MISSION STATEMENT
The Center for Asian American Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. We do this by funding, producing, distributing and exhibiting works in film, television and digital media. For over 40 years, CAAM has exposed audiences to new voices and communities, advancing our collective understanding of the American experience through programs specifically designed to engage the Asian American community and the public at large.
IMPACT
For over four decades, CAAM has created opportunities for Americans and people around the globe to understand the diverse stories and experiences of Asian Americans through:
▪ Careers. CAAM empowers filmmakers to achieve their full potential by providing training, funding, distribution, and access to professional networks.
▪ Community. Connecting filmmakers and their stories to people and communities in schools, community centers, theaters and neighborhoods, bridging conversations about inclusiveness and social equity.
▪ Perspective. CAAM-supported work changes the way audiences see the world, changing hearts and minds, inspiring empathy and meaningful social action.
We invite documentary filmmakers from the Midwest region in the U.S. who are directing or producing their current work or are looking to transition into directing or producing to apply to our 2026 CAAM Fellowship Program: Midwest Edition. The CAAM Fellowship Program aims to support documentary filmmakers developing Asian American stories by pairing selected Fellows with accomplished professionals as Mentors for six months to nurture both a project and the Fellow’s career in documentary filmmaking. The Mentors for 2026 are Anuradha Rana, Musa Syeed and Shuling Yong (see bios in the application form). The program requires a commitment to a six-month-long process which includes meetings between Fellows and Mentors, participation at gatherings such as the CAAMFest Filmmaker Summit and monthly cohort meetings. This Program’s vision is to create a community of makers that serves to nurture one another’s careers and creativity in the field of documentary film highlighting Asian American experiences.
This year’s CAAM Fellowship is an opportunity to support filmmakers in the Midwest, a region that has been home to Asian Americans since before the U.S. was founded, especially for key sub-communities, such as the Hmong American community in Minneapolis, Michigan’s Muslim American communities, along with many others. CAAM’s multi-year Midwest focus highlights the diversity and complexity of stories from practitioners living and working in this region.
The 2026 CAAM Fellowship Program is made possible with support from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and other generous funders. The deadline for this call is Monday, March 30, 2026.