Santa Fe Film Institute awards over $10K to filmmakers
By Adrian Gomez
January 4th, 2023 at 5:02pm
A scene from “Dead Calm” by Scott Hussion. (Courtesy of Santa Fe Film Institute)
The Santa Fe Film Institute aims to keep independent filmmakers creating visionary projects.
The New Mexico-based organization recently awarded more than $10,000 in grants and scholarships to filmmakers.
The $10,300 was given away in regional grants for filmmakers, the Imogene Hughes Scholarship Fund for college students, and the SFFI scholarship for high school students pursuing film studies in New Mexico.
“These opportunities for filmmakers in the area can seed the beginnings of a real wealth of people with the skills to make movies here,” says Jacques Paisner, SFFI president.
According to Paisner, four filmmakers were awarded in Santa Fe Film Institute’s (SFFI) second Regional Grant cycle.
The grant recipients are Scott Hussion with “Dead Calm,” Colleen Thurston with “Drowned Land,” Raúl O. Paz Pastrana and Alan Domínguez with “Commerce City,” and Owee Rae with “Bone Guitar.”
Paisner says SFFI created the grant in 2021 as a professional opportunity to motivate and support filmmakers in New Mexico and the surrounding states of Colorado, Oklahoma, Arizona and Texas. Regional Grant winners in 2022 are based in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Colorado, and this year’s grant amounts range from $500 to $4,000.
Raúl O. Paz Pastrana and Alan Domínguez created “Commerce City.” (Courtesy of Santa Fe Film Institute)
Paisner says two New Mexico college students became the first recipients of the Imogene Hughes Scholarship for $1,400 each for the purpose of pursuing their film studies.
“Benny Apodaca of the University of New Mexico and Isabella Edmo of the Institute of American Indian Arts were awarded,” Paisner says. “The college scholarship, created in memory of Bonanza Creek Ranch proprietor Imogene Hughes, was new to Santa Fe Film Institute’s filmmaking initiatives in 2022.”
Paisner says two New Mexico students have also each earned the $500 Santa Fe Film Institute High School Scholarship.
Aleigha Begay of the New Mexico School for the Arts and Emma Meyers of Santa Fe Prep were awarded.
Now in its second year, SFFI’s Scholarship Program received applications from students attending high schools throughout New Mexico, Paisner says.
Colleen Thurston was awarded a grant for the film, “Drowned Land.” (Courtesy of Santa Fe Film Institute)