Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad has partnered once again to introduce the next group of diverse filmmakers, whose short films will premiere at the Tribeca Festival in New York City in June 2025.
Source: Courtesy / Indeed
On Monday, Dec. 17, job site giant Indeed, Waithe’s Hillman Grad, and 271 Films, announced the 10 filmmakers selected for Season 5 of Rising Voices. Now in its fifth installment, the initiative continues to amplify diverse underrepresented filmmakers despite growing progress to stall DEI efforts.
This time around, the filmmakers selected out of hundreds, were tasked with making a short film based around the theme of “the future of work.” A 10-member advisory board composed of Indeed, Hillman Grad, and 271 Films representatives reviewed hundreds of applications to select finalists based on the quality and themes of their scripts, as well as samples of their previous work.
The finalists selected to premiere their shorts at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival include Julian Doan, Jahmil Eady, Jasmine Johnson, Michael Lei, Oanh-Nhi Nguyen, Etzu Shaw, Tamara Shogaolu, David Telles, Sylvie Weber, and Julia Weisberg Cortés.
Indeed’s investment in Rising Voices offers each filmmaker a $100,000 production budget to create their short film, $10,000 for their writing and directing services, and personalized mentorship from Hillman Grad. The shorts are produced by Constanza and Doménica Castro under 271 Films.
For those selected, the program is a transformative career opportunity. Filmmakers get to premiere their work at one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals and benefit from lasting relationships and mentorship that continue long after the program ends.
“This relationship is ongoing,” Hillman Grad SVP Justin Riley who oversees the program tells BOSSIP. “You can get a season one filmmaker, you can get a season four filmmaker, and we are still in communication with them, not just Hillman Grad. Indeed, 271 Films, we have created a true community of artists, of filmmakers, of writers who are furthering their careers.”
The final products showcase the power and creativity of diverse storytelling, with each filmmaker bringing a unique perspective to their short films exploring the future of work.
Jahmil Eady opened up about her short which follows the story of a Gullah Geechee handywoman who loses her home to a family that moves in, only to encounter a supernatural force. The protagonist, a Gullah Geechee native, faces a difficult choice: to assist the family who contributed to her displacement “or leave them to their fate,” Eady explains.
“This is a Gullah Geechee folk kind of horror story,” she said. “And I think it’s just a world that a lot of people have not seen before.”
Eady continued. “Gullah Geechee culture is woven throughout the fabric of American society, but yet people don’t really know that we exist. There were a million of us in the sea islands along the coast of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. And I’m just really excited to spotlight it and really grateful to Indeed and Hillman Grad and 271 for recognizing the importance of the story and giving me the opportunity to tell it.”
The story’s originality and its potential to captivate audiences are what drive Indeed to continue funding Rising Voices year after year. It’s a bold commitment from the leading hiring platform, especially as many other corporate giants scale back initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Source: Courtesy / Indeed
Despite potential pushback from anti-DEI critics, Indeed is committed to maintaining the Rising Voices program, aligning it with the company’s mission to help people find jobs, including in the film industry. “Talent is universal, but opportunity is not, and that’s really what rising voices is centered around.” said LaFawn Davis, Indeed’s Chief People & Sustainability Officer.
“We don’t call it a diversity program. This is about providing people opportunity who wouldn’t normally have it,” Davis explained to BOSSIP. “So the film industry is obviously very underrepresented, whether it’s BIPOC creators, whether it’s women, whether it is LGBTQ, there’s a lot of underrepresentation in the film industry.”
“And so all we’re doing in Rising Voices is allowing for filmmakers with incredible talent that are amazing storytellers to be given the opportunity to showcase their art,” she added.
A recent study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative revealed that women of color directed only 3.4% of the top-grossing films in 2023. Rising Voices aims to address these inequities by amplifying stories with unique perspectives. In Season 5, 70% of the filmmakers in the cohort are women, marking a significant step toward greater equity in the industry.
“For us, it’s non-negotiable,” Davis declared. “This is tied to our mission. This is what we do. And the proof is in the seasons. We’re now in Season 5 and I think the program has shown, not because we’ve architected, but because of these amazing filmmakers have shown the power of storytelling authentically.”
Since its launch in 2020, Rising Voices has generated over 2,500 jobs and gained international acclaim at prestigious film festivals such as Tribeca, Sundance, and AFI Fest. Across its first four seasons, the program’s films have earned more than 200 festival selections and awards with its alumni going on to direct major television series, secure prestigious grants, and drive the next wave of cinematic innovation.
“We’re fortunate to be able to tell their stories and collaborate and show Hollywood that there’s not a lack of talent, there’s a lack of opportunity and resources in our stories,” Constanza Castro said.
“When the money changes. When real money gets given to the stories, I think this is the proof that when financially you have the amount of resources and mentorship and guidance and people backing you up that the work just rises to the top.”
*This article originally appeared on GlobalGrind
