Malcolm Spellman & Chromatic Black launch fund For Black creatives

As obtained by Deadline, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier creator Malcolm Spellman has partnered with Chromatic Black on the Ida B. Wells Fund. This will entail a scholarship of $100k (£72,305) to be invested in 10 Black creatives to produce independent film and documentary projects.

To earn one of the 10 winning spots, Chromatic Black, Spellman, and other members of the jury will critique projects that contain dominant social and historical narratives with artistic attributes such as commitment, communal meaning, disruption, cultural integrity, emotional experience, risk-taking, coherence, openness, stickiness, and resourcefulness.

“This is not a ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative’. It is an investment in our most promising and prolific storytellers— moving us beyond a focus on iconic power toward institutional power,” said Emil Pinnock, co-founder of Chromatic Black.

Angela Harmon, co-founder of Chromatic Black, described the project as “a cultural moment. This fund represents creative yet pragmatic thinking and effective practice when it comes to supporting chromatic black artistry and early investment in disruptive filmmakers.”

Alongside Spellman, other jurists include Academy and Emmy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning producer, Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte; Paula J. Giddings, 2014 recipient of the LA Times History Book Prize for “Ida: A Sword Among Lions” optioned by Disney; actor Ian Duff (Judas and the Black Messiah); Grammy-winning and Emmy nominated director/producer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders; feminist, business executive, and activist, Jewell Jackson McCabe; award-winning writer, director, and producer, Julie Dash; and Gloria Steinem, writer, lecturer, political activist, and feminist organizer.

Application date has been extended to Sept. 8. Winners of the scholarship fund will be announced on September 15, 2021. For more info, visit idabwellsfund.com.

This story was a Deadline exclusive.