Global Media Makers (GMM), a cultural exchange program designed to foster relationships between American and international film professionals, is supported through a partnership between Film Independent and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

In partnership with the US Embassy in Ukraine, When East Meets West (WEMW) and the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE), Global Media Makers will hold its first intensive residency in Europe in Trieste, Italy for Ukrainian filmmakers:

The Global Media Makers Residency in Trieste
January 16 – 22, 2025

The Global Media Makers Residency in Trieste will be led by U.S. film executives and filmmakers and is intended for filmmaking teams from Ukraine, particularly creative producers and writer-director teams.

In addition to receiving notes on their projects’ treatments from their colleagues and the U.S. mentors, the Residency will delve into the skills a successful filmmaker must have to develop strong material, put together a package, and collaborate, with an entrepreneurial approach to  filmmaking.

Through interactive sessions, the Residency will also provide a space for participants to create a competitive dossier, hone their pitching skills, and prepare them to apply for national and international film residencies, platforms, funds and co-production markets.

The Residency will also provide an overview of U.S. independent film development strategies and explore how these practices can be applied in the Ukrainian and European context. Each participant will also receive two virtual project-based meetings with a U.S. filmmaker to receive notes on their treatment or later on their script.

Upon completion of the Residency, each participant will become a Film Independent, Global Media Makers Fellow and receive a one-year Film Independent Membership, giving them exclusive Film Independent Spirit Awards voting privileges, access to free year-round virtual screenings and film education programs, as well as extended labs & programs submission deadlines. As an alum of the State Department, participants will become part of a global professional network and eligible for other grant opportunities.

Application Parameters

To qualify, eligible applicants must:

• Be 18 years of age or older at time of application
• Be a citizen of Ukraine
  • Ukrainian nationals who also hold U.S. citizenship are not eligible for this program.
• Be currently residing full time in Ukraine
  • U.S. citizens, residents or green card holders are not eligible for this program
• Be mid-career filmmakers with at least one to three produced projects as writer, producer or director (in short or feature film, television and/or serial web content). Please note that college graduates from the classes of 2022 to 2023 are not eligible to apply.
• Submit an online application with a project, fiction or documentary, currently inndevelopment that addresses issues of local importance in the applicant’s home country
• Submit with your application the following:
  • A treatment (up to ten pages, no less than eight pages) of your project
    • The project must be the applicant’s original creation or has acquired the rights to develop the IP
    • Selected participants are required to focus on and develop the project with which they applied to the program. Global Media Makers cannot support projects which have not been reviewed by the program’s selection committee
  • A previously-completed work sample through a Vimeo or YouTube link and password
  • A biography
  • A statement of interest

Please note that proficiency in English (B1 level, intermediate) is preferred to participate in the program but not required. However, all materials, including treatment or screenplay, must be submitted in English although the project does not need to be intended to be produced in English.

Application opens: Monday, July 15, 2024
Application Submission Deadline: Sunday, September 1, 2024

Link to Application

Please note:

• Selected participants must be available to attend all components of the hybrid program, both virtual and in person.
• Global Media Makers fully covers the cost of travel including ground transportation, airfare, per diems, and accommodation for the participants in Trieste.
• The GMM Intensive Residency in Trieste is an immersive and demanding program and participants must commit to the full curriculum and may not be accompanied by family members or dependents.

For inquiries, please contact Will Holt, Education & International Programs Associate: wholt@filmindependent.org

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is the nonprofit arts organization that champions creative independence in visual storytelling and supports a global community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an
audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent’s Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, members and fellows constitutes an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate
about film can become a Member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional or a film lover.
In addition to producing the Spirit Awards, Film Independent produces Film Independent Presents, a year-round screening series for its members that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.Through annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent’s Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year-round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent’s signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry.
For more information or to become a Member, visit filmindependent.org.

ABOUT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) builds relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, sports, professional and private exchanges, as well as public-private
partnerships and mentoring programs. These exchange programs improve foreign relations and strengthen the national security of the United States, support U.S. international leadership, and provide a broad range of domestic benefits by helping break down barriers that often divide us.
For more information about the Global Media Makers program, please visit our website: www.filmindependent.org/programs/global-media-makers

ABOUT WHEN EAST MEETS WEST
WEMW is a 3-day co-production market that takes place yearly in Trieste (IT) at the end of January within the frame of the Trieste Film Festival. The event is an innovative multi-layered audiovisual industry platform, connecting film professionals across Europe and beyond offering them new opportunities to diversify their business models and find inspiration for innovative and sustainable approaches to their work. WEMW combines aspects of accelerators, pitching components, works in progress sections, business meetings and consultations, mentoring sessions, and company planning modules, maximizing the range of capacity building, financing, co-production and distribution opportunities for producers.
The WEMW ecosystem focuses on different stages of the film production cycle and different formats, and addresses projects from their initial phase of development until the first exposure, along with companies keen to diversify and make more sustainable their projects’ slate strategy and business plan.

ABOUT EAVE
European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs, EAVE, is a professional training, project development and networking organization for audiovisual producers. Working with a worldwide network of partners, EAVE is involved in programmes for producers around the globe.