Steven Soderbergh Announced Miguel Faus as First Winner of $100k Andrews/Bernard Financing Awards on Decentralized Pictures

News at Sundance: During FILM3 on the Mountain Director/producer Steven Soderbergh announced the first winner of three financing awards that his production company Extension 765 launched in partnership with blockchain-powered non-profit Decentralized Pictures (DCP). Spanish filmmaker Miguel Faus will receive $100,000 in finishing funds for his feature-length fiction film CALLADITA. 

As Soderbergh explained at the announcement: “I’m so glad we’re here today because we’re moving from an abstract idea of trying to support a filmmaker into a real space of actually assisting. The specificity of the vision that we saw in everything that came our way was really exciting. It’s especially exciting to be hopefully getting Miguel bring his film into the end zone.”

Soderbergh created the Andrews/Bernard Award to support three emerging filmmakers with finishing funds for fiction features or shorts worth $100,000 each. The next two recipients will be voted on and announced later this year. The winning projects are determined via transparent voting powered by blockchain technology on DCP’s democratic funding platform. To submit applications to be considered for these awards or to participate as a voter, please visit DCP’s website.

A  501c3 non-profit founded by Roman Coppola, Leo Matchett, Michael Musante, and American Zoetrope, Decentralized Pictures (DCP) is dedicated to elevating the voices of independent filmmakers through a fair blockchain protocol. DCP has launched partnerships with filmmaker/producer Kevin Smith and not-for-profit The Gotham to create financing awards for undiscovered talent. 

Organized by Decentralized Pictures, Decrypt Studios, Sugar Mountain Entertainment and Lamina1, FILM3 On the Mountain featured a panel on the benefits and drawbacks of Web 3 and blockchain technology for filmmakers, as well as a chance to network with leaders in film and television.