Submissions are open once again for the CAAM Documentary Fund Open Call from Wednesday, September 8, 2021 through Wednesday, October 20, 2021. Due to adjustments in CAAM’s annual calendar of activities, and more targeted public media programming efforts, our Documentary Fund Open Call is moving from a bi-annual to annual application period. In light of this, please note that this round will be the only opportunity to apply for public television funding until the Documentary Fund re-opens in late 2022.
CAAM’s Documentary Fund provides production funding to independent producers who are developing documentary films that showcase the Asian American experience for a national audience via public television. Awards typically range between $10,000 and $50,000 and can go toward production or post-production costs. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, and be citizens or legal residents of the United States or its territories.
We will begin accepting submissions for documentaries beginning Wednesday, September 8 at 12 a.m. PDT. Applications will close on Wednesday, October 20 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Please refer here for eligibility requirements and apply through CAAM’s Submittable page.
Previous films supported by CAAM include: Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1989) by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima Pena (Oscar nominee), Days of Waiting (1988) by Steven Okazaki (Oscar winner), Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994) by Freida Lee Mock (Oscar winner), a.k.a. Don Bonus (1995) by Spencer Nakasako and Sokly Ny (Emmy winner), Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings (2013) by Tadashi Nakamura (Gotham Audience Award winner), American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs (2014) by Grace Lee (Peabody Award) and Abacus: Small Enough To Jail (2018) by Steve James (Oscar nominee). Learn more about the films CAAM supported last year here.
For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions and CAAM Documentary Fund page.
