The Alter-Cine Foundation

Overview

The Alter-Cine Foundation awards grants of 10,000 Canadian dollars and 5,000 Canadian dollars to documentary filmmakers born and living in the Global South (Africa, Asia, or Latin America) who are producing feature-length documentaries about rights and freedoms. Founded in 2001 in memory of Canadian filmmaker Yvan Patry, who died on October 14, 1999, the Foundation has operated continuously for over 20 years. In 2026, the Foundation expanded its slate from two grants to four, adding two new awards in memory of Gian-Battista Bachetta - a passionate cinephile who worked for 25 years assisting victims of armed conflict. The 2026 cycle offers one additional 10,000 CAD grant and one additional 5,000 CAD grant, doubling the number of awards available this year. If you are a documentary filmmaker from the Global South with a feature-length project in production, the deadline is August 15, 2026. Applications are submitted by email to altercine@videotron.ca.

Grant Amounts and Payout Structure

The Foundation offers the following grants:

Standard annual grants (every year):

• 1 x 10,000 CAD major grant
• 1 x 5,000 CAD smaller grant

2026 additional grants (Bachetta memorial, one-time):

• 1 x 10,000 CAD (in memory of Gian-Battista Bachetta)
• 1 x 5,000 CAD (in memory of Gian-Battista Bachetta)

Total for 2026: four grants, 30,000 CAD in awards.

The 10,000 CAD grant is paid in two installments:

1. First payment of 6,000 CAD after the project is selected
2. Final payment of 4,000 CAD upon receipt of a high-quality computer file (10 GB) of the completed documentary

The 5,000 CAD grant payout schedule is not publicly detailed but follows a similar structure tied to project milestones.

What It Funds

Alter-Cine grants support the production of feature-length documentary films by filmmakers from the Global South. The Foundation's stated focus is on documentaries about "rights and freedoms, including social and economic rights, women's rights, the right to culture and artistic creation." Projects should document life, culture, and social realities in the Global South, approached with independent creative vision rather than a formulaic or commercial editorial frame.

The grant is intended to help filmmakers complete or advance projects that might otherwise lack access to the development and production resources available in higher-income film markets. There is no restriction on the film's language - projects may be made in any language chosen by the filmmaker. Indigenous language documentaries are prioritized.

The grant is typically one component of a broader financing structure rather than the sole source of production funds. Applicants must submit a detailed production budget alongside a financing plan demonstrating other sources of proposed or assured financing.

Eligibility

Eligibility requirements are strict and specific:

• Birth and residence: Applicants must be born AND currently living in Africa, Asia, or Latin America at the time of application. Both conditions must be met - a filmmaker born in Africa but now living in Europe is not eligible.
• Individual filmmakers only: The grant is directed at individual filmmakers, not production companies or organizations.
• Feature-length documentary: Projects must be feature-length documentaries. Short films are not eligible.
• Theme: Projects must address rights and freedoms, including social and economic rights, women's rights, the right to culture and artistic creation.
• Language: Applications may be submitted in English, French, or Spanish. The documentary itself may be in any language.

There are no age restrictions, and both emerging and mid-career filmmakers are eligible. The Foundation does not require prior festival credits or industry references, though applicants must submit a Vimeo link to a previously completed documentary work.

Application Requirements

Applications must be compiled into a single PDF file (maximum 5 MB, minimum 11-point font, line spacing no less than 1.5) and emailed to altercine@videotron.ca. The PDF must include:

1. Completed application form: Available for download at altercine.org in English, French, or Spanish.
2. Synopsis: Maximum 5 pages in English, French, or Spanish, describing the content, characters, situations, theme, treatment, and style of the project.
3. Previous work sample: A Vimeo link to a previously completed documentary. The link must remain valid until December 1 of the application year. If possible, the work should be subtitled or versioned in English, French, or Spanish. If not, include a written transcript of dialogue and narration in one of those three languages.
4. Production budget: A detailed production budget for the documentary.
5. Financing plan: A plan that includes the Alter-Cine grant and other sources of proposed or assured financing.
6. Support letters (if possible): Two letters from partners, NGOs, groups, associations, or individuals supporting the project.
7. Visual materials (if available): Photographs, filmed images, trailer, or pitch in support of the proposed documentary.

Timeline and Selection Process

• Deadline: August 15 of each year (August 15, 2026 for the current cycle)
• Notification: Candidates are advised of Selection Committee decisions before December 31 of each year
• Selection Committee: An independent committee reviews applications and selects grant recipients
• Grant period: The first payment is issued after selection; the final payment is issued upon delivery of the completed documentary

The Foundation publishes winners annually on its website. The 2025 winners have been announced; 2026 winners will be announced by December 31, 2026.

The Foundation's History and Philosophy

The Alter-Cine Foundation was created in memory of Canadian filmmaker Yvan Patry, who passed away on October 14, 1999. Patry co-founded the production company Alter Cine and directed numerous documentaries and current affairs programs across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. His philosophy - that documentaries "should go against the tide, they should bear witness and spur us to action" - defines the Foundation's orientation.

The Foundation operates with the understanding that many of the most important stories in documentary film originate in regions where production funding is scarce. The global documentary funding ecosystem is heavily concentrated in North America and Europe; filmmakers in the Global South face structural barriers to accessing the grants, labs, and co-production markets that filmmakers in higher-income markets can tap. Alter-Cine exists to address that gap directly.

The 2026 expansion to four grants was made possible by a donation from Danielle Coquoz, widow of Gian-Battista Bachetta, who shared her late husband's belief that "documentary film as an instrument to wake up the public to tragedies and injustice too often ignored by mass media."

How Alter-Cine Fits Into a Documentary Funding Strategy

The Alter-Cine grant amounts (5,000-10,000 CAD) are modest compared to major documentary funds. However, the grant can serve as:

• Seed funding: For first-time feature documentary directors who lack access to regional or international funding sources
• Gap financing: To complement larger grants from IDFA Bertha Fund, Hot Docs-Blue Ice, or Sundance Documentary Fund
• Production acceleration: To fund a specific production phase (e.g., a shoot, post-production) within a broader financing structure

The Foundation's focus on indigenous language documentaries and rights-based storytelling aligns with the priorities of several major international documentary funds. Filmmakers who receive Alter-Cine funding can leverage the grant as a credibility signal when applying to larger funds.

Who Should Apply

Documentary filmmakers based in Africa, Asia, or Latin America with a feature-length project that documents social realities, culture, or human experience in their region. The grant is particularly valuable for:

• First-time feature documentary directors who lack access to regional or international funding sources
• Filmmakers working in indigenous languages
• Filmmakers documenting rights, freedoms, and social justice issues
• Filmmakers whose projects may not fit the editorial frames of commercial broadcasters or mainstream documentary funds

Both emerging and mid-career filmmakers are eligible. The Foundation does not require a minimum number of prior credits, but applicants must submit a Vimeo link to at least one previously completed documentary work.

Past Recipients and What They Made with the Money

Alter-Cine grant recipients have produced documentaries that screened at major festivals and won international awards. The Foundation publishes a full list of supported films on its website.

• Tatiana Huezo (Mexico, grant 2013) used the funding for Tempestad, a documentary about violence and injustice in Mexico. The film premiered at the 2016 Berlinale and won the Golden Frog for cinematography at Camerimage.
• Michel K. Zongo (Burkina Faso) received a 5,000 CAD grant for The Man Who Plants Baobabs, about a man who planted over 3,000 baobab trees over 50 years. The film screened internationally through the Africa Direct series.
• Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas (India) received support for Writing with Fire, about India's only all-women newspaper. The documentary premiered at Sundance 2021, won the World Cinema Documentary Audience Award, and received an Academy Award nomination.
• Diana Cuellar (Colombia, grant 2008) directed Mama Choco, about an Afro-Colombian woman displaced by armed conflict. The film screened at international festivals and was distributed through academic and educational platforms.
• Inadelso Cossa (Mozambique, grant 2023) received a 10,000 CAD grant for The Guilt Bearer, about a former rebel seeking redemption in his home village after the civil war.

What Makes an Application Competitive

The Selection Committee evaluates applications against specific criteria rooted in the Foundation's mission. Strong applications share these characteristics:

• Clear rights-and-freedoms focus: The project must document social, economic, women's, or cultural rights in the Global South. Vague social-issue framing without a rights lens weakens the application.
• Independent creative vision: The Foundation rejects formulaic or commercial editorial frames. Projects that approach their subject with a distinct authorial perspective score higher than conventional reportage.
• Indigenous language priority: Projects made in indigenous languages receive prioritized consideration. Filmmakers working in these languages should state this clearly in the synopsis.
• Demonstrated production capacity: The required Vimeo link to a previous completed documentary is the primary evidence of filmmaking ability. A strong prior work sample matters more than a long resume.
• Realistic financing plan: The grant is one component of a broader funding structure. Applicants must show other proposed or assured financing sources alongside the Alter-Cine request.
• Compelling visual materials: Photographs, filmed images, a trailer, or a pitch reel strengthen the application significantly. These materials help the committee visualize the finished film.
• Support letters: Two letters from partners, NGOs, or community organizations confirm the project's grounding and access. While optional, they materially strengthen the application.

Watch

See Also

For documentary filmmakers building international financing strategies, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. The Revenue Forecast Calculator can help model revenue across international festival, broadcast, and streaming windows. For other international documentary grants, browse the full Film Grants Directory. The official Alter-Cine Foundation website and application form are at altercine.org/en/documentary-film-grants.