Indie Memphis has announced the winner of their first annual Black Filmmaker Fellowship for Screenwriting. The new fellowship is funded by Barry Jenkins (inaugural recipient of the Game-Changer Award at the 2019 Shadow And Act RISING Awards) and will help further Black filmmaking in the movie-making industry.

The recipient of the Black Filmmaker Fellowship for Screenwriting has been awarded to Jamey Hatley for her screenplay The Eureka Hotel. The fellowship includes an unrestricted cash grant of $7,500 and a two-month fellowship in Memphis to develop her screenplay.

A screenwriter was also awarded Indie Memphis’ residency in screenwriting. Raven Jackson is this year’s recipient for her screenplay all dirt roads taste of salt. She will also receive an unrestricted cash grant of $7,500 as well as a two-month residency in Memphis with housing and travel included.

Jenkins gave Indie Memphis a statement about the two filmmaking initiatives.

“As an artist, I’ve always admired Memphis and what it’s meant to Black artistry across many forms and genres,” he said. “To partner with Indie Memphis in supporting Jamey Hatley and Raven Jackson in taking the next steps in their quest to creatively engage and contribute to the diaspora is an honor most high. In their work, I find resounding proof that Memphis both raises talent from within (Ms. Hatley, a native Memphian) and inspires it from abroad (Ms. Jackson).”

Finalists for the fellowship include Munirah Safiyah Jones for Candida Jones and Nubia Yasin for See. Jane. Run. Finalists for the residency include Sephora Woldu for her untitled prequel to her Tigrinya/English debut feature-length narrative film Life is Fare, Zuff Idries for Intelligentsia, and Syd Stewart for DEEP. Semi-finalists for the residency include E.G Bailey for Minor Street, Xavier Burgin for On Time, Natalie Cook for Orange Mound, Bam Johnson for The Night People and Christian Lucas for Let It Be Me.

WATCH: Barry Jenkins Gives Epic Keynote Speech At Shadow And Act’s Inaugural RISING Awards

Photo: Indie Memphis

Black Filmmaker Fellowship for Screenwriting

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