The Lynn Shelton “Of A Certain Age” Grant is a project-based award that provides $25,000 to an individual woman, non-binary, and/or transgender U.S. filmmaker, age 39 or older, who is working on their first narrative feature (65 minutes or over) as a director.
In 2020, The Lynn Shelton “Of A Certain Age” Grant was established by Northwest Film Forum alongside Duplass Brothers Productions to honor Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton, who passed away tragically on May 16th, 2020. Lynn Shelton often spoke of feeling inspired after seeing filmmaker Claire Denis speak at Northwest Film Forum and learning that Denis did not make her first feature until age 40. Shelton went on to make her own first feature film (We Go Way Back) at the age of 39. In the years since, she built a prolific canon of feature and television work and made an indelible mark on the landscape of American cinema.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Eligible filmmakers must have “director” credit on at least one short film or feature documentary and have a desire to work in the narrative space. Filmmakers with “director” credit on a feature-length (70+ min) narrative film will not be considered.
- Filmmaker should be a woman, non-binary, and/or transgender individual, and be 39 years or older at the time of their application.
- Filmmaker must be either a U.S. citizen OR based in the U.S.
- Filmmaker should be at a point in their career where such recognition would be meaningful and provide needed support.
APPLICATION TIMELINE (2021)
- Tuesday, August 10 – Application opens
- Friday, August 20 – Info Session, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST
- Tuesday, September 7 – Application closes at 9 p.m. PST
- Wednesday, October 6 – All applicants notified
- Wednesday, October 20 – Finalist extended materials due
- Tuesday, November 16 – Recipient Announcement