Gucci Tribeca Documentary fund announces recipients

Today The Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) and Gucci announced the 2011 recipients selected for the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund.

The Fund, now in its fourth year, provides finishing finances, year-round support and guidance to domestic and international documentary filmmakers with feature-length films highlighting and humanizing issues of social importance from around the world.

Nine projects have been selected from 450 submissions from 38 countries to receive a total of $150,000, to be administered by the Tribeca Film Institute.

New this year, The PPR Corporate Foundation for Women's Dignity & Rights, has joined the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund, and created the Spotlighting Women Documentary Award which will annually provide funding of $50,000.

Three film projects that illuminate the courage, compassion, extraordinary strength of character, and contributions of women from around the world have been chosen for the inaugural award.

2011 projects were selected by a jury consisting of Jessica Alba, Amir Bar-Lev, Wendy Ettinger, Frida Giannini, Edward Norton, and Mariane Pearl. The committee chose the recipients from finalists selected by TFI.

In addition to funding, grantees will each receive year-round support from TFI, including one-on-one guidance and consultation, helping each film to reach completion and enter the marketplace in the best possible position.

We recognize the invaluable role that documentary films play in helping to bring important social concerns out into the open and thus create meaningful conversation, said Beth Janson, Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Institute.

We are proud of this year's selections and are committed to our ongoing partnership with Gucci and new relationship with the PPR Foundation to continue to help inspire change through film.

The projects that will collectively receive $100,000 total in funding for the 2011 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund are, An American Promise, Caught in the Net, Democrats, The Great Invisible, Untitled Global Health Documentary, and Charge.

The projects that will collectively receive $50,000 total in funding for the inaugural 2011 Spotlighting Women Documentary Award are, Barefoot Engineers, Justice for Sale, and The World Before Her.

These projects effectively push the form of documentary filmmaking and defy established conventions, taking audiences to places that they never imagined existed, said jury member Amir Bar-lev.

Visit the Tribeca Film Institute webpage for a complete list of films and directors.