BERKELEY, Calif. - eTradeWire -- The Berkeley FILM Foundation (BFF) is proud to announce that it has awarded $287,500 in its 2024 grant cycle to 19 independent filmmakers and 5 student filmmakers who live, work or attend school in the cities of Richmond, El Cerrito, Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, or Oakland.

Since its founding in 2009 by the City of Berkeley, The Saul Zaentz Company, and Wareham Development, BFF has awarded $2.87 million to 302 film projects that continuously push boundaries and inspire change. In its effort to encourage the next generation of local filmmakers, BFF has awarded $252,000 to 71 student filmmakers.

A stand-out theme amongst our winners this year was films focused on environmental degradation and the previously unseen effects of climate change. Each of these films uniquely captures the urgency and complexity of solutions to climate change and offer fresh insights into its impact on humanity. By supporting these filmmakers, the grants aim to amplify vital environmental stories that inspire action and awareness both at a local level and on a global scale.

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This year's Saul Zaentz Award for $25,000, given each year to honor the legacy of renowned filmmaker and a BFF founder, Saul Zaentz, is thanks to our partnership with The Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation. This year's award goes to Elivia Shaw for The Invisible Valley. The Invisible Valley uses rich sensory techniques to portray the impact of living and working in the most polluted place in the country: California's San Joaquin Valley. The largest agricultural region is known as the "sacrifice zone," and through intimate character study, we learn about the acute health problems experienced by its residents, the strain it causes local medical providers and the growing resistance movement addressing toxic pollution. The film reminds us that our food system is invisible to most of us in the face of climate change. This film is in production. Read more here: https://berkeleyfilmfoundation.org/presslinks/the-berkeley-film-foundation-awards-287500-to-19-independent-filmmakers-and-5-student-filmmakers