American Film Institute’s AFI DWW+ Program Announces Call for Applicants

The American Film Institute announced the call for applicants for the next class of the AFI DWW+ program, a year-long directing workshop that educates underrepresented filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction from industry leaders.

In 2024, the program will celebrate its 50th anniversary since launching in 1974 as the Directing Workshop for Women, one of the first gender impact programs in the cinematic arts and is one of the longest-running film and television workshops in the world. The application period for the Class of 2024-2025 opens August 11 and closes Friday, September 15, 2023. The application and eligibility requirements can be found on afi.com/dww.

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“For nearly 50 years, AFI DWW+ has given voice to historically underrepresented perspectives and championed artists to pursue directing careers in film and television,” said Susan Ruskin, dean of the AFI Conservatory. “We look forward to celebrating the program’s milestone anniversary and welcoming a new cohort of directors who will become leaders in the creative community and inspire us all for generations to come.”

Past participants of AFI DWW+ include Siân Heder, who wrote and directed “CODA”; DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter, whose critically acclaimed work as a producer and director on “Homeland” earned her Emmy, PGA and DGA Award nominations; Dime Davis, the first Black woman nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series category; and Hanelle Culpepper, who directed the pilot of “Star Trek: Picard,” making her the first woman director and the first Black director to launch a new “Star Trek” series.

This year’s AFI DWW+ program is generously supported by AT&T, Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Studios, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation, NBCUniversal and Northern Trust. Additional support comes from the Lewis Greenwood Foundation, Jean Picker Firstenberg Endowment, The Nancy Malone Endowment, The Bob and Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation, and others.

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