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DRUNG MENTORSHIP

With the realization of the importance of mentorships in professional development, Drung Filmmakers Collective presents our fifth annual Drung Filmmaking Mentorship program for Tibetan youth in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Supported by the Tibet Fund, the two and half month mentorship program welcomes Tibetan youth applicants from the subcontinent who are in the early stages of their career and want to explore their potential in storytelling and filmmaking. Our program is designed to act as a catalyst and discover new and emerging talent with the Tibetan communities in exile. This year, we have two amazing senior filmmakers (TBA) who will guide the selected mentees as they each work on a narrative short.
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The mentorship is open to Tibetan youth from the countries, India, Nepal and Bhutan and must present, through their application, a strong interest in building a career as a filmmaker. Although we encourage and give preference to youth applicants, there are no age restrictions and there are no application fees. To be considered for selection, we expect all the applicants to send in their story pitch in the form of a SCRIPT* or an OUTLINE* for a SHORT FILM (No longer than 10 Minutes). We do not have a set theme/topic for the stories that the applicants decide to work on. The applicants are free to choose any theme/topic for their films. All application materials must be complete to be considered for selection. Since this mentorship will be conducted virtually, priority will be given to applicants who have access to some basic filmmaking equipment and good internet access.

Selection Criteria

Benefits and support

❋ BENEFITS

Over the course of 2.5 months, the selected two mentees will get to work on realizing their pitched short films under the guidance of two senior filmmakers. The two mentees will also receive a funding support of 1000 USD each to spend on making their short films. The completed films will have a public screening organized by Drung Filmmakers Collective. Further support will be provided to encourage the finished films to be submitted into International Film Festivals.

❋ APPLICATION MATERIALS

  • Online Application Form

  • Personal Statement

  • Portfolio (Eg: Writings, Photos, Videos, Audios, Artworks, etc (Must have English subtitles if materials are not in English)

March 2026 - June 2026

❋ Timeline
APPLICATION FORM
APPLICATION GUIDE

PasT Cohorts and their films

A young man with black hair, wearing a black leather jacket and black turtleneck, sitting in front of a brick wall, looking to the side.

Jalyong(2023)

Directed by: Tenzin Tsewang
Runtime: 06.32

Jalyong portrays the parallel journeys of Dawa, a young Tibetan refugee living in India, and Lhamo, a Tibetan woman working at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. Both share a deep longing to reunite with their families in Lhasa, Tibet. As they face personal challenges and navigate conflicting loyalties, they discover inner strength and resilience through their interconnected paths.

A man wearing a gray cap and a beige jacket standing outdoors, looking at green trees and foliage.

Chunthag(2024)

Directed by: Jamyang Phuntsok
Runtime: 10.00

Mindruk, a tsampa (barley powder) seller, operates his business with his wife Tsering, sourcing barley from a nearby Indian village for grinding. When his wife secures a large order, he struggles to find the miller who runs the traditional watermill. Despite conflicting information from villagers, he eventually resorts to using an electric miller. While grinding the grains, he learns that the miller is at the hospital with his sick mother.

Five people gathered around a table in a cozy indoor setting, some preparing food while others are laughing and chatting. The table features bottles, cans, and cooking utensils.

A Phone Call(2025)

Directed by: Kunchok Rabten
Runtime: 13.59

A Phone Call follows Dukgyal (འབྲུག་རྒྱལ།), a young Tibetan man sent into exile as a child, part of a generation displaced from Tibet in the 1990s and 2000s. Living in India and preparing to leave for America, a sudden phone call from Tibet informs him of his mother’s death, forcing him to confront a lifetime shaped by separation, loss, and the unfulfilled promise of reunion. Through Dukgyal’s experience, the film reflects on exile as an enduring emotional condition and on the unbreakable bond between a mother and her son.

A young man looking at his phone outdoors with mountains in the background.

The Quiet Solace of Sunset (2022)

Directed by: Tenzin Choedon
Runtime: 21.00

Tashi, a Tibetan youth who identifies as queer, comes back to his hometown following a fiveyear absence. During his visit, he reconnects with his childhood best friend, Nangsel, spending much of his time with her. Surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the mountains, he finally finds the courage to confide in her about the reasons that had kept him away from returning home for so long.

A young man with blood on his fingers and face, looking at his hand with a serious expression, wearing a gray shirt.

Whispers of Conscience(2024)

Directed by: Tenzin Kelsang
Runtime: 10.00

Whispers of Conscience unfolds in Delhi’s Tibetan enclave, Majnu Ka Tila, focusing on Karma, a shopkeeper and youth congress leader. He uncovers the unsettling truth that the products he has been selling are counterfeit Chinese goods exploiting legal loopholes.

A child in outdoor clothing and a red hat with a pattern stands among a herd of yaks on a grassy plain, with mountains in the background.

BHU TSERING (2023)

Directed by: Tenzin Wangjor
Runtime: 5.52

In the remote nomadic region of Ladakh, India, young Tsering pleads with his parents to send him to school. However, the father worries about who will take care of the animals if he leaves

A woman smiling at a person, possibly in a friendly interaction, with her arm around the person or gesturing, in a setting with green lockers or cabinets in the background.

Somehere between HOMES (2025)

Directed by: Tenzin Choezin
Runtime: 04.21

A young Tibetan woman in Delhi packs her life once again- another house, another goodbye. Through a quiet letter left for her landlord, she reflects on what it means to move, to let go, and to search for something that feels like home. Still Somewhere Between Homes is a tender, minimal portrait of transience where memory, belonging, and everyday kindness blur into the spaces we leave behind.

Mentee speaks

  • "The whole process was incredibly rewarding and taught me more than I could’ve imagined."

    Tenzin Choezin

  • "Making my first film was a truly empowering experience. I could hardly believe that I had actually transformed the vague scenes and images that had been lingering in my mind for the past ten years into a real film."

    Kunchok Rabten

  • "A truly wholesome experience that taught me a lot and opened my eyes to many new possibilities in storytelling."

    Tenzin Tsewang