FILM FESTIVALS
American Indian Film Festival – AIFF45 showcases feature films, shorts, documentaries, animation, music videos and public service works of and about (USA) Native American and Canada First Nations peoples.
Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) – The first and longest running festival in the U.S. to showcase for the best in independent Asian and Asian American cinema.
American Black Film Festival (ABFF) – is an annual event dedicated to recognizing black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent.
Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) – is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the promotion of cultural understanding among peoples of African descent. PAFF is dedicated to racial tolerance through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression.
Urbanworld Film Festival is a five-day festival, which curates a slate of films representing the broadest lens of diversity across stories, characters, themes, and cultures. Anchored by inclusive content, showcasing narrative and documentary features, short films, web originals, music videos, spotlight screenings and conversations, and live staged screenplay readings, it is one of the largest internationally competitive festivals of its kind.
PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES*
*Check websites for program submission dates.
WRITING
Nickanimation.com- Nickelodeon Writing Program offers emerging television writers from around the world a paid opportunity to develop their craft and launch their careers.
National Hispanic Media Coalition Television Scriptwriter’s Program – is designed to familiarize participants with the format, characters and storyline structure of specific shows that are currently on the air in an effort to ensure the Latinx community is fairly represented and heard throughout every form of print and mass media.
The Black List & Women in Film Episodic Lab – invites six to eight promising non–professional television writers who identify as women to participate in weekly programs that will consist of script development, peer workshopping sessions and Master Classes with established writers and industry executives. Lab participants will have their final pilots read by agencies and networks.
CAPE New Writers Fellowship – discovers and nurtures emerging writers launching their careers in television and film
Tribeca All Access – The Tribeca Film Institute’s flagship program for scripted and documentary storytellers from systematically excluded communities.
Hedgebrook Screenwriters Lab – Supports five to six female screenwriters in developing their projects over a weeklong residency. Held at a Hedgebrook’s retreat on Whidbey Island in Washington, the program aims to support the creative process of a diverse group of screenwriters each year, and build a community that harnesses the power of film as a storytelling medium to change the cultural conversation.
Macro – Episodic Lab – MACRO and the Black List offer writers of color the opportunity to develop and produce an original digital or television pilot script. Our mission is to discover and empower episodic storytellers with the proper creative tools, resources, and access needed to help launch their careers.
DIRECTING
Disney/ABC Directing Program – The two-year professional directing program, which spans two television seasons . The primary goal of this program is to afford Program Directors access to develop relationships with WDT executives and productions.
Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors Program – The SPT DIVERSE DIRECTORS PROGRAM provides access and exposure for highly qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds to television episodic directing.
The AFI Directing Workshop for Women (DWW) is the longest-running program dedicated to supporting women and gender non-binary narrative directors. Committed to providing opportunities for marginalized genders, DWW annually mentors eight filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction with classes led by industry experts.
Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator – The Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator is a brand-new opportunity for up to six (6) directors from underrepresented backgrounds to present diverse perspectives, through the production of original, live-action shorts for proposed initial exhibition on the upcoming streaming service, Disney+.
Association of Independent Commercial Producers Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP) – was created to effect change and increase the representation of minority and women directors specializing in commercials and marketing communications. CDDP is a 6 month program consisting of workshops, mentorships, networking, shadowing, a $15k grant to make a spec commercial, and an industry showcase to share the work.
ACTING/PERFORMANCE
Walt Disney Television Casting Project – identifies/develops culturally and ethnically diverse talent and actors with disabilities by hosting a talent showcase each year in New York and Los Angeles.
StandUp NBC – nationwide search for stand-up comedians of diverse backgrounds, which started in 2003. This initiative allows comedians from across the country to showcase for key players at NBCUniversal and throughout the industry.
The Bob Curry Fellowship Program at The Second City – This ten-week master program offers up to 16 fellowships to qualifying actors and improvisers from diverse multicultural backgrounds to train and study at The Second City Chicago, Hollywood and Toronto.
MULTI-FACETED INITIATIVES
VIACOM – Diversity Institute, offers a wide array of opportunities designed to bring more diversity into the creative process, in front of and behind the camera.
Sundance Diversity Initiative -The Diversity Initiative at Sundance encompasses our efforts in all programs of the organization to reach into new communities of storytellers and audiences across regions, genres, ethnicities, gender and orientation.
NBCUniversal Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Diverse talent pipeline programs which identify and engage creative talent from a wide array of backgrounds. The programs cover a range of positions, including directors, writers, actors, music composers, and journalists.
Warner Brothers Television Workshop– Directing and writing workshop programs designed to start and further careers in television
Warner Bros. Discovery Access – Provides mentorship, guidance and education for creative minds from diverse backgrounds
NBCUniversal Female Forward – New initiative that forges a path for female scripted series directors
Producers Guild of America (PGA) PGA Create – PGA Create is an immersive lab for creative producers from underrepresented backgrounds. It gives select participants an opportunity to learn from some of the most successful producers in the business, and network with like-minded participants. PGA Create was launched in Fall 2021 with the lead sponsorship support of Google.
ORGANIZATIONS
American Indian Film Institute – The mission of the American Indian film institute is to foster understanding and appreciation of the culture, traditions, and issues of contemporary Native Americans. AIFI encourages filmmakers whose work expresses the native voices, viewpoints, and stories historically excluded from mainstream media; develops audiences for their works; and advocates for authentic representations of Indians in the media.
Asian CineVision (ACV) – Is a nonprofit media arts organization devoted to the development, exhibition, promotion, and preservation of Asian and Asian American film and video.
Women Make Movies (WMM) – Non-profit media arts organization which facilitates and supports women producers and directors from the beginning, planting the seeds for a diverse and inclusive filmmaking landscape. WMM is the world’s leading distributor of independent films by and about women.
Alliance of Female Directors– AWD is committed to substantially increasing the number of working women directors in film, television, commercials and new media
Film Independent Project Involve – Provides filmmakers from diverse backgrounds the opportunity hone their skill, form creative partnerships and create short films to gain industry access needed to succeed as working artist
We Do It Together– We Do It Together is a 501(c)3 nonprofit film Production Company created to produce films, documentaries, TV and other forms of media, uniquely dedicated to the empowerment of women.
National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) – is a national membership organization that addresses the professional needs of Latin@ content creators.
imagineNATIVE – promotes Indigenous-made media by developing platforms for artists to assert their voices, express their perspectives, and share their cultures.
Organization of Black Screenwriters – advocates for representation within the entertainment industry by assisting screenwriters in the creation and presentation of works for film and television.
The Film Lab – The Film Lab creates, promotes and supports gender and ethnic diversity in media through various monthly programs including: Unfinished Works, Industry Spotlight, Connections, Production and Original Content.
Project HER – Indigenous Media teamed up with an esteemed group of mentors to launch an incubator aimed at producing dramatic television series, created by women.
DISTRIBUTION
ARRAY– Is an independent film distribution and resource collective comprised of arts advocacy organizations, Maverick volunteers and Rebel member donors worldwide dedicated to the amplification of independent films by people of color and women filmmakers globally.
Wave Farm Media Arts Assistance Fund: Distribution/Exhibition Support – The goal is to ensure completed works are experienced by public audiences. Funds (up to $10,000) are available for projects, finished during the most recent calendar year, that demonstrate a practical distribution plan, appropriate to the completed work and the intended public context.
Women Make Movies (WMM) – Non-profit media arts organization which facilitates and supports women producers and directors from the beginning, planting the seeds for a diverse and inclusive filmmaking landscape. WMM is the world’s leading distributor of independent films by and about women.
FUNDING AND FINANCING
Game Changer Films -the first equity fund dedicated to financing feature films directed by women in order to address gender disparity in the film industry.
Seed&Spark – Seed&Spark is building a new studio model, with fair and transparent business practices. We provide every filmmaker the opportunity to create a sustainable career, no matter where they live or what they look like.
Cinereach – Philanthropic support of film projects that challenge the status quo is a touchstone of Cinereach’s mission. Each year Cinereach awards grants to feature-length film projects from across the world. Grants are awarded to support any stage of a film’s progression, with particular emphasis on earlier transformative moments.
Wave Farm- Media Arts Assistance Fund: Completion Support– Funds (up to $5,000) are available to assist artists in the final stages of completing new work in all genres of sound and moving image art, including emergent technology.
Black Public Media – Black Public Media offers funding, distribution & professional development support for independent producers at all stages of their career.
Diversity Development Fund – Diversity Development Fund gives producers of color up to $25,000 in research and development funding so you can develop your documentary for public media.
AWARDS & GRANTS
AT&T Shape Film Awards -The AT&T Film Awards recognizes aspiring creators who are shaping the future of entertainment through innovative and immersive filmmaking while sharing their unique stories. Eligible filmmakers included people with disabilities, LGBTQ, people of color, and women
AT&T Untold Stories – AT&T Presents: Untold Stories program, a multi-year, multi-tier alliance between AT&T and Tribeca, along with the year-round nonprofit Tribeca Film Institute. The program awards one million dollars, mentorship, and distribution to underrepresented filmmakers to produce their film and premiere it at the Tribeca Film Festival
Islamic Scholarship Fund – Film Grant Program – The Islamic Scholarship Fund Film Grant specifically aims to facilitate and support Muslim emerging and professional filmmakers, who are creating artistic, engaging and positive stories about Muslims.
AT&T Hello Lab – a mentorship program designed to pair entertainment industry leaders with aspiring filmmakers from diverse backgrounds as they create new short films.
PANAVISION New Filmmaker Program – provides outreach, access, and support to aspiring filmmakers throughout the U.S. and Canada through grants, educational opportunities, and more.
The Academy FilmWatch Grant Program – support curated screening programs at North America-based film festivals, film societies and other film-related organizations. Targeted programs include those that create culturally diverse viewing experiences, promote motion pictures as an art form, provide a platform for underrepresented artists, and cultivate new and dedicated audiences for theatrical film.
The Academy Gold Fellowship for Women – designed for emerging women filmmakers. The fellowship combines direct financial support with personalized mentorship, access to once-in-a-lifetime networking opportunities, and lifelong career advancement support via the Gold Alumni Program.