Eighteen Films Still in Running for Grant That Includes Cash and Production Services
From the Heart Productions, the 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to helping independent filmmakers get their films funded and grant sponsor, has named the eighteen films as finalists for its Roy W. Dean Film Grant for Summer. Awarded to a film that is unique and that make a contribution to society, the winner will receive $3,500 cash and thousands more in donated production goods and services.
“Janis Ian: The Art of Song”
“We are truly honored to have glimpses of this wonderful projects before they are finished.” said Carole Dean, President of From the Heart Productions. “It will be an honor as well to award our grant to one and know that we helped it move to completion.”
The cash prized awarded by From the Heart Productions is accompanied donations from film industry professionals and companies. These include $1295.00 Scholarship to Writers Boot Camp, 30% Discount by Jerry Deaton for Music Post Production Services at AudioKut, $750 in Grant Writing Services from Karen Everett of New Doc Editing, and more from many heartfelt donors.
The grant is open to documentaries, narrative features, short films, and web series. Grant is open to filmmakers around the world. Winner is expected to be announced in November 2022.
Finalists for the Roy W. Dean Film Grant for Spring 2022 are:
| Title | Type | Filmmaker |
| Going Fine Since 1889 | Short Film | Jennifer Stoy |
| Sanctuary of Butterflies | TV, Web or New Series | Daniel Sznajderman |
| Trial by Media: The Michael Jackson Story | Documentary Feature | Daljinder Chohan |
| Blooming of Time – Dance with Gao Yanznzi | Documentary Feature | Siyuan Xu |
| When Creation Fables Meet | Fiction Short | Robert Pound |
| Better Than They Found | Documentary Feature | Tarana Harris Mayes |
| Thank You Sister, The Movie | Documentary Feature | Ingrid Nordstrom |
| Holding Back the Tide | Documentary Feature | Emily Packer |
| Outside the Lines | Fiction Short | Darren Lee Campbell |
| Desert Angel | Documentary Feature | Severine Tibi |
| WZZQ The Rock of Jackson | Documentary Feature | Ann Ford |
| Janis Ian & The Art of Song | Documentary Feature | Varda Bar-Kar |
| Lord of Nature: Born to Re-Wild | Documentary Feature | Kat Green |
| I’m Still Here | Documentary Short | Andy Volk |
| Mom & Me | Documentary Short | Indira Somani |
| Squires | Documentary Short | Alec Goldberg |
| Positive | Fiction Short | Abby Tozer |
Each finalist is given the opportunity to post information on their contending film on the From the Heart Productions website. Filmmakers can include an image from the film, filmmaker info, and loglines. If they have available, filmmakers can include a link to their film’s website, Facebook page, or relevant social media connection.
About the Roy W. Dean Grant
Since 1992, the Roy W. Dean Grant has awarded over $2,000,000 in cash and donated film services to independent films. The grant is awarded to films budgeted under $500,000 that are unique and make a contribution to society.
Having recently expanded to four grants each year, it has been an important lifeline for independent filmmakers that help to get their projects started or finished. Without assistance from the grant, many excellent and important films may never have been made.
Past winners of the grant include 2021 Emmy winners Belly of the Beast and The Love Bugs , as well as Sundance Film Festival selection Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins, and acclaimed documentary Kusama-Infinity.
About From The Heart Productions
From The Heart Productions is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to helping filmmakers get their projects funded and made. Besides providing funding through the grant, they offer film fiscal sponsorship to filmmakers. This allows donations made to films they sponsor to be tax deductible. From The Heart has helped independent filmmakers raise over $30 million through their fiscal sponsorship program. President Carole Dean is the best-selling author of The Art of Film Funding: 2nd Edition, Alternative Financing Concepts and the new online class “How to Fund Your Film”
