CFF climate storytelling events next week, final call for films, & more!

Climate justice narratives, Alfalfa & the future of climate storytelling, CFF's cafe takeover, a new grant for immersive climate stories, upcoming opportunities for filmmakers, and more

Marisa Guerrero, Alec Turnbull, and J. English Cook

May 21, 2026

This week, we’re bringing climate storytelling to life across New York City, in cafés, workshops, and on screen. Plus, it’s our FINAL final deadline to submit your film to this year’s festival!

Final Deadline: Submit by May 22

In this Newsletter:

🌇 Global Rise & CFF Workshop: “The City as Commons: New Stories of Climate Justice”
🌱 Sneak Peak: Alfalfa: The Future of Climate Storytelling
📺 Open Call: Climate Futures + Immersive Media
☕️ CFF Takeover at Anew Cafe & Goods
🎬 Final Final Deadline! Open Call Extended to Friday, May 22
🌿 Opportunities & Events

🌇 Join Our 3-Part Workshop Series with Global Rise! The City as Commons: New Stories of Climate Justice

Alongside Global Rise: Stories for the Future and hosted by Anew, we invite you to the first of three free workshops to imagine new stories that illuminate climate justice in New York City. Whether you’re a seasoned climate storyteller or starting your creative journey, we’d love to see you there! RSVP here.

Workshop 1 of 3: The Multidimensional Challenges of Climate Justice

📆 When: Tuesday, May 26 from 5pm-8pm

📍 Where: Anew, 526 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014

In our first interactive workshop, we’ll open with conversation among policy advocates, community organizers, and experts about the new climate justice narratives we need for our city. Speakers will include:

Chris Dobens, Director of Communications, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
Lonnie Portis, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
Memphis Washington, Community Outreach & Engagement AmeriCorps Member, Waterfront Alliance

Then, through guided prompts and collaborative exercises, we’ll begin mapping a creative narrative response in the medium of your choice (film, creative writing, journalism, and more all welcome!).

Participants who want to take their project further are also invited to submit a one-page story proposal to Global Rise! Several submitted projects will be selected to be workshopped in July at Part 2 of this series.

Join The City as Commons Workshop

This workshop is free to attend! But space is limited, so register today to reserve your spot.

Global Rise: Stories for the Future creates innovative strategies for new narratives. We work with creatives and community leaders to examine the interdisciplinary role of science, humanities, and imagination in crafting rich climate stories across media. We believe climate storytelling is most powerful when rooted in the landscapes, communities, systems, and cultures where climate change is lived.

Alfafa: The Future of Climate Storytelling

Alfalfa: The Future of Climate Storytelling

📆 When: Wednesday, May 27 from 6pm-9pm

📍 Where: 22 E 2nd St, New York, NY

Join us on Wednesday, 5/27 for an exclusive sneak peek and panel discussion for ALFALFA—a dynamic eco-noir thriller from award-winning director Jack Fessenden. Set against the parched backdrop of the American West, this Altman-esque tale of a desert community ravaged by water scarcity is a bold case study for entertaining, high-impact cinema. RSVP here!

To solve the climate crisis, we must first solve the crisis of imagination. Join philanthropist and thought leader Reverend Lennox Yearwood (Producer, ALFALFA), actress and environmental activist Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black, Sideways), and director Jack Fessenden for a program to support ALFALFA, a story that reframes climate as a culture fight.

RSVP for Alfalfa

Agog Open Call: https://agog.org/opencall2026/

Agog Open Call: Climate Futures + Immersive Media

Looking for new ways to engage people in the climate fight? Check out this opportunity from our partners at Agog: The Immersive Media Institute. Agog just launched their first open call: Climate Futures + Immersive Media.

This $1 million open call offers grants of $25,000–$200,000 for innovators, technologists, artists, organizers, researchers, impact-focused organizations, studios, and creative teams with an immersive climate project. No extended reality (XR) experience required. A strong concept matters more than technical expertise.

Projects at all stages are welcome—from early concept to more developed work. Technologies of interest include smart glasses, augmented reality, spatial sound, and mixed reality. Applications close June 12.

Apply Now: Agog Open Call

Agog is a philanthropic organization that funds immersive media for social good—it’s distributed nearly $6.5 million across projects focused on climate, racial equity, Indigenous knowledge, and journalism since launching about two years ago.

Image courtesy of Anew Café. @anewcafenyc

☕️ CFF Takeover at Anew Café

From May 26 through May 31, CFF is taking over Anew Café & Goods in the West Village, featuring a workshop in collaboration with Global Rise, short screenings, an activation by CFF’s Next Gen Collective, and more! Treat yourself to the cafe’s new signature CFF matcha, join screenings on Wednesday, 5/27 or Sunday, 5/31 at 3pm, or browse the pop-up.

Anew Café & Goods is part of Anew, a social impact action lab and discovery center. CFF is proud to be part of the current cohort of Anew’s Entrepreneurs in Residence program!

🎬 Final Final Deadline! Open Call Extended to Friday, May 22

We’re giving our late-night editors and final-cut perfectionists one last week to get their films across the finish line!

Our NEW final deadline to submit your film to CFF ’26 is this Friday, May 22!