Nonprofit production venture Waterwell, co-founded by “Succession” player Arian Moayed, and nonprofit Nimruz has doubled the funding for their program of Unseen Iran Grants now in its second cycle.
Funding for the grant program has grown to $100,000 to supporting 10 artists representing the Iranian diaspora with TV, film, theater and creative projects in other disciplines that explore Iranian identity and cultural connectivity. The program has taken on greater urgency since its inaugural edition amid the global strife of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran as well as the fundamentalist state’s internal domestic crackdowns on rights and privileges for women and minority groups.
Per Waterwell, “the initiative continues to foster dialogue around contemporary Iran while building solidarity across the diaspora.”
Unseen Iran grantees will receive individual awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the needs of the project. Artists have six to 12 months to produce their finished products and will also receive mentorship throughout the process. Applications will accepted through Sept. 30 through the Nimruz website. The 10 projects selected will be unveiled in December.
“This past year has been one of profound upheaval for our community, from the crackdowns that followed last January’s protests to the toll of the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran,” said Moayed. “In moments like this, Iranian resilience starts to shine and the stories told by Iranians matter more than ever.”
Waterwell’s inaugural cycle last year received nearly 500 submissions. The final selections included writer-director Pegah Ahangarani, whose documentary “Rehearsals for a Revolution” went on to win the top doc prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and it was picked up for distribution by prestige specialty label Sony Pictures Classics. Nimruz became an investor in the project.
“In year one, we saw firsthand how much extraordinary work is out there, far more than $50,000 or even $100,000 could reach,” said Sepanta Mohseni, executive director of Nimruz. “The talent and the need are both undeniable. Doubling the fund is us responding to that. We have a long way to go, but this is a real step toward the kind of infrastructure our community’s artists deserve.”
Nimruz describes itself as an arts-focused nonprofit devoted to “championing a flourishing Iranian spirit through arts and education programming, building a global Iranian community rooted in solidarity and shared cultural heritage.” It has backed a number of documentary and narrative projects featured at Sundance, SXSW, Toronto and DOC NYC.
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(Pictured: “Rehearsals For a Revolution”)