COUSIN Collective

Overview

COUSIN is a filmmaker-run collective and registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides grants and community support to Indigenous artists expanding traditional definitions and understandings of the moving image. Founded in 2018 by Sky Hopinka, Adam Khalil, Alexandra Lazarowich, and Adam Piron, COUSIN was created to support Indigenous artists who experiment with form and genre in ways that do not fit conventional documentary or narrative pipelines.

COUSIN operates through cycles, with each cohort receiving $10,000 USD per artist in grant funding. The collective has completed four cycles to date, supporting approximately 7 artists per cohort across a mix of new commissions and general practice support. Work supported ranges from features and short films to installation and hybrid projects.

COUSIN is supported by the Ford Foundation's JustFilms, the MacArthur Foundation ($225,000 grant in 2023 for general operations), the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, the Jerome Foundation, Nia Tero, and Cinereach. This funding structure means COUSIN can offer grants without requiring fiscal sponsorship from an outside organization, though applicants should confirm current requirements on the COUSIN website.

If you are an Indigenous filmmaker working in experimental or hybrid forms and have struggled to find funding through conventional documentary or narrative grant pipelines, COUSIN is one of the few organizations specifically designed to support work that does not fit traditional categories.

What It Funds

COUSIN provides two types of support through its cycle-based program:

New Commissions: Grants of $10,000 USD to support the creation of a new film project intended for completion within the coming year. Commissioned works may be features, short films, installations, or hybrid projects.

General Practice Support: Grants of $10,000 USD to support an artist's overall practice rather than a specific project. This flexible funding can be applied to whatever the artist needs: equipment, travel to access subjects, post-production, living expenses, or creative research.

In addition to financial grants, COUSIN functions as a community. Grantees gain access to the collective's network of filmmakers, advisors, and resources. The program operates with a cohort model that provides learning sessions, networking, and mutual support alongside the funding itself. COUSIN's filmmakers often remain connected to the network beyond their grant period.

Eligibility

COUSIN's grants are aimed at Indigenous artists working in experimental and avant-garde film forms. Key eligibility criteria:

• Identity: Open to Indigenous artists. COUSIN recognizes the nuances of Indigeneity in the face of colonialism and does not ask for proof of enrollment. However, the application asks specifically how you are connected to your understanding of Indigeneity and your connection to your respective Indigenous community.
• Geography: Open to international artists, but COUSIN places emphasis on Indigenous artists based in what is now called the United States. The final cohort chosen will be a majority of US-based artists.
• Priority groups: COUSIN prioritizes Black Indigenous, LGBTQIA2S+, and other applicants identifying from marginalized groups within Indigenous communities.
• Format: Supports features, short films, installation, and hybrid projects. Both documentary and narrative filmmakers are eligible, with a focus on experimental and avant-garde work.
• Previous grantees: If you are a previously funded COUSIN artist, you are not eligible to apply for subsequent cycles.
• Career stage: Supports both emerging and established artists. The collective specifically funds artists "poised to take the next important step in their practice."

Application Process

COUSIN operates on a cycle-based application model rather than rolling submissions. Each cycle has a defined open application window. For example, Cycle III had an application window from August 1, 2023 to September 1, 2023. Cycle IV was announced via the COUSIN Instagram and website, with seven artists selected by COUSIN's co-founders.

Applications are submitted through a form linked on the COUSIN website during open application windows. Filmmakers should check cousincollective.org and COUSIN's Instagram for current open call announcements. There is no fixed annual schedule; cycles open based on funding availability.

Past Cohorts

COUSIN has supported four cycles of artists to date:

Cycle IV (supported by Ford Foundation JustFilms): Taylour Chang, Tyson Houseman, Blackhorse Lowe, Victor Masayesva Jr., Caroline Monnet, Shelley Niro, Shaandiin Tome. Focus on commissioned film works.

Cycle III (supported by Ford Foundation JustFilms): Leitu Bonnici, Nova Paul, Tiare Ribeaux, Jazmin Romero, kekahi wahi, Warren Realrider, al-yené vinokurova. Focus on new commissions and general practice support.

Cycle II: Kole Galbraith, Giizhigad, Carlos Gutiérrez, Jamie John, Lindsay McIntyre, JEM, Esteban Prudencio, Svetlana Romanova.

Cycle I: Olivia Camfield, Raven Chacon, Eve-Lauryn LaFountain, Colectivo Los Ingrávidos, Miguel Hilari, Woodrow Hunt, Kite, Fox Maxy, Rhayne Vermette.

The collective has also launched a COUSIN Symposium and a Temporal Territories program, expanding its activities beyond direct grants into convening and discourse around Indigenous experimental film.

The Collective Model

Unlike institutional grants that operate as financial transactions between a funder and a recipient, COUSIN treats its grant program as a community-building exercise. The collective was founded by working filmmakers who recognized that the early stages of an experimental film career represent a period of acute financial vulnerability where small amounts of targeted support can have outsized impact. Grantees become part of a cohort that receives ongoing support, and COUSIN's filmmakers often remain connected to the network beyond their grant period.

COUSIN also operates a DIY ethos: it values resourcefulness, creative independence, and the willingness to make films outside commercial infrastructure. The $10,000 grant size is modest compared to major documentary funds but is sized to meet the real needs of low-budget independent and experimental production.

Funders and Supporters

COUSIN's funding structure draws from multiple major foundations:

• Ford Foundation JustFilms: Primary funder for commission cycles
• MacArthur Foundation: $225,000 grant in 2023 for general operations over 3 years
• Robert Rauschenberg Foundation: Program support
• Jerome Foundation: Program support
• Nia Tero: Program support
• Cinereach: Program support

This multi-funder structure provides COUSIN with operational stability and allows the collective to offer grants without passing through the restrictions of a single institutional funder.

Who Should Apply

Indigenous filmmakers working in experimental, hybrid, or avant-garde forms who want both financial support and community connection. COUSIN is specifically designed for artists whose work expands traditional definitions of the moving image and does not fit neatly into conventional documentary or narrative funding categories. Both emerging and established artists are eligible. International Indigenous artists may apply, but US-based Indigenous artists are prioritized. Filmmakers from marginalized groups within Indigenous communities (Black Indigenous, LGBTQIA2S+) are given priority in selection.

See Also

For emerging filmmakers planning their first production, the Production Schedule Calculator and Shot List Generator help structure the shoot efficiently. For an overview of how micro-grants fit into a broader independent film financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For understanding experimental film traditions, see the Avant-Garde and Cinema Verite glossary entries.