The Sundance Institute and TED, host of the multi-disciplinary conference and online lecture series, are collaborating for the first time to offer a $125,000 prize for a short documentary project about the work of Sugata Mitra, winner of the annual TED Prize.

The Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund will accept proposals from Mar 1-Apr 15 and will design and oversee the selection process in collaboration with TED.

The winning project must highlight the work of the TED Prize winner over the course of their first 12-18 months after receiving the award, be suitable for creating appreciation and deeper understanding of the TED Prize winner’s work, be independently produced, with creative control held by the film-makers, and display directorial vision and aesthetic.

Crucially the partners also stipulated the film must have the potential for theatrical release.

Submissions should be 25-50 minutes long and be completed within 18 months of the announcement of the award. The winning proposal will be announced at TED Global in Edinburgh, Scotland, in June. For more information click here.

“Through the Sundance Institute | TED Prize Filmmaker Award, documentary film will bring to life the extraordinary vision of Sugata Mitra’s large-scale collaborative project, providing a record of his work and an inspiring way for audiences to engage with the ideas behind it,” said Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam [pictured].

“The TED Prize is awarded to remarkable individuals who have a great vision and a world changing wish, and will use the prize to build on their bodies of work,” said Lara Stein, director of the TED Prize. “The Sundance Institute | TED Prize Filmmaker Award not only provides a vehicle for telling the TED Prize winner’s story, but will engage a wider global audience to participate in the recipient’s wish.”

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