FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ArtsKC, in partnership with the Kansas City Film Office, announces the 2026-2027 Recipients of the Teri Rogers Film Grants for Filmmakers and Screenwriters.
Kansas City, MO – ArtsKC, in partnership with the Kansas City Film Office, announces the talented recipients of the Teri Rogers Film Grants. These grants were created in honor of the late Teri Rogers, a woman who dedicated her life to uplifting women creatives in Kansas City.
“We are thrilled to support these talented filmmakers and screenwriters through the Teri Rogers Film Grants,” said Dana Knapp, CEO of ArtsKC. “Investing in diverse and creative voices not only enriches the Kansas City arts community but also serves as a testament to Teri Rogers’s legacy of uplifting women and fostering a thriving, inclusive environment for artists.”
The Teri Rogers Film Grants are divided into two categories: the Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grants and the Teri Rogers Screenwriting Award.
The Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grants offer two $10,000 grants, each including membership to Film Independent, a subscription to Movie Maker Magazine, and mentorship opportunities with professionals in the field. These grants are specifically designed for early-career directors creating new film, video, and digital production work in the short narrative genre (non-documentary). The purpose of these grants is to support ambitious projects that involve risk, growth, and change for the filmmaker, while also making a positive impact on the community. This funding is intended to support either the production (filming) or post-production process. One grant is awarded to a self-identifying woman and/or gender-nonconforming filmmaker, and the other grant is open to all genders.
In addition to the Filmmakers Grants, the Teri Rogers Screenwriting Award provides one $1,000 grant for a full feature or pilot script, further promoting and encouraging the development of diverse and compelling stories.
This year’s Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grants and Teri Rogers Screenwriting Award recipients represent the immense creative potential of filmmakers in Kansas City and the surrounding region. We are proud to announce the following talented individuals who were chosen for their exceptional storytelling abilities, creativity, and potential to create meaningful impact through their work. We are honored to contribute to the growth and success of these talented filmmakers through this grant program.
Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grants Grantees
Honesty Taszhé for the film, “Fast”. When a tantalizing video spreads among friends, a disabled wallflower must assess how people’s perceptions of her growing body trigger involuntary bodily reactions that might have dire consequences.
Filmmaker Molly Murphy received a grant for her animated short film, “BATPLANE.” In the midst of an epic bat migration in rural Kansas, two women grapple with mother/daughter relationships in a mechanically impaired airplane in the sky.
The Teri Rogers Screenwriting Award Grantee
Jerry Rapps’ script, “Undercurrent”, is about an ex-con, Booker Short, who calls in an age-old favor and turns an entire community upside down in the process. A tumultuous affair, an unlikely friendship, and a body that mysteriously turns up in the Missouri River. As Booker becomes the likely suspect, justice will not be served until Booker helps expose some ancient and incendiary secrets.
Finalists for the Screenwriting Award include: Justin Nosler for the script “Sorrow’s Whispers” and Toni Berrie for the script “Granny’s Shot”.
The recipients of the Teri Rogers Film Grants were selected through a rigorous process involving a panel of industry experts and ArtsKC board members.
This year’s grant review panel for the Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grants included Committee Chair (ArtsKC Board Member): Ramsey Andrijevich, Vice President, Senior Wealth Manager for Lido Advisors, and Committee Advisor Rachel Kephart, Kansas City Film Commissioner. Supported by committee members:
Barry Wilson – Cinematographer and former Film Grant Recipient
Deidre Backs – Film Professor & Producer
Eva Louise Hall – Director, Screenwriter, Assistant Professor and Chair of Animation at KCAI
Jamie Addison – Actress & Filmmaker | Founder, Buckwheat Productions
JS Hampton – Filmmaker
Steph Shannon – Director of Major Giving, PBS
Taylor Gilbert – Writer/Director
For the Teri Rogers Screenwriting Award the committee included the following:
Committee Chair (ArtsKC Board Member): Ramsey Andrijevich, Vice President, Senior Wealth Manager for Lido Advisors, and Committee Advisor Rachel Kephart, Kansas City Film Commissioner. Supported by committee members:
Committee members:
Bryan Colley – Playwright
Jeffrey Field – Screenwriter
Morgan Dameron – Screenwriter & Professor
Sav Rogers – Filmmaker & Founder, Transgender Film Center
Taylor Thompson – KC Film Office Coordinator
Trai Cartwright – Screenwriter, Producer, Professor
ArtsKC aims to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive film community by investing in emerging talent. For more information about the Teri Rogers Film Grants, visit artskc.org