This year the Council on Foundations’ Film & Video Festival, co-sponsored by Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media, celebrates 40 years of philanthropic leadership in helping to create media that matters. The longevity of this effort is a testament to the growing number of foundations committed to seeking out and supporting our very best storytellers.

The 2008-09 Film & Video Festival selections cover a broad rage of issues – economic justice, the impact of incarceration on adults and children alike, identity, human rights and genocide, and immigration. Like the films showcased here over the past four decades, the 2008-09 selections represent the finest work of independent filmmakers, made possible by the generous support of our colleagues in philanthropy.

The collaboration between filmmaker and funder to create engaging and responsive film and electronic media projects now ventures beyond traditional technological boundaries. Not only are the tools for storytelling expanding, so too are the venues for viewing new works, and the outreach opportunities for extending their impact beyond the initial broadcast.

As you watch the 2008-09 film and video works, take a moment to read their profiles in the catalogue [pdf] or on the web site. This site hosts a searchable database and a downloadable version of the resource guide, Why Fund Media: Stories from the Field.

These works illustrate the power of foundations to foster greater understanding of social issues and to encourage strong and vibrant discourse on matters of public policy. The Film & Video Festival Committee and the Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media salute our 2007-08 filmmakers and their funders.