Pegasus Media Project

The Pegasus Media Project (PMP), was founded in 2012 by Iranian-born artist-educator  Niloo Jalilvand, who taught at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts for 21 years, where she launched the student-led Pegasus Film Festival in 2015 to inspire and empower young people to pursue their passion for filmmaking.

In 2021, Jalilvand joined forces with Dallas filmmaker, Christian Vasquez,  to establish the Pegasus Media Project (PMP) as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  

What we do for Artists and Audiences: 

Our programs are free and designed to champion transformative storytelling, empowering underrepresented communities through comprehensive education, collaboration, and career pathways. 

Media Apprenticeship Program: This free program offers personalized education with access to state-of-the-art equipment, professional development opportunities and On-the-Job Training (OJT) in media arts and creative technologies with special outreach to women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+.

MAP is a 10- month program designed to prepare candidates to work in the media arts industry. Includes: Equipment, software, & support. Apprentices will have in-person & virtual educational classes, on-the-job training, mentorship, and production experience- creating original media content! MAP is divided into 3 Phases. Phase 1 is Film School Curriculum containing class hours filled with practice and theory. Phase 2 is Film Sets which will include apprentice-led films and client-requested projects. Phase 3 will be the Apprenticeship matched in your choice career path. 

Pegasus Film Festival (PFF): As the largest youth-run film festival in the country, the Pegasus Film Festival offers a platform for emerging young artists from underrepresented communities to exhibit their craft to a global audience.  Selected students, with a special outreach to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and underrepresented communities, organize and run a top-tier film festival with the guidance of educators & industry mentors.

Next year's Pegasus Film Festival will be June 12th-14th. 

Exhibition of Visions: We create and participate in events that allow the exhibition of art by our program participants, staff, and community members.  These events allow us to grow as artists and collaborate with the amazing community of artists and industry experts. We engage the public in open dialogue and expose our local community to arts initiatives that encourage contemplative discussion around complicated social issues. 

Youth Portable Film Program: Through immersive workshops and practical training sessions, this program offers students a comprehensive education in filmmaking that inspires creativity, critical thinking, and enhanced technical skills. This initiative provides under-resourced communities and schools without film programs with film and media education from industry professionals that empowers youth to explore various facets of film and media. Curriculum is structured around the needs of individual schools that we serve and can manifest in a tailored delivery for optimal impact.