Academy’s grant is San Francisco’s treat

Aug 10, 2006 by Ian Evans

The San Francisco International Film Festival has become the third major U.S. festival to receive a “secure foundation” grant from the Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The SFIFF will get $50,000 from the Academy in 2007 and $50,000 a year for the next two years, for a total of $150,000.

“With the Academy guaranteeing funds for three years, our hope is that this type of grant will help a festival build a sturdy foundation for a project,” said Festival Grants Committee Chair Gale Anne Hurd. “That kind of security will permit a festival to take some chances with programs they might otherwise not be willing to try.”

San Francisco joins the Los Angeles Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival in receiving this special funding.

“Next year we’ll take a look at how Telluride and Los Angeles have fared with this funding and see if it’s an idea we want to continue in future years,” Hurd said.

In addition to these special grants, the Academy’s annual festival grants program last year dispensed $300,000 in grants to 24 festivals, said Academy Grants Coordinator Shawn Guthrie, and later this year will allocate another $300,000. Under this annual program, the San Francisco International Film Festival received a $30,000 grant in 2000 and $25,000 grants in 2003 and 2005.

And you thought the Academy was just about the Oscars®!