(Photo Courtesy of AGBO: Anthony Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, Joe Russo)
Calling all storytellers! Join the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF) to celebrate Italian American heritage through film.
Feb. 1 marked the launch of the RBIAFF 2025 Fellowship, an initiative inviting emerging filmmakers to develop films exploring the Italian American experience, presented by AGBO and the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA).
— REGISTRATION CLOSED —
Applicants have the opportunity to showcase their vision and skills through a three-minute sizzle reel that conveys their idea for a film highlighting aspects of Italian American culture, language, history, land, or people.
From these applications, five filmmakers will be selected to receive a $10,000 grant to create a short film based on their idea over several months. From these five films created, a selection committee comprised of the Filmmaker Forum Founders — Basil Russo, Patricia Russo, and their children Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, and Angela Russo Otstot — will choose a winner to receive an additional $10,000 and admittance into the AGBO Storytellers Collective (StoCo).
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The AGBO Storytellers Collective is an alumni network exclusive to those honored through AGBO’s fellowships and competitions. It provides mentorship, industry guidance, and a platform to collaborate with fellow emerging filmmakers. As a supportive community, the Collective empowers its members to continue growing as artists and realizing their creative ambitions.
Related story: AGBO’s Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum Honors 2025 Renaissance Award Recipient Stanley Tucci
Since its inception in 2017, the fellowship has granted over $450,000 to more than 50 filmmakers. In 2024, filmmaker Joe Picozzi won for his film, My Kind of People. Picozzi’s short film tells the story of a proud paesano who, after a DNA test reveals his father’s adoption, must grapple with the devastating realization that he’s not genetically Italian. As the foundation of his identity crumbles and his familial bonds fracture, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, wrestling with the meaning of heritage, belonging, and identity.
Submissions for the RBIAFF 2025 Fellowship opened on Feb. 1, 2025, and will close on Feb. 28, 2025.
Learn more about the Russo Brothers’ life and work in Marianna Gatto’s Italians in Hollywood.
ABOUT AGBO
Established in 2017 by acclaimed directors Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO’s mission is to propel the next era of storytelling by developing and producing universe-driven intellectual properties that span film, TV, and interactive. As a powerhouse independent studio founded and operated by a collective of artists with decades of experience, AGBO has consistently shattered audience records with its globally resonant content. In recent years, AGBO has achieved record-breaking success in both box office and streaming, setting new standards in global entertainment. The Russo Brothers and AGBO have had 14 number one global openings with over seven billion in box office including Marvel’s highest grossing film of all time: Avengers: Endgame. Everything Everywhere All at Once broke records for A24 by winning seven Academy Awards including Best Picture in 2023. The Russo Brothers-directed film The Gray Man sits in the top six of Netflix’s “most viewed of all time” list, and the Chris Hemsworth-starrer Extraction has become Netflix’s most successful franchise to date. Additionally, following its April 2023 release, the first season of Citadel was Prime Video’s second most-watched new original series outside the U.S., with it’s Italian & Indian series, Citadel: Diana & Citadel: Honey Bunny, with both being in the top watched new original series worldwide. AGBO has just completed principal photography on the Amazon MGM film The Bluff directed by Frank E. Flowers and has commenced production on Citadel Season 2 in London with Joe Russo directing. Recently announced this summer, AGBO will be producing, alongside Marvel, the Russo Brothers-directed films Avengers: Doomsday set to release May 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars set to release May 2027. https://www.agbo.com/
ABOUT AGBO FOUNDATION
The AGBO Foundation is a philanthropic initiative founded by Anthony and Joe Russo, the visionary creators behind AGBO. Committed to harnessing the transformative power of storytelling, media, and the arts, the foundation strives to inspire meaningful change in our world. By fostering creativity, advancing education, and supporting communities in need, the AGBO Foundation seeks to provide opportunities for everyone to be part of a larger narrative. Collaborating with diverse partners, the foundation champions the value of cultural preservation, empowerment, and social progress. Through a blend of creative endeavors and strategic initiatives, the AGBO Foundation envisions a future where the convergence of art and empathy drives lasting impact on a global scale.
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