2025 Bitchitra Collective Documentary Film and Media Fellowship and Sriyanka Ray Grant

INFORMATION SESSION

HOW TO APPLY

We invite diversity in stories and applicants for this grant. Please feel free to type out your answers in the language of your choice. You may then use Google Translate (or any other service) to translate your answers into English before submitting. Applicants will not be judged on the basis of language proficiency.

  1. One needs to be a member of the Bitchitra Collective to apply for the grants. To become a member, please fill out this form.
  2. Proposal submission form.

DEADLINE

  1. Submission opens: November 1, 2024
  2. Deadline: December 30, 2024

For any inquiry, please write to us at: info@bitchitracollective.org

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

Bitchitra Collective, a group of women/ non-binary filmmakers is proud to announce its 3rd edition of the Bitchitra Collective Documentary Film and Media Fellowship. We invite emerging, mid-career and established, women/ non-binary filmmakers to submit proposals for feature length docs (over 45 mins) and short docs (under 45 mins). Please read about previous year’s grantees here. The fellowship offers the following:

  • Grant of $2000 to a feature(over 45 mins) and short docs (under 45 mins).
  • A Mentor with industry experience relevant to your project, who will work with you for a set number of sessions spread out through the course of a year.
  • Connect to industry experts through professional development workshops and collaboration opportunities.

ABOUT THE SRIYANKA RAY GRANT

This year we’re honored to announce the 2nd edition of the Sriyanka Ray Grant in partnership with Brown Girls Doc Mafia (BGDM). The Sriyanka Ray Grant is in memory of documentary filmmaker Sriyanka Ray who passed away in 2023. A founding member of Bitchitra Collective, a member of BGDM, senior producer at BRIC TV and a beloved community-based artist of many diverse groups in New York and Kolkata, Sriyanka’s loss is grieved by many. In 2024, Sriyanka was posthumously awarded an Emmy for Education/Schools long or short form content, for one of her last projects – Homeroom Dreams. She was passionate about telling social justice stories of her local community, whether in her adopted land or homeland, alongside her commitment to support artists on the margins. In her own words, “She is interested in stories of justice, resistance and joy. Combining the ethics of journalism with visual storytelling, she tries to amplify the voices of characters who are often stereotyped, misrepresented and ‘othered’ by society. Her work is rooted in seeking solutions to social and civic issues that face our communities today.

The Sriyanka Ray grant will be given to a filmmaker within Bitchitra Collective whose work and values invoke the same qualities that Sriyanka embodied. We’re honored to collaborate with BGDM to bring the grant to a sizable $4,000 offered to one grantee in 2025. The grant offers the following:

  • Grant of $4000 to a feature(over 45 mins) or short docs (under 45 mins).
  • Connect to industry experts through professional development workshops and collaboration opportunities.

OUR MISSION

These programs are a unique opportunity for filmmakers to bring the untold stories from their region to the forefront. With this Fellowship and grant we aim to, through time, amplify voices of those identifying as women or non-binary filmmakers and support them in their filmmaking journey. We welcome and encourage members of our collective to apply. 

BECOME A MEMBER

ELIGIBILITY

  • Our jurors will decide which films will receive the Fellowship support and which receives the Sriyanka Ray Grant.
  • The applicant must be a member of Bitchitra Collective.
  • You need to be the director of the project – emerging, mid-career or established directors are welcome.
  • You should be the owner of the copyright of the project, maintaining editorial control of the story.
  • Project must be a feature or short length project in any stage.
  • Access must be secured with a clear vision for the project articulated.
  • India grantees must have a bank account where funds can be wired from the US.
  • US grantees can opt to receive a check. Additionally, a US based grantee must be a resident or citizen of the US.
  • Funds can only be spent on project related expenses.

WHAT/WHO WE DO NOT FUND

  • Student projects.
  • Commercial or promotional films.
  • Applicant who is not a member of the Bitchitra Collective.
  • Institutions or organisations.
  • Applicant who is not the director of the project.

APPLY

RESOURCES

(Available exclusively for the members)

  • Proposal Writing Masterclass: For a private link to Farida Pacha’s masterclass on proposal writing, please contact us at bcollectivedoc@gmail.com.
  • Documentary Budgeting Masterclass: For access to Mamta Trivedi’s masterclass on documentary budgeting, reach out to us at bcollectivedoc@gmail.com.

FAQ

  1. Who can apply?
    Only women and non-binary filmmakers of Indian origin based in India and US are eligible to apply.
  2. Is there a submission fee?
    No, the application process is free of charge.
  3. What is the grant amount?
    Under the Documentary Film & Media Fellowship, 6 filmmakers will receive a grant of $2000 each. One filmmaker will receive $5,000 under the Sriyanka Ray Grant.
  4. Can a filmmaker submit more than one project?
    No, each filmmaker can only submit one project.
  5. What types of projects are eligible for submission?
    The fellowship accepts documentary films of all genres.
  6. Will the grantees receive any mentorship?
    Yes, selected grantees of the Bitchitra Collective Film and Media Fellowship will receive mentorship from established filmmakers and media professionals for one year. However, the Sriyanka Ray Grant does not offer mentorship.
  7. Is a visual sample mandatory?
    It’s not mandatory, but submitting a visual sample is highly recommended to help the judges better understand your project.
  8. Is there a specific stage at which the project should be?
    Projects can be at various stages of development, pre-production, production, or post-production.
  9. Are documentaries of any length eligible for the fellowship?
    Yes, both short and feature-length documentaries are eligible for the Bitchitra Collective Film and Media Fellowship. There is no restriction on the duration.
  10. What is the duration of the fellowship?
    The fellowship lasts for one year, during which grantees will receive mentorship.
  11. When will the selection results be announced?
    The results will be announced between February and March 2025.
  12. What are the grantees required to do?
    Grantees must include the Bitchitra Collective logo in the final version of their film.
  13. Does the fellowship hold the copyright to the film?
    No, the fellowship does not claim the film’s copyright.
  14. Can previous grantees apply with the same project for the 2025 fellowship?
    No, previous grantees cannot apply with the same project. However, if they have completed their previous fellowship project, they are encouraged to apply with a new one.
  15. Can previous grantees apply for the Sriyanka Ray Grant with the same project?
    No, previous grantees are not eligible to apply for the Sriyanka Ray Grant with the same project.
  16. Can filmmakers submit a project they have previously applied for, but did not receive a fellowship?
    Yes, filmmakers who did not receive the fellowship in previous years are welcome to reapply with the same project. However, they must mention what has changed or evolved in the project since their last application.
  17. Can projects receive funding from other sources in addition to this fellowship?
    Yes, projects can receive additional funding from other sources.