NYC Announces Filmmaking Collective Storyline as Public Artists in Residence for the World Cup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2026

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NYC ANNOUNCES FILMMAKING COLLECTIVE STORYLINE AS PUBLIC ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE FOR THE WORLD CUP

Storyline's "One World, One Game" multimedia project documents World Cup fandom in immigrant neighborhoods, local businesses, and international communities across the five boroughs

The latest episode of the "One World, One Game" series - " We Already Won ," which follows CuraçaoanNew Yorkers as they celebrate the country's first-ever World Cup appearance - premiered today

Photo by Ryan Lynch.

NEW YORK, NY - The City of New York has announced Storyline, a filmmaking collective led by Michael Premo and Rachel Falcone, as Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) for New York City's celebration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Through their residency, Storyline is continuing work on "One World, One Game" a series of short films and photography capturing how New Yorkers live, welcome, and celebrate the tournament across the five boroughs. The first short film of their residency - "Siempre Unidos" - was released this week onthe project's Instagram page, and YouTube. The second full installment - "We Already Won," which follows CuraçaoanNew Yorkers as they gather to talk about their island nation and celebrate their first goal ever in the Cup at a watch party in Brooklyn - premiered today. New films will be released in the days ahead and after the tournament concludes.

"New Yorkers are experiencing the World Cup on nearly every street in our city. That's where you find the real joy of this tournament, and Storyline is out there getting it on film. I'm glad they are, because those are the stories this city deserves to have told," said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani.

"As New Yorkers, we carry traditions from around the world, which we've brought to World Cup celebrations in bodegas, bars, block parties, and backyards across the five boroughs. Storyline is bringing an artist's lens to capture the spirit of international fandom on a local level, creating a lasting record of this special moment in our city," said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij.

"This is a love letter to the immigrants and global communities that make this country what it is. New York City is where the World Cup is not just watched-it is lived, in every language, neighborhood, and gathering place. Through 'One World, One Game,' we want to document the World Cup not only as a global sporting event, but as a civic and cultural moment shaped by the everyday experiences of New Yorkers," said Rachel Falcone and Michael Premo of Storyline.

"One World, One Game" is a multimedia storytelling initiative documenting New York City's experience as one of the world's most diverse cities. The project was created by Michael Premo, Rachel Falcone, and Jean-Michael Dissard. It is the latest in a body of work that Storyline has dubbed "participatory documentaries," a collaborative approach that invites a team of artists, journalists and community members to help shape and co-author the stories being told. Through this residency, the artists are collaborating directly with hundreds of New Yorkers across neighborhoods, inviting them to reflect on identity, migration, belonging, and celebration during the World Cup.

The residency is coordinated through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs' Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program, in partnership with the Mayor's Office World Cup team.

Throughout the tournament, Storyline's work will center the lived experience of the tournament across New York City's neighborhoods-highlighting immigrant communities, local businesses, and everyday spaces where the World Cup is celebrated.

The filmmakers will produce 10 short films released through the end of the tournament and in the weeks after, alongside ongoing social media content across Instagram and YouTube. The work will span formats including short documentaries, photography, and rapid-response "video postcards" capturing match-day energy across the city.

The collective has already spent time across the city at watch parties, cultural gatherings, and neighborhood celebrations, engaging with fans and communities as the tournament unfolds. They plan to continue throughout the World Cup, attending dozens of matches and community events across all five boroughs. Early and forthcoming films include stories from communities across New York City, including:

• Argentine neighborhoods in Queens, including Corona's El Gauchito and local bakeries and gathering spaces
• Mexican communities in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and the Bronx
• Curaçaoan fan celebrations in Brooklyn
• Colombian match-day gatherings in Jackson Heights
• Iranian, Haitian, Moroccan, Senegalese, and Portuguese/Nepalese diaspora communities across the city
• New York City's own soccer culture, from kit designers to pickup leagues and community clubs

Photo by Jean-Michel Dissard.

One of the first short documentaries will follow Marcello Civelli, co-owner of El Gauchito in Corona, whom Storyline first met during a 2022 World Cup viewing of the Argentina vs. France final. The film revisits the restaurant as a hub of community connection during this year's tournament.

The project has been developed in close coordination with the Mayor's Office World Cup team and City Hall communications staff, ensuring alignment with broader citywide storytelling efforts. The Department of Cultural Affairs is supporting the residency through its PAIR program, which embeds artists within city agencies to develop creative approaches to civic challenges. Storyline's films will be shared across City channels, and will be made available for amplification by community partners, cultural institutions, and World Cup-related events across the city.

Other partners include Nate Birnbaum/FoodPeople Media, Magnum Foundation, ActionLab, BLOQUE, I Learn America, and The Sound Co-op.

Storyline's work through DCLA's PAIR program also represents an expansion of the pathways that PAIR creates for artists to collaborate with city government. In addition to longer-term residences, DCLA will also find ways for artists to work more nimbly on projects that are of major importance to the city and likely to have broad resonance with New Yorkers - tapping into the power of artists to listen, process, and channel pivotal moments to engage and involve mass participation.

Photo by Kisha Bari.

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ABOUT NYC Department of Cultural Affairs

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City's vibrant cultural life. DCLA works to promote and advocate for quality arts programming and to articulate the contribution made by the cultural community to the City's vitality. The Department represents and serves non-profit cultural organizations involved in the visual, literary, and performing arts; public-oriented science and humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens, and historic and preservation societies; and creative artists at all skill levels who live and work within the City's five boroughs. DCLA also provides donated materials for arts programs offered by the public schools and cultural and social service groups, and commissions permanent works of public art at City-funded construction projects throughout the five boroughs. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/culture.

ABOUT STORYLINE

Storyline produces original art and journalism for film, theater, and exhibitions.

Their latest feature documentary, Homegrown, directed by Michael Premo and produced by Rachel Falcone, premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. It has won numerous awards including a 2026 duPont-Columbia Award, one of the most prestigious awards in journalism.

To learn more about our work visit: www.storyline.media.