The MNFF Endowment Fund was launched in July 2025 with a major lead gift from Festival benefactors Michele Hernandez and Bruce Bayliss. The Fund’s objective is to secure the financial future of the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival and make the Festival a permanent part of Middlebury’s cultural landscape.

The MNFF Endowment Fund seeks to raise $5 million. At this level, the Fund will be able to support key objectives such as critical staff expansion and program innovations for both broader community engagement and sustained filmmaker development, such as a multi-faceted filmmaking incubator initiative.

On the strength of our lead gift from Michele and Bruce, as well as additional investments from other generous supporters in our community, the MNFF Endowment Fund’s first year concludes with $500,000 in commitments. Our deepest thanks to all of these folks:

Should you wish to join this campaign to make MNFF permanent and elevate its ability to create and innovate, contact Festival Co-Founder Lloyd Komesar at lk@middfilmfest.org or Managing Producer Andy Mitchell at andy@middfilmfest.org. Let’s build the future together as a community!

MNFF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, registered in the State of Vermont.