NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) continues to invest in fresh stories.
The organization, a year-round nonprofit founded in 2007 and “dedicated to discovering, supporting, and advancing emerging filmmakers around the world,” has expanded its NewNarratives efforts by increasing available grants to $35,000 and adding a new fellowship component supported by Absurd.
NewNarratives was established in 2021 in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as an international grant focused on emerging storytellers with “unique creative voices,” helping them make the leap from idea to completed project. To date, the program has received more than 1,175 applications from more than 89 countries and invested nearly $300,000.
This year’s NewNarratives installment will be spread across six grants in three categories. Major grants are supported by the Ruhren Family Foundation in memory of Anthony Ruhlen (butterfly effect), four unrestricted grants of $5,000 each will be awarded to filmmakers at any stage developing narrative, documentary, animated, experimental or episodic projects.
Now in its second year, the NewNarratives Environmental Storytelling Grant will award one $5,000 grant to a short film currently in post-production that explores environmental sustainability, conservation, climate, or humanity’s relationship with the natural world. This grant is possible through the support of Athens Services.
And new this year, NFMLA is introducing the NewNarratives Absurd AI Storytelling Grant. This grant awards one-time $10,000 grants to emerging filmmakers developing short or feature films at any stage of production in any genre, including fiction, live-action, animation, and experimental. The grant comes with a three-month fellowship for artists to explore using Absurd’s AI storytelling tools. Absurd will register beta users on August 3rd.
“We’ve seen filmmakers use Absurd to secure six-figure commercial opportunities, take their ideas to major studios and production companies, and create the stories they wrote 10 years ago,” said Philip Ho, CEO and co-founder of Absurd. “When experimentation becomes more affordable and accessible, filmmakers can bring bigger, weirder, and more personal ideas to the room.”
“Independent filmmaking has never lacked bold ideas. What’s missing is meaningful financial investment,” NFMLA co-founder and executive director Larry Labeau and programming director Bojana Sandic said in a joint statement. “NewNarratives exists because we believe that extraordinary careers begin long before distribution deals, festival premieres, and award recognition arrive. By supporting filmmakers early in their creative journeys, we’re not only investing in individual projects, but also in the future voices that will undoubtedly shape the industry.”
Applications for the NewNarratives program are currently being accepted for NFMLA members.
