Firelight Media produces documentary short film series in partnership with a variety of public media organizations. Ongoing series include 'In the Making,' in partnership with PBS American Masters, and a collection of regional shorts, 'HOMEGROWN,' presented in partnership with the PBS Digital Studios.
View past short film productions from Firelight Media on the Watch page.
Firelight Media, Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), Black Public Media (BPM), and Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) have announced the RFP for the second season of regionally focused documentary short film series, HOMEGROWN: A Part Of/Apart From. This series will comprise eight documentary short films made by emerging BIPOC filmmakers living in the U.S. territories and Hawai‘i – and their diasporic communities – who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC). Eligible U.S. territories include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
The partners seek projects that disrupt mainstream narratives about the U.S. territories and illuminate the living histories, cultures, and future visions of the regions. Titled after a phrase coined by Michael Bevacqua, host of the Guam-based podcast Fanachu!, the upcoming HOMEGROWN collection will focus on stories grappling with issues of sovereignty, agency, and the variety of ways communities negotiate what it means to be at once “a part of and apart from” the United States.
The call for proposals will open on Thursday, August 17, and the submission deadline is Monday, September 18, 2023 at 11:59pm PST.
Titled after a term coined by Michael Bevacqua, host of the Fanachu! podcast, our upcoming HOMEGROWN collection will focus on stories grappling with issues of sovereignty, agency, and the variety of ways communities negotiate what it means to be “a part of and apart from.”
We seek projects that disrupt mainstream narratives about the U.S. Territories and illuminate the living histories, cultures, and future visions of the regions. Projects can vary in scope/approach, and address topics including (but not limited to):
Watch a recording of the Information Session about submitting a proposal, recorded on August 31, 2023, below:
If you have any questions or need any accommodations, please email: weenta@firelightmedia.org.