Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021, The Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF) will mark another milestone with the second annual Ford Producers Grant. In partnership with the Ford Motor Company, SVFF welcomes producers to participate, with three finalists earning the opportunity to have their project be reviewed and selected by filmmaker Alice Gu. This is Ford’s fourth year participating in SVFF, to take place this year as an online event, April 14-18. The three finalists will receive an All-Access streaming pass to this year’s festival, while one will win the $25,000 Ford Producer’s Grant to take their project one big step closer to reality.
Submissions are now being accepted from producers with a project in development. Applicants can submit through Film Freeway; application requirements and deadlines may be seen on the festival website. Projects will be reviewed by a committee including SVFF staff, industry experts and representatives from Ford. With the field narrowed to the top three, the grant recipient will be selected by judge Alice Gu. An award-winning director and cinematographer, Gu wowed audiences this past year with her documentary feature The Donut King.
At last year’s festival, Jessica Sanders was a finalist in the inaugural Ford Pitch Fest and was crowned the winner of the first annual Producers Grant, earning the $25,000 prize for her project Picking Cotton, based on the New York Times bestseller. A director and producer of narrative and documentary films and commercials, Sanders made her breakthrough with the documentary After Innocence, a game-changer in criminal justice reform, which won the Special Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Among other achievements, Sanders received an Academy Award nomination for her short subject documentary Sing!
The second-annual Producers Grant continues to showcase Ford’s longstanding commitment to the entertainment industry and its rising filmmakers. SVFF is the premiere destination festival that brings filmmakers, industry guests and diverse audiences together to celebrate the art of storytelling. The event has distinguished itself as a festival recognizing producers and filmmakers through the Vision award, the festival’s top honor that has been presented over the years to Geena Davis, Clint Eastwood, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meg Ryan and Oliver Stone. Last year SVFF partnered with Variety to present the Pioneer Award to Aaron Paul. The festival also hosts its iconic Coffee Talks, along with Salon Talks, Screenwriters Lab, the Film Lab, and Wild to Inspire competitions, and other mentoring opportunities for attending filmmakers.
Al Uzielli, Head of Ford Global Branded Entertainment, said, "We are excited to continue our support of the Sun Valley Film Festival for the fourth year, and the second outing for the Ford Producers Grant. Offering a new generation of talented producers a springboard to success, we recognize that the pandemic has not dimmed the creativity and drive of these hard-working entertainment professionals. Good luck to all of this year’s applicants!”
SVFF Executive Director Teddy Grennan said, “The Sun Valley Film Festival is grateful for the continued support of Ford, both as our title sponsor and to provide this generous $25,000 grant to a worthy producer. At our first Ford Pitch Fest last year we saw some spirited producers work to bring their projects to life, and we are excited to provide a platform where the best among them can get through the production pipeline and, we hope, subsequently screen at the festival.”
About the Sun Valley Film Festival
This year’s Sun Valley Film Festival will take place virtually as SVFF Streaming from April 14-18, 2021. Since 2012 SVFF has proven to be a concierge of opportunity connecting filmmakers with support both financially and through mentorship. Every spring the Festival celebrates with a slate of cutting-edge films and TV premieres, industry panels, engaging Coffee Talks with entertainment luminaries, a Screenwriters Lab led by award-winning writers, and a series of parties culminating with the spectacular SVFF Awards Bash. The Sun Valley Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate and promote the art of filmmaking, and to use the power of storytelling to foster meaningful connections. To learn more, please visit sunvalleyfilmfestival.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford trucks, utility vehicles, and cars – increasingly including electrified versions – and Lincoln luxury vehicles; provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company; and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected vehicle services. Ford employs approximately 186,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.