I’m One of the Filmmakers DOGE Targeted at the NEH. Here’s Why We’re In Trouble (Guest Column)

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Recently, I found myself unwillingly enrolled among a collective – filmmakers who had their National Endowment for the Humanities funding revoked.

It’s been reported that both President Donald Trump and DOGE (presumably the Department of Education) have significantly reduced the workforce and funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities. This has had a substantial impact on documentarians in the field.

Due to the reduction in NEH funding, DOGE has singled out 89 documentary and associated media initiatives for potential cancellation. This encompasses podcasts as well. Among these are a four-part Ken Burns docuseries delving into the history of our criminal justice system, Rita Coburn’s film on W.E.B. Du Bois, and Matia Karrell and Hilary Prentice’s documentary Coming Home: Fight for a Legacy, which highlights America’s unsung female World War II aviators. Funding has been halted even for documentaries focusing on baseball and Nancy Drew, leaving the fate of many projects in limbo.

Often times, the production of films came to a halt prematurely – for example, Karrell and Prentice managed to secure 20% of their required funds, yet the remaining $480,000 remains out of reach. This amount, accumulated over a decade spent on research, filming, and personal commitment, is crucial to the filmmakers, despite its insignificance to the federal government. The reduction in funding for media ranged between $10 million and $20 million. While this might seem substantial, it equates to just 10% of the NEH’s total budget, with other grant recipients also facing cuts. Furthermore, it represents a negligible 0.003% of the federal budget as a whole. Clearly, this is not a solution for addressing budget deficits.

The sudden cancellation of NEH grants is a remarkable event in the agency’s 60-year history, affecting not only filmmakers but also significantly influencing the cultural pulse of our nation. Established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, the NEH has granted over $6 billion to humanities councils across 56 states and jurisdictions, supporting projects that foster a better understanding of our shared humanity. Over the years, numerous films funded by the NEH have left a lasting social impact, such as Gordon Parks’ “Solomon Northup’s Odyssey” in 1984, based on the author of “Twelve Years a Slave,” and “A Midwife’s Tale” in 1997, which was a docudrama based on an early American midwife’s diary. The latest, “Crip Camp” from 2020, offers a powerful perspective on the disability rights movement, created by one of its activists and founders, James Lebrecht. Now, this valuable work is at risk.

In my own correspondence, I shared that the letter felt like a strong blow to the gut. I’ve been laboring on a documentary titled “My Underground Mother” for more than ten years. This film follows my journey in uncovering the concealed Holocaust past of my deceased mother, which is revealed through her and 60 other women’s accounts in a clandestine diary. These women were part of a resistance group that I track down across the globe, weaving their written testimonies with contemporary interviews. Their story sheds light on an overlooked aspect of the Holocaust, underscoring the devastating impact of antisemitism.

However, the organization financing my project (every NEH film has one) recently received a letter from Michael McDonald, acting chair of the NEH. This letter stated that my documentary no longer aligns with the agency’s needs and priorities as outlined in the Grant Agreement, using a rarely invoked clause that allows federal agencies significant discretion to halt funding for projects that deviate from an administration’s agenda. The letter further explained that the sudden termination of the grant is essential to protect the federal government’s interests, particularly its fiscal concerns.

It seems that not only did this administration consider my independent film a poor use of public funds, but they also believed that its financing threatened our country’s immediate financial requirements.

It’s quite unusual considering President Trump is engaged in a conflict with prestigious universities over accusations of not effectively addressing antisemitism. Even Sen. Elizabeth Warren recognized the irony, as she specifically called out “My Underground Mother” as an exceptionally poor choice for cancellation. The connection between President Trump’s statement and the terminated projects focusing on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) is not immediately clear, given that these projects often revolve around figures like artist Frida Kahlo or Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

According to Immy Humes, an award-nominated film director who received a grant for her work on a movie about the lesser-known figure Shirley Clarke and has assembled a team of fellow filmmakers to resist such actions, she expressed concern over “these changes are too broad and vague.” She continued, “I was ecstatic when I learned about my NEH grant. But then suddenly, this unexpected termination with no prior notice.

In contrast to Elon Musk’s portrayal of federal grants as simple handouts for freeloaders, let me clarify that the process for National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants is far from easy money. In fact, it’s more challenging to secure an NEH grant than it is to get accepted into Harvard. Many applications are rejected before a single grant is awarded. My own first grant, a $75,000 film development award, was the result of nearly a decade of dedication, including research, writing, filming, pitching, and fundraising efforts.

It seems the vetting process wasn’t as comprehensive as usual, according to an NEH staffer I spoke with. This individual mentioned that “the Doge staff members were present, two young men who appeared unfamiliar to me, glancing at their phones. They didn’t stay for long, merely a couple of days.

It’s clear that the repercussions of these funding cuts will extend far beyond the realm of documentaries. Withholding these grants affects every library, historical society, museum, and film production organization. These entities are responsible for creating, distributing, and screening such films. Additionally, Trump’s proposals to significantly reduce funding for the NEA and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting could further cripple this pipeline.

As a gamer, I’m finding it tough to figure out my next moves. Instead of providing clear instructions on how to contest this situation, the administration has been throwing around puzzling orders, extending the initial 30-day appeal window by another 30 days. Yet, they’ve also made it clear that the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) isn’t offering a way to resolve disagreements. This leaves me in a bit of a pickle.

The NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, joined by the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Historical Association, and the Modern Language Association. However, it’s not the responsibility of individual filmmakers to pursue legal action concerning grant terminations; rather, it falls on the nonprofit organizations that the NEH collaborates with. This approach has resulted in a somewhat disorganized response, with some choosing to accept the termination out of concern for delayed reimbursements, while others, like Prentice, whose production partner Women Make Movies is filing an appeal on her behalf, are standing up to challenge this decision.

Recents victories in court, particularly those achieved by Voice of America journalists, offer a glimmer of optimism (although a higher court has since overturned the decision). Established during World War II to disseminate truthful journalism to troops and foreign citizens as a counter to Nazi propaganda, V.O.A. has shown that there’s no more effective method for combating hatred than humanizing those who are different. Through personal encounters or projects, I have witnessed the power of meeting Holocaust survivors to challenge deeply-rooted antisemitic views. However, if organizations like the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, and local humanities councils face defunding, the opportunities for bridging divides will be drastically reduced. Consequently, our ability to curb the rising tide of hate will also diminish.

As I reflect upon George Orwell’s words, ‘The most powerful method to undermine people is by erasing their grasp of their own history,’ it’s poignant on this 80th anniversary of V-E Day that we honor the Allies’ triumph over intolerance. We can only strive, wish for peace, and battle tirelessly, to safeguard institutions like the NEH, so they may continue to prevent such destructive erasure.

Marisa Fox, an experienced journalist and TV producer, serves as the director of “My Underground Mother.” (Informal version: Marisa Fox, with years of experience in journalism and TV production, helms the project “My Underground Mother.”)

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2025-05-09 05:55