Canon Video Grant celebrates the best emerging talent worldwide in documentary filmmaking

First launched in 2020 in response to an ever-changing media landscape in which video continues to become and essential tool for photographers, the Canon Video Grant - Short Film Documentary is an annual award recognising the best emerging documentary filmmaking talent worldwide, sponsored by Canon in association with Images Evidence. Entries are now open for the 2025 edition.

"This grant aims to celebrate and support up-and-coming champions of this new age of visual storytelling by giving them funding and a platform to be heard," says Richard Shepherd, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Canon EMEA.

"Canon is also arming storytellers with the innovation they need to further propel their careers in video. Just as the stills and video capabilities of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II marked the beginning of a shift in the market that enabled visual storytellers to move between stills and motion, the hybrid workhorse Canon EOS R5 Mark II with 8K video and Dual Shooting Function takes this a step further."

Over the past five years, the grant has afforded previous recipients the ability to tell the stories not previously told, from all over the world. French-Swiss photojournalist Michaël Zumstein was the recipient of the inaugural Canon Video Grant – Short Film Documentary and used the grant to continue his work as a filmmaker. His grant took him to Senegal, West Africa, to explore the growing connection of its young people to China, as a means to find work.

Irene Baqué, the first female to be awarded the grant (2022), appreciated the flexibility the Grant provided in terms of what she stories could pitch, and how she could invest the funds. She used the grant to tell the story of Casa Xochiquetzal in Mexico City, using the Grant to contribute towards production logistics, a sound recordist and fixer.

Juan Vicente Manrique Gomez was the recipient of the fourth Canon Video Grant in 2023 for his short-film documentary project 'Looking for a donkey' which he shot in Venezuela. Juan's aim was to tell the story of two firefighters from a little town in the Venezuelan Andes, who were arrested and subsequently jailed after releasing a video in which they caricatured Venezuela's president as a donkey.

Looking back on the project, Juan shared, "I am very proud of how the film came together. We were able to find a tone that was satirical but also serious, that could make people reflect on this story about this polemic donkey, freedom of speech in my country, and make a statement of the short memory, but also laugh, smile and share a little of the beauty of my country and our beautiful Venezuelan donkeys."

With limited funding possibilities available for short films of this nature, Juan was looking for an opportunity to bring this film to life. Reflecting on his application for the Canon Video Grant, he encourages others to apply.

"I had this idea written a long time ago, so when I saw this possibility to make the film a reality, I just went for it! Just go for it," he says, "there is nothing to lose!"

Alan shares a similar sentiment for filmmakers needing some encouragement.

"If you have a story in your mind that you feel you must tell, just go for it. Don’t let external factors stop you. Pick up your camera, bring out your passion, and edit a trailer with sincerity and dedication. Your audience will feel your enthusiasm through your visuals, and the emotions in your footage will resonate with them. This is the first and most crucial step toward success," he encourages.

Having access to Canon video and filmmaking kit is another reason previous recipients encourage emerging filmmakers to apply.

"We all know that Canon’s camera technology is innovative and industry-leading, so don’t miss the opportunity to apply. Remember, every opportunity is precious, make the most of it!" continues Alan.

"It was my first time shooting one of my films with Canon cine lenses and I really believe it made a difference in the cinematography result. I also found the Canon EOS C70 was super comfortable to use, perfect for documentary filmmaking," shared Juan, looking back on his production of 'Looking for a Donkey'.

For The Gordion Knot, Alan used a combination of the Canon EOS C300 Mark III and Canon EOS C70, each cinema EOS camera offering something unique to the production.

"Both cameras gave me many 'wow' moments and the level of detail they captured exceeded my expectations, even in challenging filming environments they provided me with great confidence," he says. Highlighting the Super 35mm CMOS sensor of the EOS C300 Mark III, he adds, "Even when shooting in dark environments, the footage remained incredibly smooth. Even when I pushed the ISO, I could barely see any noise. This allowed me to adjust the brightness and colour grading more easily in post-production."

He opted for the EOS C70 for moments when he needed a portable camera that offered flexibility, advanced autofocus and the ability to record for longer durations.

"I had to film inside a narrow truck fully loaded with buffaloes, so I needed a camera that was highly maneuverable and capable of recording for longer. Shooting inside a swaying truck was already a challenge, but on top of that I had to focus accurately in low-light and the EOS C70's Eye AF quickly recognised and tracked subjects' eyes, ensuring my footage was sharp even in unpredictable environments.

The Canon Video Grant is open to individual professional photojournalists or documentary video makers with at least one video reportage project under their belt. They can be based anywhere in the world but need to have a proficient grasp of French or English, spoken and written. Their proposed short documentary must cover a social, economic, political or cultural subject in a journalistic manner.

Entry is free and applications for the 2025 Canon Video Grant open 25 March 2025 and close 27 May 2025.

To find out more about the Canon Video Grant – Short Film Documentary and to apply, visit the Visa pour l'Image Awards & Grants page or email canon-videogrant@orange.fr.

2024: Alan Lau

2023: Juan Vicente Manrique Gomez

2022: Irene Baqué

2021: Camille Millerand

2020: Michaël Zumstein