AFI is honored to announce that Emmy® Award-winning writer, producer, actress and showrunner Quinta Brunson will deliver the keynote address at the AFI DWW+ Showcase for the Class of 2026, which will take place on Wednesday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.
The DWW+ Showcase is an integral part of the AFI DWW+ program and provides an opportunity for the graduating cohort to premiere their short films to an audience of agency and studio representatives, as well as working artists throughout the creative community.
The presenting directors from the Class of 2026 include Ragini Bhasin, Reena Dutt, Maja Fernqvist, Melissa Fisher, Ran Jing, Eunice Levis, Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz and Destinee Stewart. The class was mentored by AFI DWW+ Guest Artistic Director Marie Jamora (AFI DWW Class of 2020) who also oversaw the professional development and creative curriculum for the 2025-2026 program.
As one of the longest-running and preeminent film and television workshops nationwide, AFI DWW+ has trained hundreds of artists whose directorial work has entertained global audiences and defined our collective cultural landscape. Distinguished Alums of the AFI DWW+ program include Maya Angelou, Anne Bancroft, Neema Barnette, Pippa Bianco, Tessa Blake, Tricia Brock, Ellen Burstyn, Rebecca Cammisa, Dyan Cannon, Dime Davis, Jan Eliasberg, Naomi Foner, Jennifer Getzinger, Lesli Linka Glatter, Lyn Goldfarb, Randa Haines, Siân Heder, Victoria Hochberg, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Matia Karrell, Maggie Kiley, Lynne Littman, Nancy Malone, Gandja Monteiro, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, Becky Smith, Cicely Tyson and Joanne Woodward. View the full list of 350+ AFI DWW Alums here.
RSVPs are required to attend the AFI DWW+ Showcase.
AFI DWW+ is part of the AFI Conservatory’s Department of Innovative Programs, which also includes the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop and other bespoke professional development programs each year. Through a range of learning opportunities, Innovative Programs serves a diverse community of aspiring visual storytellers, cultivating cutting-edge technological and media-making skills that expand access to professional networks and position participants for upward career growth.
“AFI’s dedication to empowering underrepresented artists and creating pathways for success in the director’s chair through our AFI DWW+ program has never wavered for more than 50 years,” said Susan Ruskin, Dean of the AFI Conservatory and Executive Vice President of the American Film Institute. “Quinta Brunson has redefined what’s possible in television with ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, proving that authentic voices don’t just belong in the room — they can transform it. There is no one better to welcome this year’s extraordinary class of diverse directors as they debut the films that will inspire both audiences and the next generation of filmmakers.”
Learn more at Conservatory.AFI.com/Innovative-Programs/.
