Posted by Larry Gleeson
AFI ANNOUNCES 2025-2026 CANVA FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS
Scholarship Program Extends AFI’s Partnership With Canva
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, August 28, 2025 – Right this moment, the American Movie Institute (AFI) introduced the recipients of the 2025-2026 Canva Fellowship on the AFI Conservatory. This marks the third yr of Canva partnering with AFI to additional their shared mission of training and provoking the following era of filmmakers. The scholarship helps one Fellow from every of the six disciplines on the AFI Conservatory: Cinematography, Directing, Enhancing, Producing, Manufacturing Design and Screenwriting.
The recipients of The Canva Fellowship for 2025-2026 are AFI First 12 months Fellows are Maghsoud Eghrari (Screenwriting), Brianna Kolybaba (Manufacturing Design), Mahsati Moorhead (Cinematography), Zhizong Qu (Enhancing), Aemilia Scott (Directing) and Allisa Tsukimori (Producing).
The Fellows will begin their Grasp of Superb Arts filmmaking program on the AFI Conservatory on the AFI Campus in Los Angeles this August. Over the course of their two-year AFI Conservatory MFA program, every Fellow will obtain a $40,000 scholarship, with a complete of $240,000 awarded to the six recipients.
“On the AFI Conservatory, we’re dedicated to bringing rising filmmakers collectively by studying the craft of storytelling,” mentioned Susan Ruskin, Dean of the AFI Conservatory. “For the third consecutive yr, we’re proud to accomplice with Canva to assist our Fellows amplify their voices as they develop into leaders of their inventive communities and produce a variety of views to audiences around the globe.”
The second class of The Canva Fellowship on the AFI Conservatory just lately shared their ideas after finishing their first yr of their training at AFI.
“We’re extremely proud to mark our third yr of partnership with AFI, persevering with our assist for this very important fellowship. At Canva, we strongly imagine in empowering the following era of visible storytellers, and it’s really inspiring to see these rising creators flourish and produce their distinctive visions to life by this program,” mentioned Kate Marsden, World Head of Model Partnerships and Design Faculty at Canva. ”
In regards to the 2025-2026 Recipients
Maghsoud “Hami” Eghrari – Screenwriting Fellow
Maghsoud “Hami” Eghrari moved to the U.S. from Iran in 2017 and just lately graduated from The College of Texas at Dallas the place he earned a BS in Healthcare Research. Pushed by a ardour for storytelling, he pivoted to filmmaking. Since 2022, he has co-directed large-scale theatrical productions, A NEW DRESS FOR MONA and THE KINGFISHER’S WING. His work in coordinating intensive community-building applications in underserved Dallas neighborhoods impressed him to jot down “Even Birds Have a Nest,” his fiction work revealed in “The Southern Quill” in 2023. In 2024, Eghrari created the quick movies WRONG WHITE and BLIND SPOT, marking his filmmaking debut.
Brianna Kolybaba – Manufacturing Design Fellow
Brianna Kolybaba is a Canadian-Ukrainian movie, theater, and opera designer. She brings her ardour for world-building by design. She has a BFA in Theatre Design from the College of Alberta. She was a contributor of Prague Quadrennial Efficiency Design and Area convention in 2019 and 2023. Kolybaba received the Excellent Manufacturing Design Award at FAVA Fest in 2024 for her work on the quick NIGIQTUQ ᓂᒋᖅᑐᖅ. Her credit embrace BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND, THE LAND OF NOD, UNSPEAKABLE, and THE MURDER OF JONBENET RAMSEY.
Zhizong “Jason” Qu – Enhancing Fellow
Zhizong “Jason” Qu is a current graduate of SCAD, with a BFA in Movie and TV and a minor in Sound Enhancing. Qu is taken with modifying narratives and trailers whereas additionally having a ardour for manufacturing audio. He’ll typically do each manufacturing audio and modifying on the identical challenge to get the very best audio and workflow. Qu is presently modifying the characteristic movie, SECRETS OF SAVANNAH.
Aemilia Scott – Directing Fellow
Aemilia Scott graduated from Columbia College with a level in Historical past. Earlier than directing and writing she labored as an actor in TV, Movie and at Second Metropolis Chicago. Her most up-to-date quick movie, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, premiered on the Sundance Movie Competition. Her first quick movie, BEST IF USED BY, premiered at Clermont-Ferrand and received a BAFTA LA Award at Aspen Shortsfest. Her characteristic screenplay,”Three Hours,” was a semifinalist for the Academy Nicholl Screenwriter’s prize and received the Blacklist/Cassian Elwes Screenwriter’s Fellowship. Scott’s characteristic screenplay, “Donna,” was a finalist on the Austin Screenwriter’s Competitors.
Mahsati Moorhead – Cinematography Fellow
Mahsati Moorhead is a graduate of Spelman School with a BA in Images and Cultural Anthropology. She studied in Paris and London aiding cinematographer Bradford Younger, ASC, with movie installations and Tribe 7 archives. She interned at TRIBE7 London, labored with Rap Analysis Lab and supported Simone Leigh’s “Loophole of Retreat” on the Venice Biennale. Moorhead’s movie AUSPICIOUS RETURN screened at BlackStar Movie Competition and Maryland Movie Competition and is featured in applications at Georgetown College and Duke Ellington Faculty. She has labored within the digicam and artwork departments on SPACE JAM, REALLY LOVE, AS TOLD TO G/D THYSELF, THE KING & AND THE VIKING, and the Telfar model.
Allisa Tsukimori – Producing Fellow
Allisa Tsukimori is an Australian Japanese producer based mostly in Queensland, Australia. She has produced the characteristic movie THE AEGEAN in addition to PLANTED, an eight-episode internet sequence. Exterior of her work in movie, Tsukimori has earned her Bachelor of Legal guidelines (LLBHons) from Queensland College of Know-how and has constructed a authorized profession centered on employment and discrimination legislation working within the not-for-profit house.
In regards to the American Movie Institute (AFI)
The American Movie Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit group with a mandate to champion the transferring picture as an artwork kind. Established in 1967, AFI launched the primary complete historical past of American movie and sparked the motion for movie preservation in america. In 1969, AFI opened the doorways of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to coach narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked the #1 movie college in America. AFI’s enduring traditions embrace the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the take a look at of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the inventive ensembles of probably the most excellent display tales of the yr; and scholarly efforts such because the AFI Catalog of Characteristic Movies and the AFI Archive that protect movie historical past for future generations. AFI exhibition applications embrace AFI FEST and year-round exhibition on the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Middle in Maryland. AFI Film Membership is a vacation spot for film lovers from around the globe to have a good time and have interaction with the artwork kind day by day. Different pioneering applications embrace workshops geared toward rising variety within the storytelling neighborhood, together with AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Ladies. Examine all of those applications and extra at AFI.com and comply with us on social media at Fb.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
In regards to the AFI Conservatory
The AFI Conservatory opened its doorways in 1969 to an inaugural class that included Terrence Malick, Caleb Deschanel and Paul Schrader. Right this moment, the Conservatory gives a two-year MFA diploma in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Enhancing, Producing, Manufacturing Design and Screenwriting. In a collaborative manufacturing setting, AFI Fellows study to grasp the artwork of storytelling, collectively creating as much as 175 movies a yr. Fellows actively take part in your entire life cycle of a movie, from growth by manufacturing and exhibition.
Alumni of this elite program, starting from trendy masters to daring new voices defining the state-of-the-art kind, embrace Andrea Arnold, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Sam Esmail, Brad Falchuk, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Liz Hannah, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas, Polly Morgan, Rachel Morrison and Wally Pfister, amongst others.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is the world’s main all-in-one platform for visible communication and collaboration. Constructed to empower everybody to design, the corporate serves the inventive and design wants of enterprises, small companies, customers, and college students in additional than 190 international locations worldwide. Whether or not you’re a novice taking your first steps in design, or a inventive skilled in search of highly effective instruments, Canva ensures customers have what they should rework an concept into one thing lovely. Underpinned by the world’s most complete library of designer-made content material, Canva is powered by a set of merchandise and proprietary AI instruments which elevate how people and groups create, collaborate, and talk with ease.
In regards to the American Movie Institute (AFI)
The American Movie Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit group with a mandate to champion the transferring picture as an artwork kind. Established in 1967, AFI launched the primary complete historical past of American movie and sparked the motion for movie preservation in america. In 1969, AFI opened the doorways of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to coach narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked as one of many prime movie faculties in America. AFI’s enduring traditions embrace the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the take a look at of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the inventive ensembles of probably the most excellent display tales of the yr; and scholarly efforts such because the AFI Catalog of Characteristic Movies and the AFI Archive that protect movie historical past for future generations. AFI exhibition applications embrace AFI FEST Introduced by Canva and year-round exhibition on the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Middle in Maryland. AFI Film Membership is a vacation spot for film lovers from around the globe to have a good time and have interaction with the artwork kind day by day. Different pioneering applications embrace workshops geared toward elevating rising storytellers and expertise, together with AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop. Examine all of those applications and extra at AFI.com and comply with us on social media at Fb.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
In regards to the AFI Conservatory
The AFI Conservatory opened its doorways in 1969 to an inaugural class that included Terrence Malick, Caleb Deschanel and Paul Schrader. Right this moment, the Conservatory gives a two-year MFA diploma in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Enhancing, Producing, Manufacturing Design and Screenwriting. In a collaborative manufacturing setting, AFI Fellows study to grasp the artwork of storytelling, collectively creating as much as 175 movies a yr. Fellows actively take part in your entire life cycle of a movie, from growth by manufacturing and exhibition.
Alumni of this elite program, starting from trendy masters to daring new voices defining the state-of-the-art kind, embrace Andrea Arnold, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Sam Esmail, Brad Falchuk, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Liz Hannah, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas, Polly Morgan, Rachel Morrison and Wally Pfister, amongst others.
Press contact: American Movie Institute
Shari Mesulam, Shari@themesulamgroup.com
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