Firelight Media is the premier destination for non-fiction cinema by and about communities of color. Firelight Media produces documentary films, supports filmmakers of color, and cultivates audiences for their work.

Firelight Media’s programs include the flagship Documentary Lab, an 18-month fellowship that supports emerging filmmakers of color; Groundwork Regional Lab, which supports filmmakers in the American South, Midwest, and U.S. Territories; and the William Greaves Fund for mid-career nonfiction filmmakers, among others. Firelight Media also produces digital short film series, including In the Making with PBS American Masters and Homegrown, a regional short films initiative.

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Our Programs

The following programs offer periodic open calls for applications via Submittable. For a complete list of Firelight Media’s programs, visit firelightmedia.tv.

Documentary Lab

The Documentary Lab is Firelight Media’s longest-running artist program. This 18-month fellowship is designed to nurture underrepresented nonfiction storytellers working on their first or second feature film. The Documentary Lab provides holistic support for fellows’ projects and careers through professional development retreats, customized mentorship, and a $25K project grant. Throughout the Lab, filmmakers build a network within the documentary ecosystem, connecting with the fellows and alumni, as well as forging industry relationships across the field. The open call for the Documentary Lab is live now and will close on May 13, 2024.

William Greaves Research & Development Fund

The William Greaves Research and Development Fund resources talented, mid-career nonfiction storytellers from racially and ethnically underrepresented communities in the United States, as well as filmmakers from Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Colombia – with a particular interest in those who identify as being of Indigenous and/or of African descent. The application for the 2023-2024 William Greaves Research & Development Fund is now closed.

PBS/Firelight William Greaves Production Fund

The PBS/Firelight William Greaves Production Fund will resource documentary productions by mid-career filmmakers from diverse communities in the United States that are intended for distribution on PBS through finishing funds or co-production funding. The application for the PBS/Firelight William Greaves Production Fund is now closed.