Vera Drew has been named the first recipient of the Transgender Film Center Found Footage Feature Fund award for the project Trandemic.
The selection followed a multi-stage review by the Transgender Film Center and partners, with Duplass Brothers Productions choosing the winner from finalists. As the inaugural recipient, Drew will receive a $25,000 cash grant along with mentorship from Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice, script review, post-production services, and other support packages.
Trandemic is described as a cosmic found footage horror-comedy. Genre distributor Chroma has offered distribution for the project. Drew previously directed The People’s Joker in 2022, which received a 2025 John Cassavetes Award nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards.
“I’m so wildly stoked and honored to be receiving this grant from the Trans Film Center and Duplass Brothers Productions,” Drew said. Mark Duplass noted strong interest in the submitted projects and encouraged crowdfunding for the other finalists.
