The Film Society awards filmmaking grants and cash prizes to innovative and exceptional films, with specific monies set aside exclusively for Bay Area filmmakers. The total amount of money to be awarded between July 2008 and June 2009 will exceed $120,000.

The Herbert Family Filmmaking Grants
As part of the San Francisco Film Society's new Filmmaker Services programs, SFFS is happy to announce $25,000 in grants available to Bay Area filmmakers. The Herbert Family Filmmaking Grants are awarded to deserving films in various stages, from development and production through postproduction and outreach. These grants are made possible through the generosity of the Herbert Family.

Golden Gate Awards
Each year the Film Society awards cash prizes to international and Bay Area filmmakers as part of its Golden Gate Awards competition, held annually during the San Francisco International Film Festival. At SFIFF52, held April 23–May 7, 2009, the Film Society will award a total of $97,500 in prize money to films in 17 categories, including an inaugural Best Investigative Documentary prize of $25,000.

The Call for Entries, which has complete information on 2009 guidelines, categories and cash prize amounts, will be published in mid-September. The Best Investigative Documentary prize is made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor.

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