San Francisco Film Society
/OVERVIEW: The San Francisco Film Society provides funding and professional support to filmmakers in the Bay Area and beyond.
IP TAKE: The San Francisco Film Society bills itself as “the home of independent filmmaking in the Bay Area.” Its grant, fellowship and residency opportunities usually specify the type, length and stage of development for the films it supports, and opportunities change periodically. Grants are mainly geared toward early- and mid-career creators, and while some programs are geared toward Bay Area artists, others are open to filmmakers working in other parts of the U.S. or internationally. The best way to keep up with SFFILM is to sign up for email updates at the bottom of the website. Overall, this is an accessible and approachable funder that welcomes questions about its programs and the submission process.
PROFILE: The San Francisco Film Society is best known as the organization behind the annual San Francisco International Film Festival, which was founded in 1957. The society’s mission is to ensure that “independent voices in film are welcomed, heard, and given the resources to thrive.” The society supports filmmakers through its Artist Development initiative, which includes funding programs, a FilmHouse Residency and ongoing opportunities to participate in workshops, panels, screenings and more.
Grants for Film
The San Francisco Film Society organizes most of its grantmaking and fellowship programs under its Fund Your Film program, which at any given time “offers a wide range of funding and artist development services for narrative and documentary filmmakers all over the world.”
The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund provides post-production support for feature-length documentaries that “exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters, and an innovative visual approach." This program accepts applications from productions anywhere in the world that are “consistent with SFFILM’s mission and represent an imaginative contribution to the moving image art form.” Detailed submission guidelines are provided on the program page. The application window typically opens in early February, with a final due date at the end of May. Announcements are made in November, and the program usually awards between three and five grants ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.
According to the society’s website, this fund “has an excellent track record for advancing compelling films that go on to critical acclaim.” Past recipients include Sarvnik Kaur’s film Against the Tide and Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborne’s Going Varsity in Mariachi, both of which went on to win awards at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023.
The SFFILM Rainin Filmmaking Grants support “films that address social justice issues.” The program targets films that “have strong and recognizable social value, contributing, for example, to a greater public appreciation of a disenfranchised group, identifying an area where social change is needed or bringing to light a difficult or inspirational story, condition or issue.” Feature-length films with budgets of under $300,000 are eligible to apply for grants of up to $25,000, and complete guidelines are provided on the program page. The society awards between 15 and 20 Rainin grants each year to support screenwriting, development or post-production. Applications are typically accepted from early February through early May, and awards are announced in August.
Past grantees include films that have premiered at prestigious film festivals including Cannes, Tribeca, Sundance and others. Recipients include Sean Wang’s Dìdi, Savanah Leaf’s Earth Mama and Fernando Frias’s I’m No Longer Here, among many others.
The Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, supports two projects annually “that explore scientific or technological themes or characters.” Filmmakers whose projects are at the “screenwriting phase of development” are “connected to a science advisor with expertise in the subjects at the center of their screenplays, as well as leaders in the Bay Area’s science and technology communities.” Fellows also receive grants of $35,000 and a residency at the society’s FilmHouse, which offers “comprehensive and dynamic artist development programs.” This program accepts applications for feature-length productions with “realistic scientific or technological content at the center of the screenplay.” Applications are accepted from early February until a deadline in early May, with recipients announced in August.
Also funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund will reopen in 2025 to provide grants of $10,000 filmmakers who are “in the early stages of writing screenplays inspired by discoveries from the Stories of Science Sourcebook.” The society plans to award between two and four grants each year to support the development of feature-length films. Guidelines are provided on the program page, but due dates have yet to be announced for this program.
SFFILM Invest is not a grantmaking program per se but “unites individuals from Bay Area philanthropic and film funder communities with the most exciting voices in independent film.” This program is “dedicated to the long-term sustainability of independent film and serves as a resource throughout the filmmaking journey for content creators.” Participation is by invitation only.
The SFFILM Dolby Institute Fellowship, conducted in collaboration with the Dolby Institute, is a one-month residency program that supports filmmakers as they “thoughtfully elevate and deepen the role of sound and image in their finished films with advanced technology from Dolby Laboratories.” The fellowship consists of a cash grant, post-production support, guidance and networking opportunities. Application is by invitation only.
The SFFILM Djerassi Fellowship offers a one-month residency at the ranch of SFFILM board member Dale Djerassi, located at “a spectacular setting in the Santa Cruz Mountains, 40 miles south of San Francisco.” The fellowship includes “living and studio accommodations and meals.” Application is by invitation only.
The SFFILM Rainin Filmmaker with Disabilities Grant program was launched in 2020 to support “filmmakers whose films specifically address stories from the disability community.” Short or feature-length narrative or documentary films are eligible for this award, which consists of a cash grant of up to $7,5000 and a one-year membership to FilmHouse. Application is by invitation only.
In addition to the above specific opportunities, SFFILM accepts applications from Bay Area filmmakers for the FilmHouse Residency program. The residency provides “artistic guidance, office space, a vibrant creative community, and support from established film industry professionals.” The application window for this program typically opens in the summer for the following year’s residencies. Check the program page for updated guidelines and due dates.
Important Grant Details
SFFS grants are awarded in amounts specified by each program.
Grants, fellowships and residencies generally support individual filmmakers and/or screenwriters at specific phases of film production and offer specific types of support.
While some programs are limited to filmmakers based in the Bay Area, others open their doors to filmmakers from anywhere in the world.
Some of SFFILMS programs accept applications via the society’s grant application portal. Eligibility, guidelines and due dates vary by program.
Examples of past grantees are offered on most of the society’s program pages.
Opportunities change periodically. Keep up with information about new programs and changes to existing opportunities by signing up for the organization’s mailing list at the base of the site.
Submit questions about grantmaking programs to SFFILM via email at grants@SFFilm.org. For general inquiries, email the society at info@SFFilm.org or call 415-561-5000.
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