The LEF Foundation, a vital funder and supporter of documentary film in New England, has a trail of interesting news this summer. First, the foundation’s screening series, the DocYard, has held four great screenings, with more are on the way.
What’s the DocYard? It’s a film and discussion series, running bi-weekly at the Brattle Theatre over the summer, celebrating documentary filmmaking and fostering community among local documentary film artists.
Upcoming screenings include Speaking in Tongues, directed by Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, a documentary that explores bilingual education and its ramifications for the nation as a whole. Speaking in Tongues screens on August 2 at 7 PM, Q&A with filmmakers to follow. Then on August 16, at 7 PM the DocYard screens Today the Hawk Takes One Chick directed by Jane Gillooly (Film & Video Fellow ’07). This film, which garnered Jane an MCC fellowship (see clip above), observes day-to-day life of Swaziland in Africa. Revealed is a rural society in which HIV has virtually ravaged a generation, leaving grandmothers (gogos) responsible for their children’s children.
Speaking of Jane, she’s one of the filmmakers awarded by LEF’s recently announced Pre-Production grants! If you’ve got a documentary film, in any stage of production, check out LEF’s Moving Image Fund, for all guidelines, deadlines, and other details of LEF’s production and pre- and post-production grants.
AND… LEF has joined the blogosphere with a forum to “share and discuss what we are learning from the documentary field broadly and what new developments are happening in New England specifically.” Definitely one to add to your blog feed and/or visit with devout frequency. Recent posts on filmmakers in the 120-degree weather of Baghdad and a funder spotlight on Cinereach have been interesting reading.
* Apologies for the title. When thinking of what to call my post about recent goings-on at the LEF Foundation, the need to be punny just took hold and would not let go. Other ideas: “Don’t get LEF out of the fun!” “LEF-ing all the way” “Visit the LEF Coast” and “It’s a Wonderful LEF.”
Leave a Reply