Mission Statement
The Documentary Film Fund is dedicated to the development, production, and dissemination of documentary films that illuminate overlooked or misunderstood chapters of American cultural history. Through rigorously researched, artistically crafted works, the Fund supports films that contribute to the public record and foster a deeper understanding of the forces that have shaped American identity.
The Fund prioritizes projects that engage with music, art, literature, and social history, particularly those that recover marginalized voices or re-examine canonical narratives with nuance and historical integrity. Its mission is not to advocate ideology, but to preserve complexity — encouraging reflection, dialogue, and informed citizenship through film.
Beyond production, the Documentary Film Fund is committed to access and educational outreach. It underwrites the costs necessary to bring completed works to public audiences through museums, universities, libraries, festivals, and public broadcasting platforms such as PBS, ensuring that these films function as tools of public memory rather than commercial artifacts.
By supporting filmmakers whose work bridges scholarship and storytelling, the Documentary Film Fund affirms documentary cinema as a vital cultural instrument — one capable of expanding historical awareness, strengthening civic discourse, and preserving the cultural heritage of the United States for future generations.
The Fund's commitment does not end when a film is complete. Each project generates a living archive — footage, interviews, photographs, manuscripts, and research materials that belong to the historical record. The Documentary Film Fund preserves, manages, and maintains these collections so that the work continues to serve audiences, scholars, and future filmmakers long after its initial release.
Foundations & Institutions
Columbus Citizens Foundation, The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, The Jefferson Trust, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Saint Louis Art Museum, American Symphony Orchestra, The Tiro a Segno Foundation,
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, The New York Philharmonic, Chesterwood,
The Broke Family Fund, James Monroe’s Highland, Melodious Accord,
Fashion Institute of Technology, National Endowment for the Arts, Calandra Italian American Institute, Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales, James Monroe’s Highland,
Melodious Accord, Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center, The Victorian Society of New York,
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Early Music Access Project,
Fondo Nacional de las Artes, James Madison’s Montpelier, The British Academy,
Centro Cultural Recoleta, Ron Brown Scholar Program,
Embassy of Brazil in Washington D.C., Ministry of Culture of Brazil.
Individual Supporters
Rufus COLLINS Sheila PAREKH and Christopher BLUM Joy BROWN Carrie CHEN and Stanley COHEN Joe and Rosemary ERDMAN Jeffrey PLANK David MATTHEWS & Ashley HARPER Virginia EDMUNDS Shin WATARI Vicky and Piet DEKLERK Elizabeth GILMORE
Cynthia REUSCHE Alice PARKER, Williams COSBY Elsie THOMPSON Bettye KEARSE
Michael CAPLIN Nancy and Henry SCHACT Marc CHAIKIN and Sandy BETNER
Stacey KENT and Jim TOMLINSON Jay Y. GILLENWATER Beth-Neville EVANS Dale McDONALD Julie CONNELLY Sharyn Marr ALEXANDER Bill and Stephanie ARNOLD Ira and Judy BARKOFF Helene and Stuart BIGLEY Susan BROWN Arthur and Diana CAMBOURIS John and Carolyn CASEY David COLBERT Ken and Charmian COOPER Karen COOPER Sarah GEWANTER and Denny COOPER Beth DILL Christina DIMARCO and John FUCHS Joseph DWYER and Cynthia STEELE Laurel FAIS Field Stone Farm Emi FLYNN Linda and Robert FORRESTER
Mary GARRISON Elspeth GILMORE Helge GODOY Betsy GOLDIN Julia GORDON Norma GRIER Janet GRIFFIN Jim GRIFFIN Tracy GRIFFIN Rajiv GULATI Debbie HERSCHEL Robert HERZOG Jim and Alice HICKS Hiroshi HIRATA Charlotte HONDA Christina Anderson HUGHES Claire IRVING Judy JUBB Louise KERNER Audrey KING Tania KRAVATH Deb LEECE and Tom FIORILLA Christina LEMMON David LONG Tamsin and Andy LOOKER Leslie MANES Melissa MARKS Nobuo MATSUMURA Guri MCKINNELL Carrie MOLAY Margaret MOORHEAD
Ruth MULCAHY Roger and Patricia NIELSON Naoko OJIO Sanah PETERSEN Todd PIKER Tom PHILIPS Todd PORTERFIELD Deb ROMANO Gail SAMOTA Katherine SCHULTHEIS and David HANSER Lori SCHWAB Colette SHULMAN Jeff SHAPIRO Dick and Noreen VAN HORN Michael WARD Trevor YOUNGBERG Ann ZINSSER Robin ZITTER Tony ZUNINO
Bill MORETZ and AnaMarie LIDDELL Adam FAST
In Colaboration
Adrian BENEPE · John BELARDO · Michele BOGART · Julian BOND · Leon BOTSTEIN ·
Haroldo COSTA · Michele COHEN · David DEARINGER · Rita DOVE · Eduardo GALEANO · Rhiannon GIDDENS · Beverly GREY · Harold HOLZER · Joseph HOROWITZ · Eve KAHN · Terry JENOURE · Mary Catton LINGOLD · Kip LORNELL · Franco LUCENTINI · Gianni MINÀ · Alice PARKER · Dan PRESTON · Henrique PRINCE · Daniel PRESTON · David ROBERTS ·
Justin ROBINSON · Michael RICHMAN · Joel ROSENKRANZ · Howard L. SACKS ·
Jody Rose SACKS · Joseph SCIORRA · Luis SEPÚLVEDA · Jeff SHAPIRO · Ana María SHUA ·
Judith SHEA · William SHERMAN · Silvano SOLDANO · John Jeremiah SULLIVAN ·
Thayer TOLLES · Caetano VELOSO · Earl WHITE · Richard Guy WILSON · Marshall WYATT
Outreach Program
The Documentary Film Fund offers a program of film screenings and presentations designed for educational, cultural, and community settings. These programs bring documentary films into universities, museums, libraries, and cultural organizations, pairing each screening with historical context and, when appropriate, filmmaker introductions or moderated discussions.
Outreach presentations are tailored to the needs of host institutions and audiences. Screenings may support academic courses, public humanities initiatives, or community programming, and are intended to foster thoughtful engagement with American history, culture, and identity.
Through this program, the Documentary Film Fund ensures that the films it supports remain accessible beyond traditional distribution channels and continue to function as tools for learning, dialogue, and public memory.
Institutions interested in hosting a screening or presentation are invited to contact the Fund to discuss program options and availability.
Trustees
SOLEDAD LIENDO, Funder
ROSA BERLAND, Co-Trustee