Pacific Islanders in Communications opens public funding call for filmmakers

Following a successful run as the lead for the Hōʻikeʻike Performing Arts – Film and New Media Program in the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC), Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) has announced the opening of its two primary funding opportunities that support filmmakers.

“FestPAC certainly lit a fire of passion in all of us at PIC,” said Cheryl Hirasa, executive director of PIC. “In this next chapter, we are opening access to funding and professional development so that by the next gathering of Pacific leaders, we have laid more groundwork in preparation for the next generation of Pasifika storytellers.” 

PIC’s primary funding opportunities, the Media Fund and the Shorts Fund, are now open for applications through Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Projects applying to these funds must be intended for national public media distribution and represent a Pacific Islander perspective. These calls for applications open twice a year – once in the spring, and once in the fall – giving filmmakers more opportunities to raise funds to complete their films. 

The Media Fund is PIC’s longest-standing funding initiative, which provides up to $65,000 in funds for single non-fiction projects of half an hour or an hour in length about the Indigenous Pacific Islander experience for two critical phases of production: Production and Post-production. 

The Shorts Fund provides funding of up to $25,000 for the completion of fiction and nonfiction short films up to 20 minutes in length. They can be standalone films, webisodes, or a proof of concept for a feature length film. 

Funded films and filmmakers are supported by a dedicated and passionate PIC team who provide production support in the form of editorial feedback, advice on producing and guidance with navigating the public media system, as well as guaranteed distribution on a public media platform. 

More information on PIC can be found at https://www.piccom.org/ and to apply for this round of media funding, full applications details can be found at https://www.piccom.org/pages/media-fund.