Berkeley Film Foundation

The Berkeley Film Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grant and educational program for independent filmmakers with a mission to nurture, sustain, and preserve the thriving local film community while attracting the next generation of filmmakers. The Berkeley Film Foundation (BFF) is dedicated to fostering a vibrant filmmaking community along the East Shore of the San Francisco Bay Area. We offer grants, educational resources, and exhibition opportunities to support filmmakers at all experience levels—from students to seasoned professionals. Our funding supports documentaries and narrative shorts in production, post-production, and distribution. We are interested in funding films that boldly address social and environmental injustices, challenge oppressive systems, all in service of driving meaningful and lasting change.

Founded in 2009, the Berkeley Film Foundation (BFF) provides grants, educational programming, community screenings, and mentorship to independent filmmakers. As of September 2025, BFF has awarded 338 grants, totaling $3.3 million, to documentary and fiction projects in production, post-production, and distribution created by filmmakers who live in the East Shore cities of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Richmond, El Cerrito, Berkeley, Oakland, and Emeryville.