ISTIC ILLIC’s Big Picture Fund Provides Financial Support for Local Movie Screenings
No one would claim that watching a play on TV is the same as seeing live actors. ISTIC ILLIC believes the same is true of the movie theater experience, and we are worried about the future of theaters that show movies meant for grown-ups. We’re not worried about the future of Marvel and Star Wars; we are worried about classic films fading away and ambitious new visions never finding their audiences. We are scared that films that engage and challenge us will no longer be seen collectively and without interruption, in the secular temple that is the cinema.
ISTIC ILLIC’s Big Picture Fund is a program to help independent movie lovers organize movie theater events. We fund special cinema events with funding of up to $2,000 and loans of up to $2,000 for a total of $4,000 in funding. Any person who loves cinema can fill out our application to rent a movie theatre in order (1) screen one or several films that are not going to otherwise screen in their town, and/or (2) bring a key creative (director, writer, lead actor, etc.) to present their film(s) in person.
How it Works
A group of film lovers–any film lovers of any age–find a local theater and confirm that they can rent it out for screenings.
Fill out the application. Things you will need:
The name of the theater and price of renting it
How will you promote your event? Our goal is attendance; make a case that you will get people to go to your event
Any supporting events, such as filmmaker Q&A, or affiliations, such as a film club or society
The movie(s) you wish to show and why
If your application is approved, ISTIC ILLIC will front the costs of your screening for up to $4,000. This includes theater rental, rights costs, travel and/or honorarium costs for filmmakers, etc.
We hope to recover the majority of costs and priority will be given to events that have thought through a budget that breaks even or comes close. If the screening(s) run a surplus, that would be paid forward to future events.