Check out a preview of the application below. There will be a 250 word count limit to each answer.
1. Please share your organization’s mission statement and priorities. What are you working toward in your community with regards to environmental justice? The Rural Cinema program works best for organizations who work with the public to accomplish their goals. Film screenings bring in more people that can take action to support your organizing. Please tell us how you currently work to make change with others in your community. What are your overall strategies and approaches?
2. We are aiming to host each series in a rural area or small town that is directly affected by polluting industries or climate driven natural disasters, and/or areas abandoned by extractive energy industries or transitioning to other more sustainable approaches. How does your community fit this description?
3. Who makes up the base or constituency of your organization and/or organizing? Who are the audiences you are trying to reach with this series? How will film events better help you reach these specific audiences and engage community members in your work?
4. Selected applicants will host a series of 4-6 film screening events in their community.
Why do you want to host a film series in your community in 2025? What part(s) of your ongoing work could be advanced by a film series and what do you hope to accomplish with the series? Please note that if selected, we will use this as a jumping off point. We don’t expect you to have everything figured out at this moment, and we know goals and visions can change!
5. Have you hosted film screenings in your community before? If so, what is your organization’s current approach to showing documentary films in your advocacy and work in the community? What has that looked like and how has it been connected to your broader work? If you do not have any previous experience with film, please share that as well. We welcome applications and participation by people for whom this is a new skill and approach as well as from those with previous experience.
6. What would you like to learn about showing existing documentaries and other films to advance your work/organizing? (Note: we’re talking about using films that are already made, NOT making new films). Are there any specifics you’d like to learn to ensure your film screenings move your community to action and ultimately advance your organizing?
7. Do you have ideas of specific films you would like to screen in 2025? Or ideas for types of stories you’d like to see on screen? Please note that Working Films does not have a preselected film library – you are free to choose any films that are available for community screenings. Also, if you or your organization made a film, and you’d like to screen it, that’s great! But, try to think beyond that as well. What other kinds of films do you want to bring to your community and why?
8. Rural Cinema is committed to supporting organizations and individuals that reflect and/or are accountable to the communities they organize and work with. Tell us a little about how you and your colleagues’ lived experience impacts the community-based work you do.
9. Are you, and another local collaborator, able to commit to the time required for this program? This could be you and another member of your organization, or yourself and a community leader. This commitment will include both of you attending two, two-hour virtual trainings/gatherings: Thursday February 27th at 2pm ET, and Thursday April 3rd at 2pm ET, one-on-one training with Working Films’ staff in between the virtual gatherings to provide tailored support and guidance, and participating in the implementation of multiple (4-6) film events throughout 2025. The person applying MUST be one of the two collaborators, please also include the name of your second collaborator with your answer.