22 23 Field of Vision Field of Vision countries, this was an ultimate win in getting stories of trans lives and trans people told at a broad scale, growing representation and understanding. During production, it was vital to the director that the crew be composed exclusively of trans people; in concert with this initiative, the “Disclosure” team offered a fellowship to trans people interested in pursuing a filmmaking career. The opportunity provided networking opportunities with industry professionals, hands-on training, and mentorship. MLK/FBI “MLK/FBI” — by renowned director, producer, editor, screenwriter, and dedicated chronicler of the Black experience in America, Sam Pollard — is the first film to uncover the extent of the FBI’s surveillance and harassment of Martin Luther King Jr. Sam’s films have garnered numerous awards, from a Peabody Career Achievement Award to Emmys and an Academy Award nomination. “MLK/ FBI” is distributed by IFC Films and received a Critics’ Choice Documentary Award for Best Archival Documentary and two IDA Documentary Awards for Best Feature and Best Director, among others. Still: “MLK/FBI”/Field of Vision ACQUISITION OF IF/THEN When Tribeca Film Institute announced its intention to pause all programs by fall of 2020, IF/Then Shorts was in need of a new organizational home. The fund and mentorship program supports storytellers by breaking barriers to access, exposure, and sustainability in the media landscape. With its acquisition of IF/Then, Field of Vision is eager to make a unique contribution in the field that further serves the needs of regional documentary filmmakers and sustainability in their careers. LAUNCH OF FIELD NOTES As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting creative explorations of nonfiction filmmaking, Field of Vision launched Field Notes in September. The online journal serves as a space for original writing about nonfiction cinema in all of its forms — inclusive of original essays, interviews, correspondences, and reported features. Field Notes is an initiative created in response to feedback from filmmakers yearning for more thoughtful and nuanced writing about the art form. Led by Contributing Editor Devika Girish, and featuring a regular column by Ashley Clark, Field Notes also publishes previously circulated work in translation from other languages to connect the international documentary community. LOOKING AHEAD Field of Vision recognizes the power held within strategic partnerships. Alongside Lawyers for Reporters — a joint venture of PFDF and the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice — Field of Vision plans to launch a free legal clinic in 2021. The service will provide services for freelancers working in the documentary space within the U.S., offering legal information and referrals to pro bono legal assistance to filmmakers and journalists looking to learn more about specific topics.