Filmmakers Alliance is a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

. It was founded by Jacques Thelemaque

Jacques Thelemaque

Jacques Thelemaque is an American screenwriter and director best known as the president of the Los Angeles film collective Filmmakers Alliance.-Biography:...

 and Diane Gaidry

Diane Gaidry

Diane Adair Gaidry is an American film actress. She portrayed Simone Bradley in 2006 film Loving Annabelle directed by Katherine Brooks. Her characterization won her the Grand Jury Award for Best Actress at L.A. Outfest.Gaidry received B.F.A...

. Its over 300 members provide a support system through which members share time, energy, expertise, equipment and creative support for one another's film projects from concept through distribution.

It is best known for Visionfest, its yearly gala held every August at Directors Guild of America

Directors Guild of America

Directors Guild of America is an entertainment labor union which represents the interests of film and television directors in the United States motion picture industry...

. The Vision Award, presented by Filmmakers Alliance at this event, has been given to such filmmakers as Terry Gilliam

Terry Gilliam

Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...

, Wim Wenders

Wim Wenders

Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...

, and Alexander Payne

Alexander Payne

Alexander Payne, born Alexander Constantine Papadopoulos is an American film director and screenwriter. His films are noted for their dark humor and satirical depictions of contemporary American society.- Early life :...

.

Also presented at Visionfest is The Los Angeles Short Filmmaking Grant, which provides the winning short screenplay with 35mm film from Kodak, a camera package from Panavision

Panavision

Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during the widescreen boom in the 1950s, Panavision expanded its product...

, film processing and production support from Filmmakers Alliance. Past winners of this grant include Elyse Couvillion and Sean Hood

Sean Hood

Sean Hood is an American screenwriter best known for horror films, and more recently, action/thrillers.-Early life:Hood graduated from Brown University, with a double major in pure mathematics and studio art, and then spent several years working in Hollywood as a set dresser, prop assistant and...

.