The Reason Why
The Breakthrough Grant empowers filmmakers for whom financial constraints stand between a powerful idea and its realization on screen. It exists to bridge that vital gap, offering awards between $5,000 and $10,000 each year to selected applicants. The number of grants is determined by the applicant pool and available funds. A panel of esteemed industry experts will review all submissions, seeking out the most compelling and promising projects. The grantees will be proudly announced annually, ensuring that this grant provides not just crucial financial support, but also meaningful recognition. In doing so, we honor the universal spirit of storytelling, empowering dedicated creators to bring their essential stories to life. We understand that the industry sorely lacks entry points for burgeoning artists, and we hope this grant helps provide them.
2025 RECIPIENT
Jake Hotaling
Jake is a New York-based filmmaker and the recipient of last year's Breakthrough Grant, which helped bring his short film "Still His" to life. The film explores the tension between LGBTQ+ identity and faith, inspired by Jacob's own journey growing up and feeling unheard by the church. His previous feature-length film, Dragon Boy, won multiple festival awards, including the IndieFEST Award of Merit for Feature Film.
