Catalyst International Film Festival Announces Short Documentary Award

Catalyst International Film Festival is delighted to announce the Short Documentary Award, 2024.

The award is open to emerging filmmakers. The successful applicant will be awarded €10,000 to support the making of a short documentary.

"Catalyst is dedicated to supporting diverse filmmakers and getting their stories told - actions speak louder than words and this €10,000 Bursary will ensure the production of new work representing the under-represented in Ireland today," said Aoife O'Toole, Festival Manager

Catalyst International Film Festival is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the film industry, and this award is a key part of that mission. The festival is keen to engage with emerging filmmakers, ‘new’ rather than inevitably ‘young’, in order to broaden the horizons of potential future filmmakers and audience members.

The Short Documentary Bursary Award 2024 welcomes the proposal of short documentary films between 10 and 15 minutes in length. Catalyst welcomes both English and Irish language applications. The award is open to filmmakers from both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Crews must submit their first cut by 15th November 2024. It is a condition of the bursary that the completed film must be premiered at Catalyst International Film Festival 2025. The successful film will be premiered on a date between February and March 2025.

Filmmaking teams should incorporate people from diverse backgrounds and aim for a gender balance in the following three areas: on-screen representation, story content and diversity behind the camera. Thematically, we at Catalyst expect the film to creatively explore some aspect/aspects of equality, diversity and inclusion in Ireland.

At least one paid internship must be available for a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in the screen industries. This bursary is not open to applicants who are full time or part-time students.

Filmmakers must submit their application via the online form. Shortlisted applicants will be asked for additional information, the details of which will be outlined in an email from Catalyst and must be provided to Catalyst within a ten-day period.
Shortlisted applicants will be called for interview. Interviews will take place during Catalyst International Film Festival. The proposed date for interview is Saturday 20th April 2024 during the Catalyst International Film Festival in Limerick city.

Submission Deadline: 12 March 2024, Festival Dates: 18-20 April 2024.

www.catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com