Women In Film Unveils Its 2026–2027 Fellowship Class as Hollywood’s Inclusion Fight Enters a More Urgent Chapter

Women In Film Unveils Its 2026–2027 Fellowship Class (Courtesy Photo)

 

Women In Film Unveils Its 2026–2027 Fellowship Class as Hollywood’s Inclusion Fight Enters a More Urgent Chapter

In Hollywood, the word “fellowship” can sometimes sound like a polite industry promise: a room, a meeting, a mentor, perhaps a future introduction if the stars — and schedules — align. But WIF, the Los Angeles-based organization long known as Women In Film, is positioning its 2026–2027 Fellowship Program as something more muscular: a year-long, customized professional engine designed to move women, nonbinary, and trans talent closer to the center of an industry still struggling to make good on its own declarations of progress.

WIF revealed the new class for its comprehensive fellowship program, which spans a wide cross-section of the entertainment ecosystem: directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, artisans and crew, business executives, and, for the first time, scholars and curators. It is a reminder that the work of building a more equitable film and television industry does not happen only on set, in a writers’ room, or behind a camera. It also happens in archives, executive suites, editing rooms, sound departments, classrooms, festivals, museums, and the less glamorous, often decisive spaces where careers are either accelerated or quietly stalled.

Over the next year, the fellows will take part in a tailored slate of in-person events, cross-cohort sessions, one-on-one meetings, educational workshops, and industry mentorship. The goal is not simply access, but sustained access — the kind that can turn a promising career into a durable one.

“In this moment when our industry faces unprecedented challenges, and the progress toward gender equality is sliding backwards, we are doubling down on supporting talented storytellers,” said WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer. “Each fellow brings a distinct voice and creative vision, and we are excited to see their talents flourish while building the networks that will help propel their careers. We’re especially proud to welcome the first cohort of Scholar and Curator Fellows, investing in the next generation of thought leaders whose fresh perspectives will help shape a more expansive cultural landscape.”

That last addition — the Scholar and Curator Fellows — is especially pointed. In a business obsessed with opening weekends, streaming metrics, and awards-season velocity, WIF is making room for the people who preserve, contextualize, and interrogate culture. It is a quiet but significant expansion of what industry leadership can mean.

The selection committee for this year’s fellows included a formidable group of industry professionals: Anna Rose Holmer (“God’s Creatures”), Cheryl Wang (“I Love Boosters”), Ebony Elaine Hardin, Director of Production at Dropout, Katarina Zhu (“Bunnylovr”), Rosemarie Troche (“Ginny & Georgia,” “The Walking Dead”), Mireia Vilanova (“By Design”), Neda Davarpanah (“Tracker”), Allyson Newman (“The L Word: Generation Q”), Daysha Broadway (“The Miniature Wife”), Jay Keitel (“Mrs. Davis,” “Adulthood”), and Nami Melumad (“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “Thor: Love and Thunder”).

The WIF Fellowship Program is made possible through the support of Falguni Lakhani Adams, Marla Charlton, and an anonymous donor. The 2026 WIF Business Fellowship cohort is supported by STARZ through its #TakeTheLead commitment to amplifying narratives by, about, and for women and underrepresented audiences. The WIF Director and Cinematographer Fellowship circles are supported by Netflix.

At a time when the industry’s pipelines remain fragile, WIF’s fellowship class reads less like a ceremonial roster and more like a map of where the next generation of creative and cultural power may emerge.

2026–2027 WIF Fellowship Class

Artisan & Crew Fellows

Alaysia Sierra, music supervisor
Aneesa Meador, editor
Ava Porter, title designer
Elika Rezaee, editor
Elissa “E” Alcala’, costume designer
Gracie Simonett, editor
Jenn Hoang, script supervisor
Judybelle Camangyan, sound designer
Kayla McIntyre, composer
Kesha Brooks, music supervisor
Madeline Abiera, assistant director
Madison Anglin, composer
Mandy Woo, composer
Maureen Marchetti, editor
Mel Guérison, composer
Molly Bolten, sound editor
Murphy Li, production sound
Naya Simone, casting director
Rajarajeshwari “RJ” Ragampudi, production designer
Terese Classen, casting director
Tiana Ni, production designer

Business Executives

Maddy Myer
Rebecca “Toyin” Doherty
Samantha Schoen
Yang Fei

Cinematographers

Hannah Platzer
Lisa Janae
Louise YunJu Chen
Quinn Thomashow

Directors

Jhanvi Motla
Kateryna Kurganska
KK Apple
Nikki Taylor Roberts
Wendi Tang

Producers

Margaux Lee
Masora Fukuda
Nazanin Nematollahi
Sarah Ahmed
Valeria Lopez
Casey Naranjo
Kiri Kraatz

Scholars & Curators

Imani Davis
Jiyeon Kim
Kathy Michelle Chacón

Writers

Adriana Ducassi
Amanda Kohr
Briana Pozner
Bo Shim
Eva Reign
Julia Prescott
Katie Waldron
Monisha Dadlani
Paige Wesley
Sessen Mengist
Tania Dominguez-Rangel

More information about the WIF Fellowship Program is available at WIF.org/Fellowships. 

More information about the 2026 WIF Fellowship Class is available at WIF.org/Fellows.