Academy Names Tatti Ribeiro and Noora Niasari 2026 Gold Fellowship for Women Recipients

In partnership with CHANEL, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honors two award-winning filmmakers whose work is helping shape the future of independent and international cinema.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named filmmakers Tatti Ribeiro and Noora Niasari as recipients of the 2026 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, an annual initiative presented in partnership with luxury fashion house CHANEL to support emerging women filmmakers and expand opportunities across the global film industry.

The distinction arrives at a significant moment for both directors, whose debut features have already attracted international attention, prestigious film festival awards and industry recognition.

Ribeiro, a journalist and filmmaker raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, has emerged as a compelling new voice in independent filmmaking. Her debut feature, Valentina, earned the Someone to Watch Award at the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards, along with the Audience Award at the 2025 Austin Film Festival and the Mind the Gap Creation Prize at the 2025 Mill Valley Film Festival.

The film's impressive festival run continued with a Special Jury Award at the 2026 Florida Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2026 Dallas International Film Festival, establishing Ribeiro as a filmmaker whose work is resonating with audiences and critics.

Niasari, a Tehran-born, Australia-raised writer and director, has followed an equally impressive trajectory. Her debut feature, Shayda, premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.

Acquired by Sony Pictures Classics, Shayda went on to become Australia's official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards. Niasari also received the 2023 Australian Directors' Guild Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget $1 Million or Over) and a nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a First-Time Theatrical Feature Film at the 76th Directors Guild of America Awards.

For both filmmakers, the Gold Fellowship represents an opportunity to build upon that momentum.

The Academy's one-year program provides personalized mentorship, professional development, industry networking, and continued career support through the Academy Gold Alumni Network and Mentorship Program. Two fellowships are awarded annually: one to a U.S.-based filmmaker and another to an international filmmaker.

"Elevating the next generation of filmmakers worldwide is a priority for the Academy, and we are incredibly proud to advance that commitment through the Gold Fellowship for Women," said Kim Taylor-Coleman, Academy governor and president of the Academy Foundation Board.

Taylor-Coleman also acknowledged CHANEL's role in helping create meaningful professional opportunities for women working in cinema.

The partnership extends a relationship between CHANEL and filmmaking that dates back to founder Gabrielle Chanel, who collaborated with prominent filmmakers and supported artistic expression throughout her career. Today, the fashion house continues that tradition through film initiatives and programs designed to champion women behind the camera.

The 2026 recipients were selected from 10 finalists, reflecting the Academy's expanding international talent development efforts.

The additional U.S. finalists were Jalena Keane-Lee, Karina Lomelin Ripper, Oanh-Nhi Nguyen and Samantha Smart. International finalists included Maura Delpero, Rena Effendi, Suzannah Mirghani and Zamo Mkhwanazi.

For emerging filmmakers, these programs can provide something that festival recognition alone cannot guarantee: sustained relationships, mentorship and access to an industry where securing the resources to make a second or third feature can be as challenging as completing the first.

For Ribeiro and Niasari, the recognition is another important chapter in two careers already distinguished by artistic ambition and international acclaim.

More information about the fellowship and eligibility requirements is available through the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women.