Next Storyteller

Grants

Empowering storytellers to find their voice

Actor Grant

The NTWC Film Festival Actor Grant celebrates the art of performance. Open to actors of all ages, this competition invites participants to showcase their talent before a panel of industry professional on February 20th.


The winner will be recognized and presented with the Actor Grant live at the Closing Ceremony that same evening—a moment to honor dedication, craft, and the transformative power of performance.

What You Receive:

  • Cash grant presented at the Closing Ceremony. Must be presented to receive.

  • 1 hr. consultation with an industry professional.

  • Recognition on the festival’s official platforms.

  • Networking opportunity with film industry professionals.

  • Present this award to the next year (2028) recipient.

Talent Competition Information:

  • Talent will perform a monologue or a scene from television or film with a reader if necessary. Performance is in person with an audience and judges on Saturday, February 20, 2027.

  • Judged by industry professionals.

  • Winner announced at the Closing Ceremony.

Filmmaker Grant

The NTWC Film Festival is proud to offer the inaugural Filmmaker Grant, designed to nurture emerging talent in our local community. This grant supports current filmmakers, high school, and college students who demonstrate exceptional promise in the art of filmmaking.

We believe the next great storytellers are already among us—in our classrooms, in out neighborhoods, behind their cameras. This grant is our investment in their future. 


What You Receive:

  • Cash grant presented at the Closing Ceremony. Must be presented to receive.

  • A NTWCFF Film Freeway Waiver to submit your next film to the festival FREE.

  • Recognition on the festival’s official platforms.

  • Networking opportunity with film industry professionals.

  • Present this award to the next year (2028) recipient.

Eligibility

Submission Criteria

  • Resident of New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, or surrounding areas of Pasco/Hillsborough counties.

  • Currently making films, enrolled in high school, or enrolled in an accredited college/university.

  • Must have a film accepted by the NTWCFF that is 15 minutes or less in length.

  • Must include a 250-word artist statement about your film’s theme and vision.

Apply Now

Applications open Fall 2026