How ITVS meets audience where they really are (IndieWire)

Get Funded

Get Funded

You have a powerful story to tell—let’s bring it to life together. We offer development and co-production funds for short and feature documentaries.

EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMS

Our Funds

Independent Lens Creator Lab

Independent Lens Creator Lab

Accepting applications through December 19, 2025

Up to $36k in production funds for vertical content with hands-on mentorship and industry guidance.

View Independent Lens Creator Lab

Incubator Fund

Opens January 2, 2026

Early-stage funding for nonfiction web series and features, and three to six-month incubator to advance your program materials while growing skills.
Working With Us
Documentaries
Documentaries

As the leading incubator and funder of independent documentaries, ITVS has co-produced over 1,800 projects since our founding in 1988.

EXPLORE OUR DOCUMENTARIES
Featured Film

The Librarians

Premiering Soon

The Librarians

Librarians from Texas, Florida, and other states unite to examine how book restriction policies are shaping library collections.

Our Work

Where We Stream
About
About ITVS

We amplify powerful stories and voices that represent the breadth of our communities across America.

Read More About ITVS
Who We Are
Donate
Search

A Village Called Versailles

A Village Called Versailles is the story of a Vietnamese American community on the edge of New Orleans that fought the opening of a toxic government-imposed landfill near their homes.

Series

Independent Lens, Global Voices

Premiere Date

May 25, 2010

Length

60 minutes

Funding Type

Co-Production

Awards & Recognition

Nominee

2010 News and Documentary Emmy Awards - Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story

S. Leo Chiang

Producer/Director

S. Leo CHIANG (Producer/Director) is a documentarian based in Taipei & San Francisco. His Emmy-nominated film, A Village Called Versailles, picked up eight film festival awards and aired on PBS’ Independent Lens series. Out Run, his recently completed film, received support from ITVS, Sundance, and Tribeca. His other films include Mr. Cao Goes To Washington (Inspiration Award, Full Frame 2012) and To You Sweetheart, Aloha (PBS broadcast 2006). Leo received his MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He is currently the co-chair of New Day Films, a 45-year-old co-op of social-issue documentarians. He is also a consulting producer for CNEX, the Chinese documentary foundation.