FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2014
Media Contact:
Frances Cedro
Beti Films
917.873.8282
raisingbertie@gmail.com
‘Raising Bertie’ awarded Southern Documentary Fund Filmmaking Grant
Documentary one of four recipients in grant’s inaugural year
Raising Bertie, an upcoming feature documentary co-produced by Beti Films and Kartemquin Films, has recently been awarded the Southern Documentary Fund’s Filmmaking Grant. This is the inaugural year for the grant and Raising Bertie is one of only four recipients. The funds from the grant will go towards post-production on the film. Raising Bertie was previously awarded a MacArthur Grant last year.
“We’re honored to be selected for the Southern Documentary Fund Filmmaking Grant,” said Director Margaret Byrne. “Especially given the organization’s roots in North Carolina, where we spent the last six years filming our story. We are pleased to have the support of North Carolina’s documentary community and look forward to supporting the community in turn.”
Raising Bertie is a feature documentary directed by Margaret Byrne and shot by Jon Stuyvesant. The film follows three young men over the course of five years as they grow into adulthood in Bertie County, a small African American-led farming community in North Carolina. Through the intimate portrayal of these young men, we see the issues facing America’s rural youth and the repercussions of a woefully underfunded rural public school system. Their stories shed light on the complex relationships between family, economics and education.
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About Beti Films
Beti Films is an independent film company specializing in visually rich, socially minded content. Founded in 2004 by Margaret Byrne, Beti Films has worked on countless projects across the globe, believing that storytelling has the power to impact lives and be a catalyst for change.
About Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films is a home for independent media makers who seek to create social change through film. With a noted tradition of nurturing emerging talent and acting as a leading voice for independent media, Kartemquin is building on over 45 years of being Chicago’s documentary powerhouse. Kartemquin is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.
About Southern Documentary Fund
Founded in 2002, the Southern Documentary Fund is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization that cultivates documentary projects made in or about the American South. Inspired by our core belief that documentaries have the power to change lives, SDF serves as a leading advocate for powerful Southern storytelling, providing filmmakers and artists with professional support, fiscal sponsorship, and creative community.
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