Third World Newsreel (TWN) is an alternative media arts organization that works to advance movement storytelling and media arts for cultural and social justice. TWN champions the self-representation of historically marginalized communities—including Black, Latine, Indigenous, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, North African, Mixed/Multiracial, People with Disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals—through diverse genres and forms of media, such as documentary, experimental, and fiction. TWN’s aim is to facilitate their efforts to create, engage, and amplify their stories, propelling audiences to action.

Established in December 1967 as an alternative film collective called The Newsreel, the organization became Third World Newsreel in 1974. Through producing and distributing short 16mm films that highlighted key social movements of the era—including the anti-war and women’s movements, and civil and human rights movements—Newsreel gained unique access to groups such as the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords Party. In the mid-1970s, as the global landscape of solidarity movements evolved, New York Newsreel was reborn as Third World Newsreel, reflecting a deepened commitment to developing filmmakers and audiences of color. Today, TWN carries on the progressive vision of its founders, and remains the oldest media arts organization in the U.S. devoted to cultural workers of color and their global constituencies. Led by Executive Director JT Takagi, TWN’s comprehensive support includes hands-on training, fiscal sponsorship, educational distribution, and preservation, all designed to advance cultural justice and societal change. From documentary and experimental to narratives, TWN is committed to shaping a media landscape where diversity and intersectionality are not merely represented but are central to social transformation.

Jerome Foundation supports Third World Newsreel’s TWN Advanced Production Workshop program. The TWN Advanced Workshop is a 4-month program supporting 6 early career New York City-based filmmakers from traditionally marginalized communities, prioritizing past TWN Production Workshop graduates. The program supports filmmakers to make either their second project, or a longer version of their original workshop short. Resources include: stipends for each filmmaker, workshops on topics specific to their stage of production (budgeting, proposals, sample creation, working with crew/editors), mentorship with veteran filmmakers, production support through equipment use, and peer-to-peer support and advice.