The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund in Film and Media (SZIF) at Johns Hopkins University announced that applications are open for its eleventh cohort of Fellows. This year’s application cycle marks the program’s expansion into new territory and new collaborations, including a newly created postproduction award, and a new fellowship slot for a journalistic filmmaker, in partnership with Evident Media.

Filmmakers interested in applying for the new cohort can find eligibility details and the application at www.zaentzfund.com/apply. Applications close September 22, 2026.

“The filmmaker’s story always comes first,” said Annette Porter, director of the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund. “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. For the last ten years, we’ve been supporting Baltimore filmmakers in the development and production of these ideas and are proud of the creative filmmaking talent flourishing in Baltimore.”

“That said, 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.” Porter said. “One of the ways we’re pushing back this year is by partnering with Evident, an Emmy-winning nonprofit newsroom for visual journalism. Together, we’re rolling out a special fellowship category with a guaranteed distribution platform, for an emerging visual journalist to produce an investigative documentary rooted in rigorous journalistic practice and cinematic storytelling.”

This year, the program also adds important new support tools including a training lab for indie film distribution, developed in collaboration with Amy Hobby, co-founder of Distribution Advocates along with editing and producing workshops led by professional advisors rarely available to early-career filmmakers outside New York or Los Angeles.

A Decade of Progress

Based at the JHU-MICA Film Center, this year’s cohort builds on ten years of SZIF’s work in Baltimore. Since 2016, Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation has supported over 200 Fellows with over $9,000,000 of support, training, and direct project funding. SZIF Fellows have advanced to secure additional support from PBS, the Open Society Institute, and ProPublica, and to screen at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and Black Star.

“We work with partners like the Saul Zaentz Foundation to open the doors of the Hopkins community beyond academics,” said Christopher S. Celenza, James B. Knapp Dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. “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.”

Baltimore’s Rise as an Indie Filmmaking Hub

This year’s SZIF cohort arrives as Baltimore’s profile as a filmmaking city continues to grow. IndieWire recently named Baltimore to its 2026 list of the best U.S. cities for independent filmmakers, citing the city’s cinema legacy, its proximity to Washington, D.C., and a track record of doing more with less that now has state tax policy to match. The piece specifically pointed to the JHU-MICA Film Center, the shared home of Johns Hopkins’ and MICA’s film programs, and the base for much of SZIF’s own work as part of the infrastructure driving that momentum.

“Ten years ago, we set out to prove that a filmmaker didn’t need to be in New York or LA to build a real career,” Porter said. “Seeing Baltimore recognized nationally as a place where independent filmmakers can actually live and work is enormously gratifying, and we like to think the more than 200 fellows who’ve come through SZIF, and the films they’ve gone on to produce, are part of what made Baltimore an “obnoxiously obvious” choice for IndieWire!”

About the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund in Film and Media

Founded in 2016, the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund in Film and Media at Johns Hopkins University seeks to further the pioneering legacy of Mr. Zaentz by connecting the Baltimore creative community with prestigious artists, veteran executives, and successful entrepreneurs in an incubator program designed to nurture project ideas that advance the art and craft of audiovisual media. Between 2016 and 2026, SZIF supported over 200 Fellows, backed by more than $9 million in total Foundation investment, generating employment for more than 1000 people across the Baltimore film community. Learn more at www.zaentzfund.com.

About Evident

Evident is an Emmy Award-winning nonprofit news organization producing documentaries and visual investigations. The organization launched in 2025 with a mission to make the truth evident through investigative visual journalism. Evident takes viewers on a journey of discovery, using evidence-based reporting to shed light on corruption, conflict, technology, and more. Visit https://www.evidentmedia.org/ and follow Evident on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook to learn more.

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