Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series, the first Academy qualifying festival devoted to women filmmakers, will offer you an opportunity to produce a short film or pilot for your web series! You will have one year to complete your short film project.

You will receive $5,000 to produce a short film or the first episode of your web series, which you can use as a calling card to attract a producer and other film opportunities. You will be guided on your journey in learning the art of creating a high-quality micro budget short film. Story is Queen.

Be prepared to begin production and shooting of your web series project shortly after you are selected as a Reel Sisters Fellow! You will have a year to complete your film project (June 2026).

GENRES: Animation, Documentary, Narrative, Comedy & Sci-Fi. You will retain full production and copyrights to your film. You must include Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series in your production credits as a supporter.

Awards & Prizes

• $5,000 to create your short film, pilot episode or web seres project

• A world premiere in our annual international Oscar qualifying film festival. If you are unable to commit to a world premiere with Reel Sisters, please do not apply for this opportunity.

• Scholarship & Mentorship opportunity with Reel Sisters Scriptwriting Essential: The Art of Writing Strong Female Characters™

• Opportunity to Showcase Your Project on Reel Sisters Tea & Cinema online series

• Announced as the Winner on Reel Sisters & African Voices websites. A feature will also be published in African Voices magazine.

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY:
Script must be written or co-written by a woman of color and non-binary filmmakers of color. Reel Sisters will accept submissions by women of African, Caribbean, Latina, Asian, Indian, Arab and Native American Descent. Please include your ethnicity in the application to confirm your eligibility. We encourage writing teams to apply. You must be located within the U.S. , Puerto Rico or Caribbean Islands.

APPLICATION FEE: $25 (Reading fee for processing your application is nonrefundable). Regular Deadline Application Fee is $30.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Sept. 30, 2025.

REEL SISTERS APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Your application must include the following information to be complete. Thank you for submitting your short screenplay project in consideration for our Reel Sisters Micro Budget Film Fellowship! Please upload the following application information with your script.

Introduction (700 words max): Briefly tell us about your journey as a storyteller. Share information about what led you to writing and filmmaking as a career. Share your inspiration for creating the short screenplay project and the audience you would like to reach. Describe how the Reel Sisters Micro Budget Film Fellowship would make a difference in your career.

LOGLINE (75 words max): a one to two-sentence description of the story.

SYNOPSIS (350 words max): brief summary of the plot of the script. Please include all major characters and story points, including the ending.

SHORT Screenplay (no longer than 15 pages)
• Length – no longer than fifteen (15) pages. This does not include the title page.
• Limited to one (1) main location (INT or EXT). If you use more than one location, explain in your application any donated space or ability to accommodate additional locations on a micro budget project.
• Written in English (Translated scripts are welcomed as long as you are the author).
• Writing teams are welcomed but one member must be a woman of color.
• Include a title page displaying only title of screenplay and name of credited writer(s)
• Submit only original screenplays. The rights must be wholly original with and owned by the writer
• Submit as a pdf file and must meet all standard screenplay format guidelines
• Include 1 page draft of your Production Schedule. It will be revised if you are accepted as a Fellow.