BlackStar Pitch
Funding Amount
$75,000 grand prize; $25,000 runner-up prize
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Annual
- Tracked since
- April 2026
Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.
Overview
A live pitch competition at the BlackStar Film Festival for short non-fiction projects.
Award Structure:
- Grand Prize: $75,000 in production funds
- Runner-Up: $25,000 in production funds
- Additional Benefits: Mentorship from Multitude Films and other benefits for winning project
Project Type: Short non-fiction (documentary) projects
Eligibility: Black, Brown, and Indigenous media artists and filmmakers
Program History:
- Sixth annual competition held at 2025 festival
- Presented in partnership with Blackbird
- Live competition open to public attendance
Recent Winners (2025):
- Winner: "Hysterical" directed by Kya Lou
- Runner-up: "Wahnish Keeps Me Free" directed by Jamil McGinnis (produced by Resita Cox)
How to Apply
Application Process
Detailed application instructions not provided in available materials. Submissions open later in the year (timing varies). Contact BlackStar Projects for submission details and deadlines.
Presentation: Live pitch competition at BlackStar Film Festival (typically held in July/August)
What Blackstar Projects Inc actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 12
- Total given
- $315K
- Median grant
- $24K
- Range
- $9,500–$82K
- By dollars: Pennsylvania 55%, Maryland 26%, California 10%. Top recipient cities: Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; Los Angeles, CA.
Example grants
Lalibaltimore LLC · Baltimore, MD
$82K
Two Birds One Key LLC · Los Angeles, CA
$30K
Soft Film LLC · Philadelphia, PA
$29K
Studio Anyi LLC · Philadelphia, PA
Black star filmmaker lab production grant
$25K
Ingoma LLC · Lancaster, PA
$25K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Arts
- BIPOC
- Performing arts
Categories
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