be intended to reach an audience of more than a million people or engage artists, producers, and/or organizers that do so. Funded projects must impact, support, or connect with at least one of these community groups: people of color, immigrants, refugees, or Muslims. They can work to support initiatives that build movements, drive campaigns, produce stories, and leverage mass media and entertainment media to drive positive narrative and social change in popular culture. Examples of funded projects include public events and private retreats; tool and resource prototypes; network and partnership building; story, narrative, and strategy design process; and creative content including short film/video, concerts, music recordings, etc. Grants range from $5,000 to $30,000. Requests may be submitted at any time by nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and individuals with fiscal sponsorship. Visit the Collaborative's website to learn more about the Pop Up Rapid Response Grants program.