Whole Foods giving away some green for green (films)

AUSTIN, Texas and WASHINGTON -- Whole Foods Market announced that it is teaming up with AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Festival, the nation's leading documentary festival, to award $50,000 in grant money to filmmakers working in the green film genre.

A portion of all ticket sales from the "Whole Foods Market Do Something Reel" Film Festival will go towards a film production and development grant that will encourage filmmakers to continue making stories about the environment and the impact of everyday choices consumers make. Two grants of $25,000 each will be awarded to documentary feature filmmakers at varying stages of development -- from conception through completion.

The online grant application process will be open from April 1 to 30 and selected grant candidates will be notified by June 14. The Whole Foods Market/AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs "Green Grant" will be presented at the 2011 AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Festival Awards Ceremony on June 25.



According to a press release issued by Whole Foods and Silverdocs, submitted film concepts and films in progress should explore a green theme, such as food sustainability, and feature real people making a difference, while offering a message of inspiration.

"We realize how difficult it can be to get documentaries in the lime light, so we hope the festival and the grant program will help put a spotlight on films that speak to our mission as a company and to the values of our shoppers," said Marci Frumkin, marketing and project director of Do Something Reel Film Festival for Whole Foods Market. "It is a true honor to team up with Silverdocs to curate the grant process that will help filmmakers who are passionate about our planet and its tenants spread their important messages via film."