Arts Alive offers fiscal sponsorship to new arts organizations working their way towards independence as nonprofits and to artists exploring community-centered projects and creating work in the Monadnock region. Recently, Arts Alive adopted two new incubation projects as part of the program, and both happen to be documentaries!
Contenders
Brought to you by Everything to Entertain You: The Story of Video Headquarters’ filmmaker Brantley Palmer, Contenders will be a compelling, feature length documentary on the story of Fall Mountain Regional High School’s football team in Langdon, NH. The 90-minute documentary captures the turnaround of the program under a new head coach and the unwavering support of the Fall Mountain school district community. This inherently human sports story of perseverance, teamwork, and character building aims to bring passion, creativity, and spirit of the community to film festival screens following completion by summer 2025.
Esther Topaz
Esther Topaz: Sculpting a Life brings together local creators, musicians, and film editors to explore the impact of trauma on an artist’s life and career. Through the documentary, Sojourner Films aims to educate a national audience about art, war, and inherited trauma through the impactful story of artist and Holocaust survivor Esther Topaz. Noted scholars share their expertise on the Vichy government’s role in the 20th century genocide of Jewish people and many others in Europe during and leading up to WWII. Lawrence Benaquist, Ph.D. and Emeritus Professor in the Keene State College’s film studies program heads the project, which is now in post-production.
Esther Topaz: Sculpting a Life was also one of our minigrant awardees from 2023! All funds for the mini grants program are raised through NH Gives in June. Check out more incubated and “graduated” projects, from dance and poetry to music and community initiatives, at monadnockartsalive.org/arts-incubation.
