Past Film/Video

Ohio Humanities 2024 Film Fellowship Call for Entries

A man is looking through the viewfinder of a video camera at a subject standing in front of a white backdrop.

Ohio Humanities and the Wexner Center continue their support of nonfiction storytelling around and about Ohio with a call for entries for the 2024 Ohio Humanities Film Fellowship.

Now in its second year, the fellowship program assists independent filmmakers working on humanities-focused documentaries by providing funding as well as support and mentorship from the Wexner Center’s Film/Video department. The fellowship will support up to five fellows at the Wex each year.

A submissions portal and more information about entry guidelines is available here

Entries for 2024 fellowships are due no later than Monday, December 4.

The filmmaker selected for 2024 will follow in the footsteps of the inaugural group of Ohio Humanities Film Fellows: Mary Jo Bole, who has just completed her first documentary, Family White Elephants; Zeinabu irene Davis, who is in preproduction on Stars of the Northern Sky; and Ruun Nuur, who is in the process of initiating the restoration of a historically important film from her homeland of Somalia.

IMAGE CAPTION
Courtesy of Ohio Humanities.

FAQs

What stage of the filmmaking process does this grant support? The Ohio Film Fellowship funds projects at any stage in their development, from research to production to post-production and audience engagement.

Do I have to be an Ohio resident to apply? No, residency is not a requirement! A Film Fellow must have a connection to Ohio or their film must cover a topic that is relevant to Ohioans. 

I’m worried that I can’t fully answer every question in the application. What should I do? Please feel free to email us at ohfilmfellows@wexarts.org. No question is too big or small!

What does “humanities-informed documentary” mean? Ohio Humanities Council provides a good explanation here on their website. 

Will you consider experimental non-fiction films? Yes, as long as the project is grounded in research, focused on the humanities, and employs a balanced viewpoint.

The application says that it’s taken in part from The Documentary Core Application. What is that? The Documentary Core Application is a collaborative effort by grantors who regularly fund documentary projects to standardize application requirements, with the aim of fostering greater access and a more equitable and sustainable documentary field. 

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
National Endowment for the Arts
Ohio Humanities

FiLM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Ohio Department of Development
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Wexner Family
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Ohio Arts Council
CampusParc
Ohio State’s Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme
The Columbus Foundation
Nationwide Foundation
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Mike and Paige Crane
Axium Packaging
Nancy Kramer
Ohio State Energy Partners
Ohio History Fund/Ohio History Connection
Larry and Donna James
Bruce and Joy Soll
Jones Day
Alex and Renée Shumate

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Past Film/Video

Ohio Humanities 2024 Film Fellowship Call for Entries