Santa Fe Film and Digital Media Council — Tue, Oct 6, 2026 · 6.a New Mexico Documentary Incubator Grant (NMDIG) (Greg Polk, Program Director, glpolk@gmail.com)
Building a Sustainable Future for Documentary Storytelling in New Mexico www.nmdig.org - SUMMER 2026 - PARTNERSHIP SUMMARY The New Mexico Documentary Incubator Grant (NMDIG) supports emerging and early-career filmmakers through direct grant funding, creative guidance, and access to resources and filmmaking networks. The program is committed to fostering and growing documentary and non-fiction storytelling that engages with the communities, cultures, and most pressing issues unique to New Mexico. mission history by the numbers... Established in 2024, at a time when New Mexico had become a major production hub for outside film and television projects, NMDIG’s presence emerged as a vehicle to ensure that our local filmmaking talent had opportunity to shape and tell their own stories. NEW MEXICO’S PREMIER PIPELINE FOR EMERGING DOCUMENTARY TALENT what is nmdig? 1 19 $67K 300+ Home-grown filmmakers funded & supported All while amplifying emerging faces in the NM film community... Awarded in direct-to-film maker funding Minutes of new stories told about New Mexico 2 program growth 2.2xyear-over-year THE DEMAND IS REAL 3 Annie now works as an editor at a production company having learned budgeting and project-pitching skills through her NMDIG experience while pursuing her next environmental documentary film project. PAST & CURRENT FILMMAKER PROFILES Annie Ersinghaus The Land of Sacrifice -2025 NMDIG cohort- Documents the human and ecological impact of the oil and gas extraction in the Permian Basin. "The NMDIG grant allowed me to make my first film while forging new connections with fellow filmmakers and audiences throughout New Mexico." 4 Makayla comes to the 2026 NMDIG program as an award-winning filmmaker and multimedia artist enrolled at the Institute of American Indian Arts and focuses on culturally-driven storytelling, community engagement, and empowering underrepresented voices. Between Home & College -Current 2026 NMDIG cohort- Follows Navajo college students navigating higher education while maintaining cultural connections. Makayla Yazzie who nmdig supports Following his NMDIG funded project, Dylan began a Erasmus Mundus funded master’s degree program at DocNomads producing documentaries in Portugal, Lithuania, and Belgium. Dylan also became a founding member of Albuquerque Cinema Club screening films in conjunction with local political education projects. PAST & CURRENT FILMMAKER PROFILES Dylan Haworth "The experience with the grant program was one of support and care, as they not only uplifted us as artists but human beings searching to express ourselves." The End of History -2024 NMDIG cohort- Documents residents as they attempt to recover from the devastation of the Hermit's Peak fire. 5 Michael has worked with the immigrant community for over a decade. In 2020 he received a film technician certificate from CNM and went on to participate in screenwriters labs. Michael's documentary was recently screened at the New York Documentary Film Festival. Fractured Narratives -2025 NMDIG cohort- Delves into the role of misinformation in shaping public perceptions about immigration policy & its effects in New Mexico. Michael Santillanes who nmdig supports • direct support • creative development • a home for local stories Micro-grants put resources directly into the hands of emerging filmmakers for expedient, quality deliverables Mentorship, technical guidance, cohort exchange and professional feedback help filmmakers move projects forward. NMDIG creates opportunities for New Mexicans to develop above-the-line talent and tell our own nonfiction stories. NMDIG'S MODEL UNIQUELY PROVIDES: contact: Greg Polk - 505.977.2504 // nmdig.info@gmail.com a model for success 6 LET'S BUILD THIS TOGETHER NMDIG has demonstrated outsized impact in just three years. We are now looking to build relationships with individuals, businesses and organizations who share our vision for a thriving New Mexico creative community. We'd welcome the opportunity to introduce you to NMDIG, our filmmakers, and our vision for the years ahead: