Filmmaker Vivian Kerr’s production company Rue Dangeau has announced a new Short Film Grant offering a $2,000 cash prize and sponsorship from Rare Breeds Camera Rentals and over a dozen film festivals. 

Kerr’s first feature as a writer-director, Scrap, co-starring Anthony Rapp and Lana Parrilla, world premiered at the Deauville-American Film Festival. Kerr is also an actor and producer on Soft Boil, an independent pilot that world premiered at the latest edition of the Sundance Film Festival.

The grant is currently open for submissions on Film Freeway, and will remain open for submissions until March 30th.

“We’ve had a lot of success in the past 3 years with my first feature Scrap, and doing festivals now with my second feature Séance, and I’ve been looking for a way to pay it forward,” said Kerr. 

“I wanted to start a grant that not only would offer a cash prize, but would connect a talented filmmaker to companies who will financially sponsor their project and guide them through every step of production, post-production, and throughout the festival circuit. Rare Breeds is one of the first companies I reached out to, since obtaining a top camera package can be a significant financial hurdle to many new filmmakers.” 

Rare Breeds will offer the winner an 80% discount on a full camera package.

“The Rue Dangeau Short Film Grant is cut from the same cloth as Rare Breeds — we believe exceptional storytelling shouldn’t be limited by budget constraints,” said Jed Alan Klemow, founder of Rare Breeds Camera Rentals, whose clients include HBO Max’s The Pitt. “Supporting grants like this puts professional-grade equipment in the hands of passionate, emerging filmmakers, creating the pathways that connect creatives to their own greatness.”

The winner will also receive free color grading from Neon Diesel, free DCP creation from DCPforAll, free film festival strategy from Festival Formula, and waiver codes to a dozen top film festivals, including Dances With Films, Phoenix, Heartland, Sedona, Footcandle, Julien Dubuque, Waco Indie, Ojai, Port Townsend, and more. 

The winner will also receive substantially discounted G&E rental, post-sound, graphic design, and VFX services from Lucky Ones Collective and The Garrison. And eight finalists will also receive heavily discounted services, as well as feedback on their scripts.