{"id":126656,"date":"2025-04-30T19:17:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T19:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/2025-nrdc-climate-storytelling-fellowship-participants-announced\/"},"modified":"2025-04-30T19:17:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T19:17:16","slug":"2025-nrdc-climate-storytelling-fellowship-participants-announced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/2025-nrdc-climate-storytelling-fellowship-participants-announced\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship Participants Announced"},"content":{"rendered":"

What criteria were used to select the recipients of the 2025 NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship? What kind of support will the fellows receive during their projects? How does the fellowship aim to reflect themes of climate change and environmental justice in storytelling? What impact does the NRDC hope these stories will have on audiences? What are the specific storylines of the projects by the selected fellows?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The trio was selected from more than 500 submissions for their unique and captivating portrayals of the climate crisis. As part of the fellowship, each fellow will receive a $20,000 grant and will be paired with an entertainment industry professional who will provide mentorship and creative support to further develop their projects. Mentors will include Lucia Aniello (Broad City<\/em>, Hacks<\/em>), Nick Kroll (Adults<\/em>, Big Mouth<\/em>), and Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch<\/em>, The Wild Robot<\/em>). <\/p>\n

Now in its fifth year, the NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship is designed to help screenwriters develop compelling stories that reflect climate change and environmental justice. In addition to creative mentorship, recipients receive counsel from environmental experts on climate issues highlighted in their script, and NRDC\u2019s Rewrite the Future program advises on effective approaches to developing climate themes. Revised scripts may be reviewed for development by companies like CAA, Hyperobject Industries, Yellow Dot Studios, Madica Productions, UTA, WME, and NBCUniversal.<\/p>\n

In a statement on the fellowship selections, Katy Jacobs, Entertainment Partnerships Director at NRDC, said, \u201cThese talented writers are telling compelling stories that explore the real impacts of our changing climate on our personal relationships, our plans for the future, and our day-to-day lives. It\u2019s more critical than ever to uplift stories like these that can help us reflect on our climate reality and shift our culture to embrace a better future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mentor Aniello commented, \u201cThe urgency of the climate crisis demands creative and compelling narratives\u2014ones that can make audiences see and feel new perspectives. I look forward to working with one of these talented writers as they explore climate themes in their work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Applications for the fifth cycle of the Climate Storytelling Fellowship are open now through November 28. For more information on this year\u2019s fellows and their projects, read on.<\/p>\n

LOWCOUNTRY (pilot) by L.C. Killingsworth:<\/strong> When a hurricane devastates the quirky coastal town of Dundee, Georgia, and the area\u2019s last insurance company pulls out, the community must find a new way to survive.<\/p>\n

L.C. Killingsworth<\/strong> is a career writer based in Savannah, GA. She earned her BA in creative writing from Yale and has worked as a writing teacher, nonprofit leader, and messaging strategist while also pursuing various creative projects.<\/p>\n

THE TIPPING POINT (feature) by Annika Marks:<\/strong> EverLeigh and Clay are madly in love. If \u2018opposites attract\u2019 is a rule, they\u2019re the couple that proves it. She\u2019s a pragmatic climate scientist; he\u2019s a musician and a dreamer. Over a decade, another difference emerges\u2014she\u2019s convinced that adding children to our struggling planet is irresponsible; he believes raising children is a responsibility he was built for.<\/p>\n

Annika Marks<\/strong> began her career as an actor and is known for her role as Monte Porter on Freeform\u2019s \u201cThe Fosters.\u201d As a writer, she has developed original series for Lionsgate, Sony, and Hallmark, and has contributed to projects for NBCUniversal, Peacock, Paramount+, and Tribeca, among others. Her first feature, \u201cKilling Eleanor,\u201d premiered at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, winning Best Narrative Feature. Her follow-up, \u201cAdult Children,\u201d is set to hit the festival circuit this summer. Marks has participated in various programs, including the Sundance Labs and the Women in Film Mentoring Program. She splits her time between Los Angeles and Seattle with her husband and collaborator, Rich Newey, and their two children.<\/p>\n

NIGHT OF POWER (feature) by Yasir Masood:<\/strong> Amid Texas\u2019s fiercest heat wave on the eve of Ramadan, three young Muslims plunge into a crime spree to save their community, confronting Houston’s gritty underworld and their struggle for power.<\/p>\n

Yasir Masood<\/strong> is a Pakistan-born, Emmy-nominated producer and filmmaker. He won the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Los Angeles Asian American Film Festival for his debut feature film, ISTIKHARA, NEW YORK. Self-financed with a budget of $15,000, the film was picked up for finishing and distribution by Nicholas Weinstock\u2019s Invention Studios. Yasir produced OUT OF ORDER, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and debuted on VICE. He directed episodes for the Webby-nominated series PICTURE LOCKED & IN MY OWN WORDS on DOCUMENTARY+. Yasir\u2019s work explores the intersectionality of masculinity, migration, and identity in Muslim and working-class communities.<\/p>\n

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in partnership with The Black List, the CAA Foundation, NBCUniversal, and The Redford Center, has unveiled the 2025 NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship. This initiative aims to empower screenwriters to craft compelling narratives that address the multifaceted challenges of climate change, moving beyond dystopian portrayals to highlight solutions and envision a sustainable future.<\/p>\n

A Collaborative Effort to Amplify Climate Narratives<\/strong><\/p>\n

The fellowship is a collaborative effort among several influential organizations:<\/p>\n