New Voices Filmmaker Grant

Overview

The New Voices Filmmaker Grant is a collaborative initiative between NewFest - New York's LGBTQ+ film festival - and Netflix, designed to support emerging directors who tell LGBTQ+ stories. The grant provides $25,000 in unrestricted funding to 4 emerging directors annually, alongside mentorship, networking, and professional development opportunities. The grant is part of Netflix's Fund for Creative Equity, an effort to create more behind-the-camera opportunities for underrepresented communities in the TV and film industries.

The grant is open to filmmakers working in documentary, narrative, and animated formats as well as episodic projects, making it one of the more format-inclusive LGBTQ+ filmmaker grants available. Selected fellows also have their work showcased at NewFest's New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival, one of the largest queer film festivals in the world, and travel as guests of NewFest to other North American film festivals.

The 2026 cycle deadline is February 12, 2026. The grant period runs from July 2026 to June 2027. Applications are now closed for the 2026 cycle, and all applicants can expect to hear from NewFest by June 2026.

What It Provides

Each of the 4 selected grantees receives:

• $25,000 unrestricted grant toward the creation of a new film or media project. The funds are unrestricted, meaning grantees can use them for any aspect of their project or career.
• Mentorship from industry professionals with experience in LGBTQ+ film and media
• Networking opportunities through NewFest's industry relationships and events
• Festival showcase at NewFest's New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival
• Travel opportunities as guests of NewFest to other North American film festivals
• Professional development support to help emerging filmmakers build the skills and contacts needed to advance their careers beyond a single project

The grant is explicitly intended to propel careers forward, not just support a single project in isolation. The combination of financial support and professional development reflects the initiative's dual goal: producing new LGBTQ+ work and investing in the filmmakers who create it.

Eligibility

At the time of application, eligible filmmakers must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Currently live in the US, have resided in the US continuously for at least the past 2 years, and plan to reside in the US for the full duration of the grant period (through June 2027)
• Have previously directed at least 1 short film or episodic project inclusive of LGBTQ+ content that was completed within the past 3 years (since January 2023)
• Have not previously directed a completed feature-length film (over 60 minutes), even if self-funded or without distribution
• Must not have formal representation for directorial work (i.e., not currently signed with an agent and/or manager)
• Must not have entered a distribution deal for any of their directorial work in which they both received monetary compensation and granted exclusive North American distribution rights to a third-party distributor

Non-US citizens who are US residents are eligible to apply. The grant supports US-based filmmakers and is available to all qualifying residents of the United States, including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, and US Virgin Islands. If selected, grant recipients must provide a completed form W-9 for tax purposes, including providing their Social Security number.

Key Eligibility Clarifications

• First-time filmmakers: This grant does not support first-time filmmakers. Applicants must provide at least one fully completed short film work sample.
• Previous LGBTQ+ content: Eligible filmmakers must have directed and completed at least one short film or episodic work that includes LGBTQ+ content. Previous work without LGBTQ+ content does not qualify.
• In-progress features: If a feature project will not be completed as of the application deadline (February 12, 2026), the applicant remains eligible. However, applicants currently working on a feature-length film beyond the development stage and/or who have already received significant support for a feature project may not be eligible. Contact newvoices@newfest.org to inquire about specific situations.

Application Requirements

All applications must be submitted via the Airtable application form and include:

• Resume/CV
• Links to 1 to 3 completed work samples totaling no more than 25 minutes. At least one work sample must have been completed within the past 3 years (since January 2023). Any additional work samples must have been completed within the past 5 years (no earlier than January 2021).
• Artist Statement (max 600 words): Background, reflections on previous experience directing and/or working on film/media projects, and artistic approach to LGBTQ+ storytelling
• Statement of Intent (max 400 words): Goals as a filmmaker, what the applicant plans to do with the grant funds, specific project(s) to pursue, and what the applicant hopes to accomplish within the grant period (July 2026 to June 2027)

Selection Process

Applications and short-form work samples are reviewed by grant evaluators consisting of LGBTQ+ programmers, critics, agents, community leaders, NewFest staff, established filmmakers, and industry professionals. Final selections are decided by an external jury of film and industry experts.

Grant evaluators look for applicants demonstrating:

• Clear artistic perspective and vision
• Confident storytelling prowess
• Commitment to new modes of storytelling
• Vital collective spirit to have LGBTQ+ films made, seen, and heard
• Work samples showing range of LGBTQ+ experiences and cinematic storytelling techniques

Previous Recipients

2025 Recipients

MG Evangelista, Shuli Huang, Farah Jabir, and Kevin Xian Ming Yu

2024 Recipients

4 recipients (program continued with 4 new recipients)

2023 Recipients

Terrance Daye, Drew de Pinto, Emily May Jampel, and LaQuan Lewis

2022 Recipients (Inaugural Year)

Blanche Akonchong, Livia Huang, Rodney Llaverias, and Nyala Moon

Who Should Apply

Emerging LGBTQ+ directors in the US working in documentary, narrative, animation, or episodic formats who want both financial support and mentorship to advance their career alongside their current project. The grant is particularly well suited to filmmakers who are developing their first or second significant work and who want to connect with an organization that has deep roots in LGBTQ+ film culture.

The grant targets directors who are genuinely at the emerging stage of their career. Filmmakers who have already directed a feature, signed with an agent or manager, or entered a compensated distribution deal are not eligible. The program is designed for filmmakers who have not yet had significant mainstream industry access or funding.

Filmmakers who have completed at least one short film with LGBTQ+ content since January 2023 and who meet the residency requirement should consider applying. The $25,000 unrestricted grant is substantial for an emerging filmmaker and can fund a significant portion of a short film or the early development of a first feature.

See Also

For LGBTQ+ filmmakers seeking completion funding for a project in post-production, see the Frameline Completion Fund entry. For a broader overview of film financing strategies, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For understanding distribution deal structures and when to accept or decline them, see Distribution Deals: What Filmmakers Need to Know.