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Guidelines

Eligibility Requirements

We will consider U.S. documentary feature-length independently-produced film projects that:

  • Explore some aspect of Jewish experience (see “What We Fund” below).
  • Are in development, pre-production, production, or post-production.
  • Have a director and producer attached, at least one of whom is based full-time in the U.S.
  • Have footage to share from the submitted project. All projects must submit at least five minutes of material. Projects in development or production may submit up to 30 minutes of material. Projects in post-production may submit up to 2 hours of material.

Filmmakers need not be Jewish but must be 18 years or older.

Current grantees will only be permitted to reapply once in the lifetime of their project. Projects not yet supported by JSP are permitted to apply up to three times.

What We Fund

  1. Projects which provide insight into some aspect of Jewish experience—contemporary or historical—with an expansive and inclusive range of what this can mean. Filmmakers need not be Jewish. Eligible projects should fulfill one or more of the following criteria:
    • Content or story explores some aspect of Jewish identities, experiences, cultures, or encounters 
    • Jewish lead character or supporting character—explicitly established by the film, implicitly established by the film’s context, or commonly known to be Jewish
    • A Jewish perspective is expressed
    • Contributes meaningful new information or insight into a topic relevant to Jewish life
  2. Singular stories that utilize fresh, nuanced perspectives; clear narrative strategies; and bold artistic choices to create a powerful, gripping experience for audiences.
  3. Projects which are feasible with respect to budget, financing, timeline, and scope.
  4. Projects with strong creative and technical teams. We require both a director and producer to be attached at the time of application.

Key Dates

Beginning in 2024, JSP will be accepting applications through one open call per year. The annual application will open in late fall each year and close in January. Decisions will be announced by early summer. We cannot offer extensions at this time. The deadline for our 2024 open call was January 26th.