The Community Curators initiative supports programmers, filmmakers, researchers, and cultural workers in developing film programmes rooted in social realities, lived experience, and collective dialogue. Designed as both a curatorial platform and a professional development opportunity, the programme strengthens community-led approaches to programming while fostering regional exchange through socially engaged cinema.
In previous cycles, Community Curators have brought diverse perspectives and practices into Cinemata. Patrick F. Campos (Philippines) and Aghniadi (Indonesia) collaborated on Cinemata Currents 2025, exploring regional thinking, civic engagement, and human rights advocacy through curated programmes and participatory initiatives such as the workshop Empowering Survivor Stories: Participatory Documentation across Asia. Through Rising Waters, Raising Rights, presented during International Human Rights Week, Community Curators Eunice Helera (Philippines) and Nadira Ilana (Malaysia) shaped a five-part programme using water as a guiding metaphor to connect environmental justice, social struggle, displacement, memory, and collective resistance across regional screenings. You may watch the selected films here.
Participants also contribute to shared resources that continue to support community-led film practices. Mapping the Currents: A Manual for Community-Centered Cinema provides practical insights into the curatorial process, while the Watch Party Kit offers accessible frameworks for organising ethical, inclusive, and community-focused screenings.
As we enter the final week before the deadline, we would deeply appreciate your support in helping this opportunity reach new voices across the Asia-Pacific. You may consider sharing the open call within your networks, or recommending a staff member, programmer, or affiliate within your organisation who could benefit from strengthening their curatorial skills through this initiative.
Full details and application information are available here.
