LEF/CIFF FELLOWSHIP
A community of support for New England-based filmmakers.
The LEF/CIFF Fellowship is an opportunity for 5 New England-based filmmaking teams to attend the 2026 Camden International Film Festival and connect with other filmmakers and industry leaders through a series of mentor-led project development workshops, networking events, and curated 1:1 meetings.
CIFF has become an important stop on the documentary festival circuit for both filmmakers and industry delegates, who attend to build new relationships with filmmakers participating in Points North Institute’s Artist Programs. In recent years, LEF/CIFF Fellows have had opportunities to build relationships with dozens of major funders (Sundance Institute, Ford Foundation, Doc Society, Chicken & Egg, Catapult); streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+); broadcasters (POV, CNN, NBC, HBO, ESPN); theatrical distributors (NEON, A24); and more.
Developed in partnership with LEF New England, this program supports career sustainability for regional filmmakers by providing a unique point of access to potential industry supporters, peer mentorship opportunities with fellow filmmakers, and connections to the broader documentary community.
About LEF
The goal of LEF New England is to fund the work of independent documentary film and video artists in the region and broaden recognition and support for their work, both locally and nationally. It also supports programs that highlight the rich history and ongoing legacy of innovation within New England’s independent film community.
Presenting Partner
FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE
“The LEF/CIFF Fellowship was a generative experience to not only sharpen the pencil on what we were trying to say in our own project, but for community building with other non-fiction filmmakers.” – Myles David Jewell, LEF/CIFF Fellow 2025
“The LEF/CIFF fellowship brought together a truly inspiring cohort of New England filmmakers. Our project gained so much from peers’ feedback, [filmmaking advisor] Todd Chandler’s outstanding mentorship, and the industry 1-on-1s.” – Eli Kao, LEF CIFF Fellow 2025
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
ELIGIBILITY
- The Fellowship is open to projects with directors who have established their primary residence in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
- Open to feature length documentary projects in production or post-production
- Prior LEF/CIFF Fellows are not eligible to participate in the program again with the same project. However, prior LEF/CIFF Fellows may apply with a new project.
CRITERIA
Applicants will be evaluated based on LEF New England’s guidelines, which include these factors:
- Quality of cinematic form and technique
- Originality of filmmaker’s voice, vision, and point of view
- Resonance and power of the film’s core idea or story
- Feasibility of production
Applications open now! Submissions will be accepted until March 27 at 11:59pm ET
FELLOWS WILL RECEIVE:
- a $1,000 stipend per project to support travel to Camden
- (2) Points North passes to the Camden International Film Festival, providing full access to all screenings, forums, events, and our exclusive Lounge
- (6) nights of accommodations (one double-occupancy room) during the festival
2025 FELLOWS