A special message from Ken Burns.
Chicago, IL (September 3, 2024) – Today, the Lincoln Presidential Foundation launched its new "Latest Generation Film Contest," featuring a special video introduction by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns:
The inaugural contest theme, “On This Land,” encourages youth creators to explore and share stories rooted in the geography and places around them. Aspiring Midwest filmmakers aged 14 to 22 are invited to create and submit short films, 5-8 minutes in length, by December 31, 2024. Cash prizes ranging from $500 to $2,000 in three separate age brackets will be awarded. Winning films will premiere at a red-carpet film festival in Chicago in 2025. The Foundation is collaborating with organizations in five Midwest “anchor cities”—Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Minneapolis/St. Paul—to help promote this opportunity.
Eligible participants can choose between competing in the film contest, joining filmmaking discussion forums, attending online mentor sessions with professional filmmakers, or doing all of the above. Creatives can try something new, showcase their work, learn from experts, and connect with fellow participants. With no entry fee, this initiative offers a low-stakes environment with high personal rewards.
The first mentor session, scheduled for September 24th, will feature filmmakers from Florentine Films on archival research and short-form storytelling. Stephanie Jenkins and Akia Thorpe will share their process for making Muhammad Ali, and Clark Burnett will share methods for compelling storytelling that connects history to the present. For more information and to register, visit here.
The second session, taking place in October, will include talent from Twin Cities PBS such as Daniel Pierce Bergin, Leya Hale (Dakota/Diné), and Kevin Dragseth. They will discuss their approaches to storytelling with an emphasis on postproduction for history content. Watch our website for updates.
The Latest Generation Film Contest is inspired by President Abraham Lincoln’s question to an Indianapolis crowd in 1861: "Shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generation?" This program is made possible by a generous grant from The Better Angels Society through the Amy Margerum Berg Education Fund to the Lincoln Presidential Foundation.
"Our Foundation appreciates The Better Angels Society for helping to make this experience possible,” said Erin Carlson Mast, President & CEO of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. “We are delighted to have this opportunity to support the next generation of historical documentary filmmakers. We encourage young creators to find inspiration in their local communities and research events that have shaped their surroundings.”
"The Better Angels Society is proud to invest in the Latest Generation Film Contest to encourage the latest generations to explore the history of their areas," said Katherine Malone-France, President & CEO of The Better Angels Society. “We are excited to see the unique perspectives and creativity that these young filmmakers will bring to telling the stories of the history around them, supported by mentorship from outstanding professionals in public media and documentary filmmaking.”
Get Started HERE.
About the Lincoln Presidential Foundation
Established in 2000, the Lincoln Presidential Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity headquartered in Illinois. It is the only national foundation focused on increasing access to history, educational programs, exhibits, and sites highlighting the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. The Foundation does its work in cooperation and partnership with others locally, nationally, and globally. Its vision is a world where freedom and democracy flourish, inspired by the life and work of Abraham Lincoln. Learn more at lincolnpresidential.org.
About The Better Angels Society
The Better Angels Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Americans about their history through documentary film. They are the pre-eminent organization supporting excellence in American history documentaries in ways that advance education and civic engagement. The Society works to ensure that films about American history by emerging and established filmmakers are completed, broadcast, promoted, and shared with wide audiences. The organization raises funds to support individual films in partnership with public media and annually awards the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film to the best American history documentary in partnership with the Library of Congress. The Better Angels Society also awards Lavine Fellowships to emerging documentaries and provides recognition and mentoring to student filmmakers through programs like the Latest Generation Film Contest and The Next Generation Angels Awards in partnership with National History Day®.
Get Started HERE.
# # #
Media Contact:
Grace DuFour
grace@reputationpartners.com
(301) 337-0708
Sarah Nisbet
Sarah_nisbet@dkcnews.com
(931) 319-7891