Ford Foundation JustFilms awards $4.8M for social justice documentary film projects

The Ford Foundation has announced a $4.8 million funding commitment through its JustFilms program to support 48 documentary film projects and field-building initiatives advancing social justice. The funding will back filmmakers and organizations worldwide while also supporting regranting programs at groups including the Sundance Institute and International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Supported projects include Crime and Punishment in America by Lynn Novick, Dance of a Lifetime by Dawn Porter, and Ghost in the Machine by Valerie Veatch. Marking JustFilms’ 15th anniversary, the awards are designed to strengthen both documentary production and the infrastructure that sustains nonfiction storytelling focused on criminal justice, immigration, climate, labor, and racial equity.