The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund in Film and Media at Johns Hopkins University is expanding its support for independent filmmakers with new post-production, distribution, and journalism resources as it opens applications for its eleventh fellowship cohort.
The Baltimore-based program has supported more than 200 Fellows with over $9 million in training, direct project funding and other resources since 2016.
For the 2026 cohort, the fund is adding a new postproduction award along with a dedicated fellowship position for an emerging journalistic filmmaker through a partnership with Evident, an Emmy Award-winning nonprofit visual journalism organization.
Applications are open through September 22, 2026.
The expansion reflects a broader effort to support independent filmmakers throughout more of the production lifecycle, from initial development and production through editing, completion and ultimately reaching an audience.
The program is also introducing a training lab focused on independent film distribution in collaboration with Amy Hobby, co-founder of Distribution Advocates.
Additional editing and producing workshops will be led by professional advisors, giving Baltimore filmmakers access to resources that can be more difficult for early-career creators to obtain outside major production centers such as New York and Los Angeles.
Through the Evident partnership, one emerging visual journalist will receive a fellowship focused on creating an investigative documentary combining rigorous journalism with cinematic storytelling.
The fellowship will also include a guaranteed distribution platform, directly addressing one of the challenges independent filmmakers face after completing their work.
Since its founding, Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund Fellows have gone on to receive support from organizations including PBS, the Open Society Institute and ProPublica.
Their films have also screened at festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW and BlackStar.
The fund operates from the JHU-MICA Film Center, which houses film programs from Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland Institute College of Art.
The program’s growth comes as Baltimore gains additional recognition as an independent filmmaking center. IndieWire included Baltimore on its 2026 list of leading U.S. cities for independent filmmakers, highlighting the city’s filmmaking history, proximity to Washington, D.C., and developing production infrastructure.
The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund said its work over the past decade has also generated employment for more than 1,000 people across Baltimore’s film community.
KEY QUOTES:
“The filmmaker’s story always comes first. We don’t start by asking what’s marketable. We start by listening to the ideas our filmmakers have for the stories they need to tell.”
“Indie filmmaking is a tough industry and it’s not unusual for the journey from idea to film to take three to five years, or more, not counting the time and effort to get a finished film in front of an audience. In response, we’ve strengthened our production assistance for filmmakers and expanded our program to include new editorial support, a new postproduction award, and additional industry partnerships to help filmmakers find their people.”
“Too many important films get made and then disappear, because a distribution system built around algorithms and consolidation decides they’re not worth the reach. A great story deserves to find people who want to see it, not get lost.”
Annette Porter, Director Of The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund
“We work with partners like the Saul Zaentz Foundation to open the doors of the Hopkins community beyond academics. As we strengthen the Baltimore film community, we strengthen our Film and Media Studies Program and help build the infrastructure for our graduates to join a thriving film industry without New York and Los Angeles being their only options.”
Christopher S. Celenza, James B. Knapp Dean Of The Krieger School Of Arts And Sciences At Johns Hopkins University
