The American Film Institute Announces
TIME WARNER FELLOWSHIP
to Advance Diversity in Filmmaking
Time Warner Foundation Awards Over $500,000
in Full-Tuition Scholarships to AFI Conservatory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, December 17, 2013, Los Angeles, CA – The American Film Institute (AFI) announced a half million dollar grant from the Time Warner Foundation to create five full scholarships to the AFI Conservatory for applicants from communities traditionally under-represented in film and television. The scholarships, named as Time Warner Fellowships, are part of the AFI Conservatory’s notable increase in scholarship opportunities for both current and incoming Fellows. As previously announced, more than $6.2 million has been raised for the select program of approximately 260 Fellows.
“Diversity is often the essential spark that catalyzes the creative process,” said Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of the American Film Institute. “We are honored that Time Warner has chosen the AFI Conservatory as the place to illustrate their global commitment to ensuring new voices in America’s art form.”
The first of these five scholarships was issued this Fall 2013 to Adriana González-Vega, a first-year AFI Directing Fellow who stands out as an exemplary model of American auteur filmmaking.
About Adriana González-Vega
Adriana González-Vega is a first year Directing Fellow at the AFI Conservatory. She received a BFA in Film from Syracuse University. She also studied abroad at the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in the Czech Republic where she directed a 35mm narrative short film. González-Vega lists her influences among a wide range of filmmakers such as Luis Buñuel, Satyajit Ray, Pedro Almodóvar and Sally Potter.
Her film and entertainment experiences have included Mandalay Entertainment Group, the sitcom RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, Badillo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, FAST AND FURIOUS: FAST FIVE and Paradiso Films. Most recently, González-Vega took an advanced screenwriting workshop with screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga. Her thesis film FRENTE AL MAR (OCEANFRONT) won the Renée Crown University Honors’ Orlin Prize, Best Student Film at the Carmel Art and Film Festival and Best Actress at Cinefiesta and was an official selection at the Montreal World Film Festival.
About the Time Warner Foundation
The Time Warner Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation that is wholly supported by Time Warner Inc. and its subsidiary companies Home Box Office, Inc., Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Its mission is to seek innovative and powerful ways to discover, nurture and celebrate the next generation of storytellers. Through its New Works/New Voices initiatives, the Foundation strives to build impactful partnerships with best-in-class nonprofit organizations that push the boundaries of artist development and support underrepresented storytellers, with the ultimate goal of cultivating an artistic community that is rich, vibrant and relevant to audiences of today and tomorrow.
About the AFI Conservatory
The American Film Institute is America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. The AFI Conservatory offers a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. Aspiring artists learn from the masters in a collaborative, hands-on production environment with an emphasis on storytelling. AFI Conservatory’s alumni are consistently recognized with all of the major industry awards – Academy® Awards, Emmy® Awards, Guild Awards – and even the Tony Award. Esteemed director, producer and screenwriter James L. Brooks serves as Artistic Director to the AFI Conservatory where he provides creative leadership of the renown film program. Sony is a proud supporter of the AFI Conservatory.
