This month (July 2005) sees the launch of the Channel 4 British Documentary Film Foundation (C4 BDFF).

The Foundation plans to bring a new way - outside the confines of television - to develop, fund and distribute ther work of the most innovative UK documentary filmmakers. Channel 4 has pledged £2.6 million over the next three years. What's it all about? In their own words:

"We believe that documentaries are a vital part of British culture and that British documentary filmmakers are amongst the very best in the world.

The last two years have been an incredible time for documentary. Fahrenheit 9/11, Supersize Me and Jamie’s School Dinners have underlined how documentaries can change the world around us whilst films like Etre et Avoir and Spellbound reminded us that documentaries are an important and often unacknowledged art form. Now, our aim with the Foundation is to create an independent space for British filmmakers to make the most groundbreaking and important work they can.

The Foundation team are passionate about documentary and want to work with people who share that passion. We are looking to back short films, particularly by new filmmakers, feature-length projects with the potential to break through, experimental films, passion projects by established filmmakers, documentaries by artists from other mediums such as photography or art and ambitious development projects. We want the foundation’s work to help maintain the UK’s world-class reputation as the home of documentary, as well as finding new avenues for films to be seen both in the UK and on the international film circuit.

As well as directly funding films, we will offer training and arrange mentoring where appropriate to our filmmakers, coupled with practical help and advice on how best to ensure that their films get seen by the right people once they are completed."

Visit the Foundation at http://www.britdoc.org