Launched in 2015, Nuevas Novelas gives emerging filmmakers training in media literacy, story development, camera work, sound, and editing. Our curriculum embraces themes of identity, public health, migration, and neighborhood history, encouraging participants to examine how race, gender, and class are framed in news, social media, and pop culture.

Students form production teams, pitch ideas, and produce a three-to-five-minute documentary or short-form project on a topic of their choosing while engaging with the community. Graduates often move into our Workforce Development track, screen at regional festivals, or return as peer mentors, extending the program’s impact across new cohorts and communities. Mentors include working directors, editors, and journalists who provide meaningful feedback to participants.