LA fest second to receive Academy grants

Oct 19, 2005 by Ian Evans

The Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has expanded its festival funding and the Los Angeles Film Festival is the second major U. S. festival to benefit.

The festival will receive $50,000 from the Academy in 2006 and $50,000 a year for the next two years, for a total of $150,000. Last year, the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado was the first to receive this special funding from the Academy.

“It’s a way for us to help a festival secure a sturdy foundation for a project. If a festival knows that the funding will continue to support the project over a number of years, it can afford to take a few more chances,” said Festival Grants Committee Chair Gale Anne Hurd. “We’ll add a third festival next year and then step back and take a look at the idea to see if we want to continue in future years.”