The Alter-Ciné Foundation offers a yearly grant to young film and video makers born and living in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to direct a documentary film on the theme of rights and freedoms, including social and economic rights, women’s rights, the right to culture, and artistic creation. The Foundation will award a grant of CDN$10,000 to a video or filmmaker to assist in the production of a documentary project. The grant is aimed at young video and filmmakers who want to direct a film in the language of their choice that respects the aims of the Foundation.

The Foundation particularly supports documentary films that, as stated on their website, "dare to go against the tide, that take the side of the defenceless and question common assumptions by giving a voice to the voiceless, enriching our understanding of the world and helping us reflect on the possibility of changing the world from a perspective of peace, justice, equality and respect for differences."

The Alter-Cine Foundation was created in the memory of Canadian filmmaker, Yvan Patry who passed away on October 14 1999. Patry was a co-founder of the production company Alter Ciné and directed numerous documentaries and current affairs programmes in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Patry’s documentaries, according to the Foundation, have contributed to tearing down walls of silence, denouncing injustice and barbarism, and giving voice to victims of horror.

The deadline for application is August 15 2009.

Click here for more information.


To apply, the video/filmmaker must:

1. complete the Application Form in French, English, or Spanish;

2. include a synopsis in French, English, or Spanish (max. 5 pages) that describes the content, characters, situations, theme, as well as the treatment and style, of the project;

3. send a VHS cassette or a DVD of a completed documentary work. If possible, the cassette should be sub-titled or versioned in French, English, or Spanish. If the work does not exist in any of these three languages, please send a written transcript of the dialogue and narration in one of the three languages.

4. include a production budget for the documentary, as well as a financing plan which includes the Foundation grant and other sources of proposed or assured financing;

5. present two support letters from partners, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), groups, or associations supporting the project.

Click here to read about previous winners.

Alter-Ciné Foundation website on December 18 2008 and May 26 2009.