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CAPE and Janet Yang Productions are bringing back the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge for a sixth year, offering four filmmakers US$25,000 each to produce short films centred on Asian and Pacific Islander women and non-binary protagonists.
The sixth year of the programme began on 1 October 2026, with four filmmakers again set to receive US$25,000 each, representing a combined US$100,000 in direct short-film production grants.
Selected filmmakers also receive additional production retry professionals including producers, agents, managers and studio executives
Four Films Receive $25,000 Each
The programme is structured around four individually funded productions, with each selected filmmaker receiving US$25,000 to make a short film.
The challenge was created in 2022 through a partnership between CAPE and Janet Yang Productions and is named after philanthropist and business executive Julia S. Gouw.
Across its first five cycles, CAPE says the programme has provided US$500,000 in production funding to 20 filmmakers.
Supported Shorts Have Reached Major Festivals
Films supported through earlier editions have gone on to screen at festivals including Sundance, SXSW, Annecy and Cannes.
That track record gives the programme additional value beyond the production cheque, particularly for filmmakers hoping to move a funded short into a substantial festival run.
More Than a Production Grant
The Challenge also provides access to Janet Yang and CAPE’s wider entertainment-industry network, helping filmmakers connect with professionals working across representation, producing, development and studio environments.
What Filmmakers Should Know
The programme’s core remit is supporting Asian and Pacific Islander women and non-binary filmmakers in producing short films built around protagonists from those communities.
At the time of the Year 6 launch, the visible official programme page had not yet published the complete 2026–27 application timetable, final deadline, application fee or detailed submission rules, so applicants should confirm those details against the new cycle’s official materials.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
A US$25,000 award sits at the more substantial end of the short-film funding landscape. Four separate awards also increase the programme’s impact beyond a winner-takes-all model.
For filmmakers who meet the eligibility requirements and have a narrative or animated short-film script ready for development, the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge is one of the more substantial production opportunities to watch this autumn.
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