September 2025 News
Opening Day at AFI
Opening Day at AFI – Ari Aster (AFI Class of 2010)
The Conservatory opened its doors to the incoming class on Monday, August 25. Welcoming them was Ari Aster (AFI Class of 2010) – writer, producer and director of HEREDITARY, MIDSOMMAR and this year’s EDDINGTON as well as producer of the upcoming BUGONIA. The theater was standing room only – Fellows filling the aisles – and he ended with, “I love seeing a room full of people who are giving their life to this. It’s up to you!”
Opening Day also included the awarding of grants to several AFI Alumni, including: Giselle Bonilla, Mahyar Mandegar and Nicholas Schmid (AFI Class of 2023), and Corey Pinchoff, Rhys Raiskin and Fiona Obertinca (AFI Class of 2024). These included:
Richard P. Rogers Spirit of Excellence Award:
Given annually to a director whose performance at AFI embodies the spirit of celebrated documentarian Richard P. Rog ... SHOW MORE
Guillermo Del Toro Named AFI FEST Guest Artistic Director
AFI FEST 2025 presented by Canva is proud to announce this year’s Guest Artistic Director: Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro! Join us for the festival October 22-26. Passes are now on sale:
As an AFI Alum, you’re eligible for 50% off passes and tickets to AFI FEST – our way of welcoming you back to the movies
AFI Announces 2025-2026 Canva Fellowship Recipients
The recipients of The Canva Fellowship for 2025-2026 are AFI First Year Fellows (from left to right) Maghsoud Eghrari (Screenwriting), Brianna Kolybaba (Production Design), Mahsati Moorhead (Cinematography), Zhizong Qu (Editing), Aemilia Scott (Directing) and Allisa Tsukimori (Producing). Over the course of their two-year AFI Conservatory MFA program, each Fellow will receive a $40,000 scholarship, with a total of $240,000 awarded to the six recipients.
AFI Honors Viola Davis and Walter Murch with Honorary Degrees at AFI Commencement
AFI was proud to confer honorary degrees upon trailbla ... SHOW MORE
Explore the Stellar Work of 2025 Cinematography and Production Design Fellows
This summer, we proudly celebrated the exceptional creativity of our Class of 2025 graduates at the 2025 Cinematography and Production Design SpotlightSHOW MORE
Reserve a Space at the Lawrence Herbert Alumni Center
Planning a meeting, table read or rehearsal? As an AFI Conservatory Alum, you can book our versatile conference and multi-purpose rooms at the Lawrence Herbert Alumni Center. Please review the updated campus access website and request a campus visit.
Join the AFI Alumni Network on Backlot
Looking for collaborators, industry insights or opportunities to mentor fellow AFI Alumni? Stay connected with the latest happenings in the AFI community by signing up for AFI Backlot. It’s your space to share, connect and strengthen our creative network!
Request an AFI Email
Need an AFI email address to streamline communication with fellow Alumni or assistance with your AFI Alumni account? Our Alumni Affairs team is here to help – contact us today!
AWARDS, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS AND OTHER HONORS
Seattle-based nonprofit Tasveer has selected Shuchi Dwivedi (AFI Class of 2024) as part of its Producers Lab cohort, a new mentorship program backed by Amazon MGM Studios focused on expanding representation for emerging South Asian producers.
Maxwell Kagan (AFI Class of 2025) has been selected as a Finalist for the Producers Guild of America 2025 Debra Hill Fellowship.
NEW TRAILERS
Peacock has released its first trailer for DEVIL IN DISGUISE: JOHN WAYNE GACY, which is set to premiere on October 16. Maggie Kiley (DWW+ Class of 2009) is among the directors of the show.
HBO’s TASK – the drama starring Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey from MARE OF EASTTOWN creator Brad Ingelsby (AFI Class of 2005) has released its first trailer and is set to premiere September 7 on HBO and HBO Max.
NEW RELEASES AND OTHER PROJECTS
Matthew Libatique (AFI Class of 1992) is the cinematographer for Spike Lee’s HIGHEST 2 LOWEST, which opens today in theaters. Libatique details his experience working with his longtime collaborator Spike Lee on the New York-shot and set film.
Read our new interview with AFI cinematographers Tarin Anderson (AFI Class of 2004) and Sandra Valde-Hansen (AFI Class of 2006) who talk about their work on the final season of THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY.
Adam Finberg (AFI Class of 2004)’s feature film directorial debut – STAR PEOPLE, a sci-fi thriller – is playing at the Laemmle Royal in West LA from August 8-14, with a Q&A following the 7:10pm screening on Saturday, August 9. Tickets and showtimes are available here: https://www.laemmle.com/film/star-people?date=2025-08-09
Michael Cobian (AFI Class of 2010) is a writer and supervising producer on WASHINGTON BLACK which is currently streaming on Hulu.
Kevin Coleman-Cohen (AFI Class of 2005) associate producer of documentary CATCHING BULLETS has had his film acquired by Buffalo 8, a Santa Monica–based television and film distribution company, and is set for a streaming release on Friday, August 15 on Tubi and Amazon Prime after its local theatrical premiere in St Louis.
Season 2 of PLATONIC – with John Guleserian, Cinematographer (AFI Class of 2005) and Theresa Guleserian (AFI Class of 2006), Production Designer – is now streaming and has opened to excellent reviews, with a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
NEW PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT/PRODUCTION
The Hollywood Reporter features a conversation about the making of HBO’s upcoming miniseries TASK with series creator and writer Brad Ingelsby (AFI Class of 2005) and stars Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey. Keith P. Cunningham (AFI Class of 1985) is the production designer on all seven episodes of the show, which premieres September 7.
Thayer Juergens (AFI Class of 2019) will produce MURDER AS A FINE ART, the TV adaptation of the first book in David Morrell’s three-book Thomas De Quincey series.
THE MUSICAL – an upcoming feature created from an AFI Conservatory cycle film – has kicked off production in Los Angeles, including next door at Immaculate Heart, starring Gillian Jacobs and Rob Lowe. Filmmakers and cast have also used the Alumni Affairs office. Alumni working on the project include:
- Giselle Bonilla (AFI Class of 2023), Director
- Alexander Heller (AFI Class of 2023), Screenwriter/Producer
- Jordan Backhus (AFI Class of 2020), Producer
- Findlay Brown (AFI Class of 2023), Producer
- Jonathan Levine (AFI Class of 2004), Executive Producer
- Tu Do (AFI Class of 2023), Cinematographer
- Alexa McWhorter (AFI Class of 2023), Art Director
- Devin Dulany (AFI Class of 2023), Editor
Dulguun Bayasgalan (AFI Class of 2024) who produces music under the name Magnolian, has had multiple of his songs featured in blockbuster video game “Death Stranding 2: On the Beach,” which is currently being developed into a feature film adaptation at A24 in partnership with Kojima Productions.
Chad Feehan (AFI Class of 2004) will be the showrunner for the YELLOWSTONE spinoff with the working title THE DUTTON RANCH. The Paramount+ series will star Annette Bening.
FESTIVALS AND FILM MARKETS
The AFI Silver announced the full lineup for the Latin American Film Festival, which returns to the theater September 18 to October 9.
The Telluride Film Festival starts today, and so does the AFI FilmLab. Now in its fourth year, this partnership with the festival brings AFI Conservatory Fellows to Telluride for four days of immersive learning, including private conversations with Noah Baumbach and Chloé Zhao. This year’s participants are recent graduates Samuel Gallen, Jiyuan Ler, Samantha Mandich, Daniel Mistir, Paloma Pinto, Dominika Podczaska, Rajarajeshwari Ragampudi and Vaishnavi Upadhyay.
Academy Award®–winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has been announced as the Guest Artistic Director for AFI FEST 2025 presented by Canva. Del Toro will curate four films for the festival – to be announced soon!
Variety writes about two Venice Golden Lion contenders, including ORPHAN with cinematography by Mátyás Erdély (AFI Class of 2005), that showcase how film co-productions are powering the Hungarian film industry.
Passes for AFI FEST presented by Canva go on sale this Tuesday, August 19. This year’s AFI FEST will take place from October 22-26 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. Explore pass options here: https://fest.afi.com/passes/
Ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival next week, THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB, produced by James Wilson (AFI Class of 1991), has been selected as Tunisia’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
The Locarno Film Festival presented a surprise tribute and farewell to David Lynch on the opening night of its 78th edition, courtesy of his longtime mentee and collaborator Duwayne Dunham, who also serves as an AFI Conservatory thesis mentor.
Amy Heckerling (AFI Class of 1974), who wrote and directed the iconic film CLUELESS, will serve as an executive producer in Peacock’s upcoming series reboot of the film.
Paul Schrader’s (AFI Class of 1969) next feature, THE BASICS OF PHILOSOPHY, has announced five new additions to the cast, including Daniel Zovatto and Bill Pullman.
DISTRIBUTION
MUBI will release FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER, the latest feature from filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, in the U.S. on December 24. The film, currently screening in competition at the Venice Film Festival, features the work of two AFI Alums: Frederick Elmes (AFI Class of 1972) as cinematographer and Affonso Gonçalves (AFI Class of 1993) as editor.
OTHER NEWS
MovieMaker Magazine has once again named the Conservatory one of the best film schools. This recognition belongs to our brilliant Faculty, Fellows, and Alumni, whose creativity and dedication power everything we do.
Earlier this week, AFI Alum Ari Aster (AFI Class of 2010) returned to Campus to kick off Opening Day with a screening of his latest film, EDDINGTON, followed by an inspirational, standing-room-only conversation with AFI Fellows.
Congratulations to the AFI Conservatory Class of 2025, whose commencement ceremony was held today at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood! AFI was proud to confer honorary degrees upon trailblazing actress and producer Viola Davis and legendary film editor and sound designer Walter Murch at the event. Davis was introduced on stage by groundbreaking filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood and Murch was introduced by Academy Award®-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (AFI Class of 1969).
The AFI Production Design Spotlight took place earlier this week on the AFI Campus, showcasing a collection of work by the Conservatory Fellows graduating class of 2025. The Production Design Open House continues this Saturday, August 9 from 10am-6pm. The Cinematography Spotlight will also take place on Campus this Saturday at 2pm and 6pm, with an encore screening on Monday.
The recipients of the 2025-2026 Canva Fellowship at the AFI Conservatory were announced yesterday. This marks the third year of Canva partnering with AFI to further their shared mission of educating and inspiring the next generation of filmmakers. The scholarship supports one Fellow from each of the six disciplines at the Conservatory.
NEW VIDEOS
The 2nd Class of Canva Fellows at the AFI Conservatory on their Filmmaking Journey
Leonard Maltin on ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rFxCSqzpeGk
A never-before-seen clip of AFI Life Achievement Award recipient Steve Martin: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/be0k79fjsqo
Billy Wilder offers rare behind-the-scenes insight into the making of SUNSET BLVD: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PTJ1HB9QsgU
Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh on Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/F2g6dauIF_8
James Cromwell Shares Insights On BABE: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6ijTGM_Ud1I
Kathleen Turner reflects on Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in Hitchcock’s TO CATCH A THIEF: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_gR3TbO70IY