Cascade PBS Origins Grant applications open

Cascade PBS has opened submissions for its Origins grant, which funds Pacific Northwest and Canadian filmmakers to create docuseries showcasing communities in the region. 

“We are looking for stories that reflect the makeup of our region told from an insider’s perspective: stories grounded in ancestry, connection, culture, influence and rootedness,” according to the Cascade PBS website. “Stories that reflect our place, values and people.”

Submissions are currently open and will be accepted until April 17. The grant awards $40,000 to a documentary filmmaker to fund a five-part docuseries. The filmmaker must be a part of the community they are documenting; for example, an Indigenous story must be told by an Indigenous filmmaker. 

Applications will be reviewed by a five-person panel that will select a winner. The panel will include representatives from Cascade PBS, Seattle International Film Festival and other Pacific Northwest film community leaders. 

The winner will be announced publicly at the Seattle International Film Festival. Cascade PBS will meet regularly with the filmmaker to offer feedback and ensure the project is on schedule to be finished by the end of the year. 

Once complete, the series could air on broadcast, according to the Cascade PBS website. A public event will take place in the days leading up to the premiere. 

Filmmakers of all skill levels are welcome to apply, but applicants are required to submit two documentaries they’ve been involved in for review. More information can be found at cascadepbs.org/origins.