SHe’s Speaking
Film Grant
A $10,000 grant for a woman of color
to tell a story about the outdoors
The She’s Speaking Film Grant application period is closed and we have a recipient! We are delighted to announce that the winner is Paula Champagne ( @makerchamp ) and her film “The Whites: Mardi’s Story.”
Champagne is a visual storyteller specializing in video, documentary photography, illustration and graphic design. Her multimedia work communicates authentic human experiences inspired by her time in the outdoors. Her most recent projects explore and honor the connection between Blackness, nature, and rest. She is a great talent and we just can’t wait to see what she creates!
Paula's film will tell the story of Mardi Fuller, who has explored New Hampshire’s backcountry for almost two decades, summiting all 48 4000-footers in the White Mountains (unfortunately coined “The Whites” by the local community) multiple times. She is the first known Black person of any gender to summit them all in winter. On many of these excursions Mardi has been the only Black person. She’s been breaking barriers and paving the way for Black people, women especially, to develop a connection to the White Mountains. However, it has not been without personal cost. The overwhelmingly white hiking community that is so seeped in colonialism complicates her experiences.
This film will give us a peek into Mardi’s beautiful, inspirational, and sometimes heartbreaking relationship with the White Mountains, the great outdoors, and the community that surrounds them.
“The land gives me life and freedom, like it did quite literally for my Maroon ancestors. So when I set off into the backcountry, I am assured in my legacy, and in my present, and I’m ready to share my learnings and my joy.” - Mardi Fuller
Thank you to all who applied for this grant - there are so many incredible filmmakers out there with important untold stories and it was an honor to read through them all. We hope you keep pushing to get your films made because each and every one of the stories needs to be told!
Photos: (1) Paula Champagne self portrait, (2, 3, & 4) Mardi Fuller by Paula Champagne.
THE IDEA BEHIND THE GRANT
The outdoor community has a problem. The people we see in outdoor films—both those in front of and behind the camera—are overwhelmingly white and male. Women of color are underrepresented in outdoor media, and this needs to change. We are teaming up with Black Diamond Equipment, No Man’s Land Film Festival, and DEI specialist Teresa Baker, who co-founded the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge, to offer a $10,000 grant that supports a woman of color filmmaker to tell her story, or any story about an outdoor experience.
WHAT THE FILMMAKER WILL RECEIVE
The grant winner will receive $10,000, mentoring and feedback throughout the filmmaking process, and networking opportunities with outdoor brands and other creators. The final film will premiere at the 2022 No Man’s Land Film Festival. As an established production company, we are prepared to offer guidance, support, connections, and mentorship to the filmmaker if they so choose, but we will have no authority over the final product. Our goal is to provide the financial resources for a woman of color to create, then we will take a step back.
HOW TO APPLY
We are looking for 3 things: a written project proposal (max. 500 words), a short bio about you (max. 100 words), and any past experience or relevant clips (e.g., portfolio, demo reel, published photos, etc.) if you have them. The proposal must include a film synopsis and a general plan for production, post-production timeline, and budget.
Please email your application to hello@nevernotcollective.com by February 9, 2021.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
We are looking for any woman of color who has an idea for a 5-10 minute short film that centers around the outdoors. Whether it’s about your daily bike commute or your sister’s longtime bouldering project, the story can be about you, a friend, a family member, or anyone you find interesting and inspiring. First-time filmmakers and cis, trans, and queer women are encouraged to apply. The winner will be chosen by a panel of judges consisting of the Never Not Collective team, Teresa Baker, and accomplished filmmaker Tara Kerzhner. The applicant must be 18 or older, identify as a woman of color, be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and be the director of the project.
OTHER STUFF
The winner will be chosen by March 1st, 2021. The winner must complete a 5-10 minute film and a 30-second trailer by February 1, 2022. This grant is funded through sales of Pretty Strong merchandise and film downloads and by a generous donation from Black Diamond. The winnings are taxable, so we will need a completed W-9 from the winner.