Eva Louise Hall, Assistant Professor of Animation at the Kansas City Art Institute, has been announced as a recipient of a Teri Rogers Film Grant through ArtsKC. The $10,000 grant includes a membership to Film Independent, a subscription to Movie Maker Magazine, and mentorship opportunities with professionals in the field.

The purpose of the grant 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, according to the announcement from ArtsKC.

Hall is a graduate of KCAI ('12 Animation). Her current short Pluck follows the story of a talented athlete at the height of her career as she struggles to hide a horrifying terminal diagnosis that grotesquely begins to mutate her body into that of a chicken. This stop motion horror short will explore themes of nature vs human control, bodily autonomy, and end of life agency.

"Being awarded this grant means a tremendous amount to me. This grant has made the initial greenlight for this film possible - with these funds, we can officially begin production and fabrication for the film this month," Hall said.

Outside of the logistical possibilities the grant has given, Hall calls it an "absolute honor" to have her project supported and recognized by ArtsKC and the Kansas City Film Office.

"I am incredibly grateful to have their support for Pluck, a script that was deeply challenging and important for me to write because of how it navigates and explores issues of death acceptance, bodily autonomy at all stages of life, and end-of-life agency," Hall said.

These grants were created in honor of the late Teri Rogers, a woman who dedicated her life to uplifting women creatives in Kansas City.

"I am further honored that my work through this grant will contribute to the legacy and impact of the late Teri Rogers - someone who, by all accounts, was a tremendous force in the Kansas City creative community and a fierce advocate for the presence and empowerment of women in film," Hall said.

“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.”

Read the full announcement from ArtsKC which includes details on the other recipients