FELLOWSHIP

Detroit Narrative Agency (DNA) will soon open applications for the next cycle of its Emerging Filmmaker Fellowship, a program designed for BIPOC media-based storytellers rooted in Detroit. This 18-month fellowship will select four filmmakers to receive mentorship, funding, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities as they develop and produce an original short film.

​

We are seeking emerging filmmakers whose stories center Detroit and its long-time and life-long BIPOC communities. We welcome projects that challenge harmful dominant narratives, expand how Detroit is seen and understood, and offer radical, imaginative, and underrepresented perspectives. DNA considers both documentary and narrative projects across genres and mediums, with priority given to films that are impact-driven, historical, personal, or experimental.

​

Selected fellows receive $25,000 toward the creation of their short film and a $15,000 stipend distributed throughout the fellowship in recognition of their time and participation. Fellows also have the option to access legal support related to collective decision-making, liability protection, and pathways for broader distribution through the formation of a legal entity.

​

Eligibility
We prioritize Black, Brown, Indigenous, and people of color who are disabled, femme, gender-nonconforming, immigrant, undocumented, poor and working class, queer, trans, women, and/or long-time or lifelong Detroiters (including Hamtramck and Highland Park residents).

Applicants must be 18 or older and not enrolled in a degree-granting film program during any portion of the fellowship. Participation requires a meaningful time commitment, and applicants should assess their capacity to fully engage in all components of this 18-month experience. Selected fellows will serve as the writer/director of their proposed projects.

 

Selection Timeline
The application is not yet open. Stay tuned for announcements about when the next cycle will begin and how to apply.