2026 Apprentice Class — Now Accepting Donations

Every great
story deserves
to be told.

Artists Fund finances films from underrepresented filmmakers with distinct voices and urgent stories. We believe the next wave of American cinema is out there — waiting for its chance.

12
Filmmakers
in 2026 Class
$2.4M
Raised for
Independent Film
34
Projects
Funded to Date
01/12
Frank Sun — Drama
02/12
Bita Ghassemi — Drama
03/12
Hannah Gordon — Drama
04/12
Annelise Baker — Drama
05/12
Filmmaker Five
06/12
Filmmaker Six
Financing Underrepresented Voices
2026 Apprentice Class Open
Donate to a Filmmaker
Stories That Matter
Independent Film Fund
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Financing Underrepresented Voices
2026 Apprentice Class Open
Donate to a Filmmaker
Stories That Matter
Independent Film Fund
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Our Mission

Film is the most
powerful mirror
we have.

Artists Fund was founded on a simple belief: the stories most worth telling are often the ones least resourced. We exist to close that gap — connecting filmmakers from underrepresented communities with the funding, mentorship, and visibility they need to get their work made.

Through our Apprentice Class program, we select a cohort of emerging filmmakers each year — each with a script in active development. Donors can support the fund broadly or choose to champion a specific filmmaker and project they believe in.

"When the full range of human experience reaches the screen, everyone benefits — not just the communities finally seeing themselves reflected."
12
Filmmakers per Cohort
Each with a script in active development, selected through a rigorous application process.
3
Years of Classes
34 films funded and in various stages of production, post, and distribution.
$2.4M
Raised to Date
100% of donations go directly to filmmakers and production costs.
8
Festival Selections
Alumni films screened at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and beyond.
The Program

2026 Apprentice
Class

2026
View All 12 Filmmakers
Frank Sun
Drama · 2026 Cohort
Frank Sun
"We Are Kings"
$57K RaisedGoal: $100K
Drama · Feature Film
From the cinematographer behind Gaga: Five Foot Two — a visually powerful story of community, identity, and what it means to claim your place in the world.
Support This Film →
Bita Ghassemi
Drama · 2026 Cohort
Bita Ghassemi
"Firewall"
$52K RaisedGoal: $100K
Drama · Short Film
An Iranian-Texan girl cannot reach her father in Tehran due to a government firewall. Award-winning film by Bita Ghassemi, recipient of Richard Linklater's Austin Film Society grant. Selected at SXSW and the Berlinale.
Support This Film →
Hannah Gordon
Drama · 2026 Cohort
Hannah Gordon
"Nuclear Family"
$39K RaisedGoal: $100K
Drama · Feature Film
A New York-based director with a Master's in Film Directing from MetFilm School and credits at BBC, Disney+, and Amazon Studios — Hannah brings a deeply personal lens to a story of a family fracturing across generations.
Support This Film →
Annelise Baker
Drama · 2026 Cohort
Annelise Baker
"Crossers Confidential"
$44K RaisedGoal: $100K
Drama · Feature Film
A bold new voice in independent film — fearless and intimate, this story explores what we risk and what we hide when we cross the lines that define us.
Support This Film →
See All 12 Filmmakers & Projects →
How It Works

Your donation
goes directly
to the work.

Artists Fund operates with radical transparency. Every dollar you give goes to a filmmaker's budget — not overhead. You choose how you want to give.

General Fund
Support the Artists Fund mission as a whole. Donations are distributed across the cohort based on need, at the discretion of our advisory board.
Choose a Filmmaker
Browse our 2026 Apprentice Class and give directly to a filmmaker whose story resonates. 100% goes to their production budget.
Choose a Project
Read scripts, watch filmmaker pitches, and fund the specific film you want to see made. Donors receive production updates and final credits.
01
Application & Selection
Filmmakers submit projects each spring. Our advisory panel selects 12 for the Apprentice Class based on artistic merit, story urgency, and community impact.
02
Public Profiles Launch
Each filmmaker receives a public profile: bio, script excerpt, pitch video, and funding goal. Donors explore and choose where their support lands.
03
Funding & Production
Once a filmmaker reaches their goal, funds are released directly. Artists Fund advisors remain engaged through the shoot and post-production process.
04
Completion & Screening
Finished films are submitted to festivals and made available on partner platforms. Donors receive invitations to exclusive screenings and credits in the final film.
"

The industry doesn't have a talent problem. It has an access problem. Artists Fund is one of the most direct ways to fix it.

— Advisory Board Member, Former Sundance Programmer
Supported by leading foundations, studios & individual donors
Sundance Institute
Ford Foundation
Tribeca Fund
NEA
IDA
Film Independent
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