The U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh is excited to announce the call for applications for the 2025 Global Media Makers (GMM) Los Angeles (LA) Residency Program. This prestigious residency and cultural exchange program connects international filmmakers with leading U.S. entertainment professionals, fostering a vibrant global filmmaking network.
About the Program:Launched in 2016, Global Media Makers has evolved into a comprehensive network that supports visual storytellers worldwide. The program is a collaboration between Film Independent and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. It has hosted over 155 filmmakers from 23 countries, including Bangladesh, providing them with mentorship, workshops, master classes, and professional networking opportunities. More than 500 U.S. mentors from the entertainment industry have participated, contributing to the program’s success.
Program Details: In May/June 2025, up to 20 Fellows will be selected for the GMM LA Residency. The program consists of one virtual week followed by five weeks in-person in Los Angeles, California. Fellows are chosen based on projects in development that address significant local issues in their countries or regions. Participants engage in filmmaking tracks such as screenwriting, directing, creative producing, or documentary filmmaking. They will attend master classes, learn best practices in American filmmaking, and take elective courses on emerging technologies. Mentorship will continue remotely throughout the year via video call sessions.
Fellows are expected to cultivate a culture of mentorship in their home countries, sharing their experiences and insights with their local filmmaking communities.
Eligibility:Interested candidates must meet the following requirements
- Be a citizen or permanent working resident of Bangladesh. Australian, Canadian, New Zealander, and U.S. citizens, residents, or green card holders are not eligible.
- Be mid-career filmmakers with at least one to three produced projects as a writer, producer, or director (in film, television, and/or serial web content). Recent college graduates (classes of 2023 and 2024) are not eligible.
- Submit feature or episodic projects in fiction or documentary, or new media projects (e.g., VR or immersive) of any genre.
- Submit an online application for a project currently in advanced development or production that addresses important issues in Bangladesh.
- Fiction filmmakers must have a completed screenplay or teleplay; documentary filmmakers must have at least a 40-minute assembly edit.
- Proficiency in English is required, and all materials must be submitted in English.
Application Instructions:
Apply online at: GMM LA Residency Application – Google Form
Application Submission Deadline:
Sunday, June 30, 2024 (11:59 p.m. Bangladesh time)
Contact Information:
For inquiries, please contact Asma Abbasi, Youth Engagement Coordinator, at [email protected]