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Sound & Scene: NewFest + Concord QTBIPOC Short Film Initiative

Learn more about the 2024 cohort below!

This program is for passionate QTBIPOC filmmaker who understands the transformative power of music in storytelling, and has been designed for folks who have a vision that can captivate and inspire audiences. NewFest and Concord Originals have joined forces to support the next steps of your creative journey.

Candidates were invited to select an eligible song and creatively amplify the music in an original short film. Final recipients will receive $20,000 to make their short film, and have it premiere at NewFest Pride 2025! Learn more about our 2024 cohort below:

Syra McCarthy

Syra McCarthy is a Filipino / New Zealander, first-generation American filmmaker and actor. Moving with grace between different styles of film —from cinematic surrealism to smart quirky comedy—she approaches filmmaking with a stylistic flair that subverts expectations. Her history as an actor, editor & photographer all inform her distinct approach to storytelling.

Striving for gender equity within the media industry, Syra co – founded Soft Hold Collective: a film directory highlighting female & non-binary Bay Area freelancers.

She is currently rostered in the US with Even / Odd Studios.

Nico Blanco

Nico Blanco is a queer filmmaker from Bogota, Colombia, who currently lives in Los Angeles, where he attended the AFI Conservatory. Nico has an extensive body of work in fiction and documentary, including the gay nightlife short Cowboy, Choker, Harness & Heart, which played at Newfest 2023. He is an alum of the Film Independent Imaginar Residency and the Gotham Project Market. He is currently directing the queer nightlife documentary, Born to be Kissed in the Dark, and is in post-production for the Tom House documentary, House of Leather, which he produced. His work focuses on desire as a force that we can’t control and how it drives us in constructive and destructive ways.

Moitri Ghosh

Moitri Ghosh is an Indian-born, Atlanta-based director whose perspective is shaped by her upbringing as a Third Culture Kid, who grew up in India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the US. Her fascination with human behavior and visual aesthetics informs her lens and storytelling. Having honed her skills as a producer in the fast-paced world of advertising and as a director of long-form nonfiction content and narrative shorts, Moitri loves telling nuanced character-driven stories that speak to a truth. Whether exploring themes of societal expectations, conflicting identities, or self-alignment, Moitri’s work is an invitation to view the familiar with new eyes.

Mekhai Lee

Mekhai Lee is a Proud graduate of the Drama program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He co-created, wrote, directed, and produced an original web-series entitled “Fortheboys” to much acclaim, garnering placements in renowned film festivals & eventually catching the eye of Colman Domingo’s production company Edith Productions, as well as production company Pretty Matches Productions co-owned by Sarah Jessica Parker. The series is now in active development under these two companies. Mekhai was the second recipient of the HBO Director’s Fellow Program on “Succession” as well as a member of Ryan Murphy’s Half-Initiative Director Program. As a director, Mekhai’s shooting style reflects some of his inspirations, including but not limited to Barry Jenkins, Spike Lee, Alfonso Cuaron, Savannah Leaf and Pedro Almadovar. He is repped by Gersh Agency and Insight Management.

Kyle Casey Chu

Kyle Casey Chu (AKA Panda Dulce) is a writer and founder of Drag Story Hour (DSH). She writes about queer & trans people of color, drag performers and displaced San Franciscans. In 2022, far-right extremists stormed her reading in San Lorenzo to silence her. Instead, she gained a global platform.

Her writing has earned awards and recognition from Sundance, SFFILM and Lambda Literary, and appeared on Vogue, VICE, them.us and MTV.

Kyle’s debut novel, “The Queen Bees of Tybee County” (HarperCollins, 2025) has been optioned into a UK episodic.

She served alongside DSH as Grand Marshall of SF Pride 2023.

Kevin Yu

Kevin Xian Ming Yu is a non-binary filmmaker from Queens, NY. They are a 2024 Film at Lincoln Center Artist Academy Fellow and 2023-2024 UFO Film Lab filmmaker. Kevin is committed to telling the stories of underrepresented communities, specifically representing the Asian-American diaspora in New York.

Kevin has also worked as a cinematographer on various short form content and two feature films. Their work as a director has been featured on Wonderland and screened at festivals such as the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and NFFTY. Their work as a cinematographer has been featured on Short of the Week and the A.V. Club.

Kevin is also the co-editor of homesickness: a BIPOC Cinema Zine.
The Experience

– Narrative Funding: Receive $20,000 to produce your short film.
– Iconic Music Access: Incorporate one of the eligible and iconic songs identified from Concord’s vast IP library into your film.
– Mentorship and Support: Receive professional mentorship and production support from queer film experts forging the pathway to impactful storytelling.
– Production Experience: Write and produce a short film between August 2024 and May 2025
– Industry Impact: Completed films will be showcased at NewFest Pride 2025.
– Career Support: Filmmakers will receive customized support to develop a festival strategy for their completed work.
– Community Connection: Join a fellowship of QTBIPOC filmmakers working toward creative growth by participating in monthly facilitated cohort ‘Reflect x Create Dialogue Sessions’ to offer constructive and professional peer feedback

Interested?

QTBIPOC filmmakers are invited to submit their interest between June 5th – July 5, 2024. Eligible candidates will be invited to attend a virtual Sound & Scene Preview Session to learn more about the initiative.

Please reach out to soundandscene@Newfest.org with any questions.
Submit Your Interest
Eligibility Requirements

Sound & Scene candidates must:
– Be 18 years or older
– Identify as QTBIPOC
– Be based in the United States through June 2025, regardless of immigration status
– Have directed at least (2) short films, music videos or episodic works of content since 2014.
Directors who have completed feature-length narrative films (over 60 mins) and/or received paid distribution support for any of their directorial work are ineligible.
Frequently Asked Questions

Sound & Scene is an initiative offering QTBIPOC filmmakers the opportunity to produce a short film incorporating one of the iconic songs from Concord’s vast IP library. Selected filmmakers will receive funding, mentorship, and production support, with the completed films showcased at NewFest Pride 2025.

This initiative is open to QTBIPOC filmmakers. We encourage submissions from emerging filmmakers who have a strong narrative vision and a passion for impactful storytelling.

Each selected filmmaker will receive $20,000 to produce their short film. The funding should be used for all aspects of production, including pre-production, shooting, and post-production.

Films should be written and produced between August 2024 and May 2025 with picture lock and an exhibition ready film available in June 2025.

Filmmakers will receive professional mentorship and production support from queer film experts. This includes guidance throughout the filmmaking process, from script development to post-production.

Interested filmmakers can submit their interest between June 5th and July 5, 2024. All inquiries will be reviewed with eligible candidates invited to complete a full application outlining their film, sharing their creative intentions and professional goals.

Sound & Scene Preview Session will take place July 10, 2024. The optional virtual event where eligible candidates can learn more about the initiative, the songs available for use, and the support provided throughout the filmmaking process. All eligible candidates may receive access to a private recording of this informational session to inform their full application.

Completed films will be showcased at NewFest Pride 2025, providing filmmakers with a platform to share their work with a public audience, artistic peers and film industry leaders.

Filmmakers will receive customized support to develop a festival strategy for their completed work, helping them to navigate the festival circuit and maximize the impact of their films.

The ‘Reflect x Create Dialogue Sessions’ are monthly facilitated cohort sessions where filmmakers can offer and receive constructive and professional peer feedback, fostering a supportive and collaborative community of QTBIPOC filmmakers.

By joining this fellowship, filmmakers will have the opportunity to connect with peers, share experiences, and support each other’s creative growth, enhancing their professional network and collaborative skills.

Yes, filmmakers with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment for all participants. Please let us know if you have any specific requirements, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Absolutely! Animation-based directors are welcome to apply. We value diverse storytelling methods and encourage filmmakers with a background in animation to bring their unique perspectives to this initiative.

Yes, co-directors are eligible to apply, provided that each co-director individually meets the professional development requirements of having directed at least two short films either separately or together and have not yet had experience directing a narrative feature. At least one co-director must identify as QTBIPOC. Co-directing teams must have a history of previous professional co-directing experience.

For more information, please reach out to soundandscene@newfest.org.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment. Please let us know your specific requirements, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Key Dates:
– Application Submission: June 5th – July 5, 2024
– Sound & Scene Preview Session: July 10, 2024
– Sound & Scene Pitch (Selected Candidates): August 14, 2024
– Production Period: August 2024 – May 2025
– Showcase at NewFest Pride: June 2025

We look forward to receiving your application and supporting your creative journey!

“NewFest firmly believes that the only way to combat pipeline issues in our industry is to put resources directly into the hands of the most marginalized members of our community. Concord Originals is putting their money where their mouth is, and we are so excited to work with them to bring this incredible opportunity to QTBIPOC filmmakers, and to share the music-driven films the selected artists make with NewFest audiences.”  

– David Hatkoff, NewFest Executive Director
Have questions? Contact us!