AT&T Presents: Untold Stories

Overview

AT&T Presents: Untold Stories is a partnership between AT&T and the Tribeca Festival that awards $1.2 million to a single filmmaking team each year to produce an original feature scripted film. Established in 2017, the program has awarded more than $8 million to filmmakers to date. Beginning with the 2026 Tribeca Festival (the festival's 25th anniversary), the prize increased from $1 million to $1.2 million, making it the largest unrestricted film production award of its kind in the world.

The program operates through a live pitching competition. Five finalist teams present their original feature scripted projects to a Greenlight Committee of industry professionals at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. The committee selects the winner on the same day. The winning team receives the full $1.2 million award, year-round mentorship from Tribeca Studios, and a guaranteed premiere at the following year's Tribeca Festival. The four non-winning finalists each receive a $15,000 grant to continue developing their film.

The 2026 winner was MINNESOTA GOODBYE by Sid Gopinath, Aditya Joshi, and Alifya Ali, selected by a Greenlight Committee that included Phoebe Robinson, Kellyn Smith-Kenny, Lilian T. Mehrel, Isabel Sandoval, and Moises Zamora. The 2025 winner was Liz Sargent for Take Me Home, which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival. Previous winner Lilian T. Mehrel's Honeyjoon won the Untold Stories prize and went on to win multiple audience and jury awards for Best Feature, opening theatrically at IFC in New York on June 10, 2026.

How It Works

Submission Phase: Applications open in early October and close in early February. The 2026 cycle opened October 6, 2025 and closed February 6, 2026. There is no entry fee.

Finalist Selection: Contest officials from the film and television industry review all submissions and select five projects as finalists. Finalists are notified ahead of the festival.

Live Pitch: The five finalist teams pitch their projects live at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. Each pitch is no longer than 10 minutes, including a pitch video prepared in advance with support from the Tribeca team. After the pitch, the Greenlight Committee has five minutes for questions. Jurors review the application, script, and budget before the pitch event.

Decision: Deliberations follow immediately after the pitches. The winner is announced at an event hosted by AT&T and Tribeca the same day.

Winner's Obligations: The winning filmmaker sets up a single-purpose LLC to receive the award and produce the film. The filmmaker signs a long-form contract, submits a production schedule and budget, and assumes all production liabilities (E&O insurance, guild obligations, etc.). Tribeca sets a payment schedule tied to production milestones: a percentage on signing the production services contract, a percentage at the start of production, a percentage at the start of post-production, and the final amount upon satisfactory delivery of the final cut.

Runner-Up Grants: The four non-winning finalists sign an agreement with Tribeca for a one-time payment of $15,000 to either an LLC or an individual. Payment is received 10 to 12 weeks after the pitch.

Eligibility

Who can apply:

• Applicants must be at least 18 years old
• Must reside in the US or Puerto Rico (US citizenship is not required, but residency is)
• The screenwriter and/or director attached to the project should be from an underrepresented community in the film industry or have a connection to such a community
• The program is for first or second feature directors only
• Current students are not eligible (grad theses being developed into standalone features are eligible, but the director must not be a current student)

Project requirements:

• Must be an original scripted feature film (no documentaries, no short films)
• A completed screenplay is mandatory and must be ready to go into pre-production in July following the festival
• Both a director and a producer must be attached (screenwriters without a director or producer attached do not qualify)
• The submitted screenplay must be in English (films intended to be subtitled are eligible, but the screenplay itself must be in English)
• Films must be completable within the $1.2 million budget, including post-production costs
• The film must not have been distributed in theaters or aired on television, internet streaming, or public screening prior to the festival
• Registration with the WGA or copyright office is required for all submitted screenplays
• No restrictions on genre, style, or theme (though excessively gratuitous drug use, violence, or offensive language may be flagged)

Submission materials:

• Online application form
• Bios and contact information for key applicants
• Budget top sheet or summary reflecting the $1.2 million award including post-production
• Completed feature-length screenplay with director attached
• At least one full sample of the director's prior work (minimum 5 consecutive minutes) via an online streaming source (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.). The sample must remain accessible throughout the submission process or the application will be disqualified.

What the Winner Receives

$1.2 million production budget: Funds must be used for production and post-production costs. Tribeca provides guidance on the final budget and sets a disbursement schedule tied to milestones.

Year-round mentorship: Tribeca Studios works closely with the winner, offering creative feedback, script notes, production and casting consultations, and crew support. They coordinate test screenings of rough cuts to ensure the film is festival ready.

Guaranteed Tribeca premiere: The winning film premieres at the following year's Tribeca Festival, subject to timely delivery.

Theatrical qualifying run: AT&T and Tribeca arrange a limited theatrical run in New York, Los Angeles, or another awards-qualifying city for one week each to assure the film can qualify for awards.

Distribution support: The winner receives backend participation on revenues from exploitation of the film. Tribeca provides dedicated support in seeking distribution. Filmmakers can attach sales agents if they wish. Additional funding (crowdfunding, grants, fiscal sponsorships, in-kind donations) is permitted but cannot grant ownership or license rights.

Festival strategy counseling: Beyond the Tribeca premiere, the winner receives guidance on festival strategy and distribution planning.

Submission Timeline (2026 Cycle)

• Submissions open: October 6, 2025 at 11:00 AM ET
• Submissions close: February 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET
• Finalist selection: Spring 2026
• Live pitch event: June 2026 at the Tribeca Festival (June 3 to 14, 2026)
• Winner announcement: Same day as the pitch event
• Production begins: July 2026
• Premiere: 2027 Tribeca Festival

Who Should Apply

US-based first or second feature directors from underrepresented communities who have a completed screenplay, a producer attached, and a project that can be produced for $1.2 million. The program rewards both the quality of the project and the team's ability to communicate their vision compellingly in a live 10-minute pitch to an industry jury. Applicants should be ready to go into pre-production immediately after the festival if selected.

See Also

For preparing a film pitch, the Shot List Generator helps develop the visual language of a project before pitching. For building a production plan if selected, use the Production Schedule Calculator. For estimating crew costs on a $1.2 million production, use the Crew Size Estimator. For understanding how a Tribeca premiere fits into a broader festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy: Getting Your Film Seen.