Inevitable Foundation, a nonprofit focused on investing in disabled writers and filmmakers, is launching a new fellowship program for disabled filmmakers with support from Netflix.
The Visionary Fellowship is a year-long investment in disabled filmmakers through funding, mentorship and community with a focus on making a short film and packaging it into their debut feature.
The Fellowship will be offered to five individuals and includes $55,000 per Fellow across a production grant to produce their short with a crew, an unrestricted grant to support the Fellow over the course of the program, marketing and travel and access needs. It also includes mentorships, workshops and an industry-focused short film showcase.
Health insurance will also be offered to the Fellows as part of the package. Up to $7k of the grant can be used to cover existing insurance or to cover the cost of Inevitable Foundation providing that insurance to them.
Netflix is funding the Fellowship through their Fund for Creative Equity initiative, and their commitment is the Inevitable Foundation’s largest to date. The effort launched in 2021 and has worked with over 80 organizations.
“We are thrilled to launch the Visionary Fellowship for disabled filmmakers,” said Inevitable Foundation co-founders Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska. “This investment in disabled writer-directors represents a powerful expansion in our pipeline of support for disabled creatives, and speaks to the core of our mission: helping disabled creatives reach positions of industry power. Netflix’s commitment across our programming — the largest from any studio to date — is a resounding endorsement of our barrier-breaking approach to fostering the next generation of disabled creators.”
Applications for the program are open now through July 31 right here.