The Programming Department of the New Orleans Film Society offers a paid, seven-month fellowship (February–August) designed for South-based aspiring film programmers to build skills and experience related to film programming and curation through one season of film review and selection for the New Orleans Film Festival.

Offering a flexible weekly schedule with a hybrid aspect, the fellowship demands on average 5-10 hours per week and comes with a stipend of $2000 and a complimentary pass to the New Orleans Film Festival. Festival attendance is expected and travel stipends will be provided for those living outside New Orleans.

Fellowship responsibilities include:

  • Assisting in the review process of filmmaker-submitted projects, including viewing submissions, completing assessments, and taking part in programmer discussions about the submitted films.
  • Meeting with programmers and industry leaders from film institutions to learn about a variety of programming approaches and curatorial practices.
  • Taking an active role as part of a fellowship cohort, meeting regularly to discuss screening progress.
  • Writing program and promotional copy for films as required
  • Attending the New Orleans Film Festival to introduce films/filmmakers and moderate Q&A sessions as required, virtually and in-person
  • Completing a post festival survey 

No prior film programming experience is required. The fellowship is specifically for individuals based in the American South (defined as Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C.), and we strongly encourage applications from BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as members of the disability community.

The fellowship is ideal for candidates who possess the following traits:

  • A willingness to commit a minimum of 5 hours weekly from February through July watching films and in conversation about those films with a screener group.
  • A willingness and ability to describe and support your assessment of a given submission.
  • Strict adherence to the confidentiality guidelines established by the NOFS.
  • The ability to watch each film assigned in its entirety, without skimming.
  • A commitment to watch and rate the films in a timely manner.
  • An open-minded, generally positive approach to film and respect for the commitment, work, and vision of every filmmaker.
  • An eagerness to diversify the stories we share at NOFF, incorporating more work by new filmmakers, women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.
  • No involvement in any capacity with any of the submitted films in your category, including financial or production involvement in the film, or close relationship to filmmakers or producing team.
  • Ability to analyze films with a critical eye and offer insight into how well a film might play with New Orleans audiences.
NOFF Programming Fellows
Autumn Johnson

Autumn Johnson

Programming Fellow

A December 2022 graduate from the University of Houston with a double major in Media Production and English Literature. Autumn possesses a strong passion for creative direction, narrative storytelling and empowering the creatives around her. She currently works at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston as a Communications Coordinator and at Houston Cinema Arts Society as a Marketing and Administrative Associate and is continually building her independent studies in Black film and the film industry.

Han-‘Naeh Belser

Han-‘Naeh Belser

Programming Fellow

Han-’Naeh Belser (she/her/hers) is an African American artist, screenwriter, film programmer, and producer born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. Her Southern roots have inspired fantastical and romantic narratives that center Black women who often go unnoticed in modern mainstream narratives.

Jillian Desirée Oliveras

Jillian Desirée Oliveras

Programming Fellow

Jillian Desirée Oliveras is a Boricua artist, storyteller, and administrator. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Photography and minors in Social Work and Graphic Design, Jillian firmly believes in the power of art as an agent of change, and their professional experience has centered on trying to highlight the many ways art and community intersect. They received a Master’s Degree in Arts Administration at the University of New Orleans, with a thesis exploring performing arts organizations in the aftermath of disaster. Jillian is a board member for The NOLA Project, and has screened films for the New Orleans Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Festival, and Sundance Institute’s Documentary Fund.

Lizzie Doria

Lizzie Doria

Programming Fellow

Lizzie has ten years of experience producing narrative films, documentaries, shorts, and commercials as co-owner of indie production company Worklight Pictures. Films she’s produced have premiered at Sundance, Tribeca, and of course her hometown New Orleans Film Festival. She was a fellow in the inaugural Southern Producer’s Lab and a past recipient of the #CreateLouisiana French Culture Film Grant. Born and raised in South Louisiana, Lizzie values films deeply rooted in the American south and queer films that make her feel the unexpected. When she’s not watching movies, she’s blabbing about them on her queer film podcast Subtextual, learning to bind books, or daydreaming about next year’s Mardi Gras costume.