September 16, 2026
Academy Award® Winner Siân Heder’s BEING HEUMANN to Close AFI FEST 2026 Presented by Canva
PASSES ON SALE AFI announced that Apple Original Films’ BEING HEUMANN will close the 40th edition of AFI FEST presented by Canva on Sunday, October 25. The biographical drama is directed, produced and co-written by Academy Award® winner Siân Heder (CODA, AFI DWW+ Class of 2005) and is an adaptation of Judith Heumann’s memoir, “Being Heumann:...
April 14, 2026
CODA (2021) – AFI Movie Club
The story of a “CODA” – or child of deaf adults – pursuing her own path was brought to the screen with humor and empathy by writer/director Siân Heder (AFI DWW Class of 2005) and cinematographer Paula Huidobro (AFI Class of 2004). Tackling this American remake of 2014 French film LA FAMILLE BÉLIER, Heder ultimately...
January 4, 2023
AFI Impact: A Look Back at 2022
Because of the continued support of movie fans like you from around the world, whose dedication to this great art form is unmatched, the American Film Institute marched forward in its mission to inspire audiences and preserve film history this past year. Our work is possible because of you. And we wanted to share it...
May 11, 2022
Siân Heder to Receive AFI’s 30th Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Apple AFI announced today that Academy Award® winner Siân Heder (AFI DWW Class of 2005), writer and director of CODA, this year’s Best Picture Oscar® winner, will receive the 2022 Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal, which will be presented at the upcoming AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Julie Andrews....
March 28, 2022
Academy Award Wins for AFI Alumni
Photo caption: Siân Heder (AFI DWW Class of 2005) accepts the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for CODA - Credit: Blaine Ohigashi/A.M.P.A.S. Congratulations to Siân Heder (AFI DWW Class of 2005), winner of Best Adapted Screenplay for CODA, which marks her first Oscar® win – along with the film’s win for Best Picture and...
February 8, 2022
Oscar Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards: AFI Alumni Projects
In a live presentation streamed globally, Emmy®-winning actor-comedian Leslie Jordan (WILL & GRACE, THE HELP) and Emmy®-nominated actor-CEO-producer Tracee Ellis Ross (BLACK-ISH, THE HIGH NOTE) announced the 94th Oscars® nominations in all 23 Academy Award® categories. Congratulations to AFI Alumni Siân Heder, Janusz Kamiński and Kim Magnusson on their nominations. Best Adapted Screenplay CODA Siân...
February 12, 2021
AFI Alumni Siân Heder and Paula Huidobro on their Sundance Award-Winning Film CODA
Sparking a bidding war at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and selling to Apple for a record-breaking $25 million, CODA chronicles the coming of age of teenager Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) – the only hearing individual in her working-class family. While the livelihood of her fishermen parents (Oscar® winner Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur) and…
Donate today and join the nation’s strongest community of film lovers.
AFI is a 501c3 non-profit advancing the art of the moving image by empowering storytellers and inspiring audiences
