Global Media Makers LA Residency Program (Bangladesh)

Global Media Makers is supported through a partnership between Film Independent and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Since its launch in 2016, Global Media Makers has grown into a global filmmaking network, connecting visual storytellers from around the world with leading U.S. entertainment professionals through specially tailored mentorships, workshops, and master classes. The program has brought more than 155 film, television, and new media makers to Los Angeles from 23 countries, including Bangladesh.

Over 500 U.S. mentors from the entertainment industry have participated in the program to offer project support, comprehensive filmmaker education, business training, professional networking opportunities, workshops, and creative connections for participants.

In May/June 2025, GMM will bring up to 20 Fellows for the GMM LA Residency, which is composed of two parts: one virtual week and five weeks in-person in Los Angeles, California.

Fellows are selected with a project in development that focuses on local issues of importance in their country or region. They participate in filmmaking tracks on screenwriting, directing, creative producing, or documentary filmmaking. The Fellows also attend master classes, learn about best practices for American filmmaking, and participate in elective courses about emerging technology.  Mentorship continues remotely through the remainder of the year with video call sessions.

Fellows are expected to foster a culture of mentorship in their respective countries. They are strongly encouraged to share their experiences and lessons learned from the program with their local filmmaking communities.

Cost Covered

• Global Media Makers fully covers the cost of the hybrid program for the Fellows, including the Virtual Workshop and Mentorship. The program also covers transportation and accommodation for the Fellows who are selected to travel to
  Los Angeles. Final selection of the Fellows who will travel will be made pending J-1 visa approval.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, interested candidates must meet the following requirements:
  • Be a citizen or a permanent working resident of Bangladesh.  Australian, Canadian, New Zealander, and U.S. citizens, residents or green card holders are not eligible for this program.
  • 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). Please note that college graduates from the classes of 2023 to 2024 are not eligible to apply.
  • Submitted projects may be feature or episodic projects in fiction or documentary, or new media projects (ie. VR or immersive) and may be of any genre, including comedy and drama.
  • Submit an online application about a project currently in advanced development or production that addresses issues of importance in Bangladesh.  Selected participants are required to focus on and develop the project with which they applied to the program. Global Media Makers cannot support projects which have not been reviewed by the program’s selection committee.
  • Fiction filmmakers must have a completed screenplay or teleplay and documentary filmmakers must have at least a 40-minute assembly edit.
  • Proficiency in English is required to participate in the program.  All materials must be submitted in English.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh.