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EXCLUSIVE: Welcome news for makers of documentary shorts, who often struggle to reach a wide array of viewers with their work. Yahoo and The Nonfiction Hotlist have announced a partnership that will see Yahoo promote and distribute 20 short docs across a variety of genres to a global audience.
The Nonfiction Hotlist – “a leading documentary content curation and distribution platform known for identifying exceptional stories and connecting filmmakers with major distribution opportunities” — will oversee the curatorial process. Beginning today and running through March 6, filmmakers can submit their projects for consideration (find the submission portal here).
Projects can fall under one of six thematic categories: Sports and Athleticism; Business and Economics; Science, Innovation and Technology; Nature and Environment; Arts and Culture; Biography and Lifestyle. According to a release, “Films will be selected based on artistic merit, powerful storytelling, and cultural relevance.”
Films can run between 10 and 40 minutes in length and must be in English; the shorts must have been completed between January 2023 and March 2026 (in other words, no dusting off that short made a decade ago).
“The nonfiction community needs partners who understand that great storytelling deserves both reach and respect,” Adam Neuhaus, CEO and co-founder of The Nonfiction Hotlist, said in a statement. “The Nonfiction Hotlist has built the relationships, curatorial expertise, and industry trust to ensure this partnership delivers real value to filmmakers – not just exposure, but meaningful compensation and professional opportunities. Together with Yahoo, we can give these films meaningful global exposure and create the exact kind of pathway the industry needs right now. This is about building sustainable models where exceptional nonfiction finds its audience.”
Ryan Spoon, president of Yahoo Media Group, commented, “We’re thrilled to team up with The Nonfiction Hotlist to champion a new wave of documentary filmmakers and expand our video offering with a great, unique collection of films. We’re proud to help create new lanes for support, recognition, and discovery by introducing these standout filmmakers and projects to our Yahoo audience and properties.”
Under terms of the partnership, Yahoo will distribute the selected films across its properties, including yahoosports.tv and its Yahoo Sports Network and Yahoo Finance FAST channels. Yahoo says it “will further amplify the films with additional content such as filmmaker interviews, behind-the-scenes features, and in-depth companion articles.” Importantly, Yahoo points out that the selected filmmakers will also be paid for their work, “ensuring fair compensation for creators.”
The Nonfiction Hotlist has become an essential platform for the nonfiction ecosystem, the release notes, “proving that quality can reach massive audiences when supported with the right infrastructure.”
Yahoo, launched 32 years ago this month, serves “as a trusted guide for hundreds of millions of people globally, helping them achieve their goals big and small online through our portfolio of iconic products.”
English (US) ·