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AFI DWW+ Class of 2026 to Debut New Films
Alums of the DWW+ Directing Program Include Lesli Linka Glatter, Siân Heder, Dime Davis, Cicely Tyson, Lee Grant, Gandja Monteiro, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Maya Angelou and More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, March 3, 2026 – Today, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced 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.
RSVPs are required for the AFI DWW+ Showcase on March 4.
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.
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/.
Quinta Brunson Bio
Named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and dubbed “the new queen of sitcoms” by New York Magazine, Emmy® Award, Actors Award and Golden Globe Award-winning actor, producer, writer and ABBOTT ELEMENTARY creator Quinta Brunson has quickly made a name for herself as a powerful force and game changer within the entertainment industry.
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Brunson made history as the first Black woman to receive three Emmy® nominations and the second Black woman to win an Emmy® in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for her Peabody Award-winning series ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, which she stars in and serves as creator/showrunner, head writer, and executive producer. The show, inspired by Brunson’s mother, follows a group of dedicated, passionate teachers brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life.
Since its launch, ABBOTT ELEMENTARY has garnered a slew of awards season wins and nominations, with Brunson personally landing 68 nominations and 30 wins. Most recently, Brunson earned several nominations including the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series (2025), a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy (2025), a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2025) and an Actors Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series (2025). Some recent notable highlights include winning her second Emmy® for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (2023), winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series, Musical, or Comedy (2023) and winning her first Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series (2023). She has also received yearly nominations from the Writers Guild Awards in their comedy series category (2023-2025). Aside from winning a Peabody Award, ABBOTT ELEMENTARY was also honored at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 AFI AWARDS for Outstanding Television Program of the Year. ABBOTT ELEMENTARY is currently airing new episodes weekly on ABC and Hulu.
In film, Brunson appeared as Oprah Winfrey in the award-winning feature WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY alongside Daniel Radcliffe. The film won the Outstanding Television Movie Award at the 2023 Primetime Emmys®, and Best Movie Made for Television at the Critics’ Choice Awards.
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About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked one of the top film schools in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at elevating emerging storytellers and technology, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the AFI Conservatory
The AFI Conservatory opened its doors in 1969 to an inaugural class that included Terrence Malick, Caleb Deschanel and Paul Schrader. Today, the Conservatory offers a two-year MFA degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. In a collaborative production environment, AFI Fellows learn to master the art of storytelling, collectively creating up to 175 films a year. Fellows actively participate in the entire life cycle of a film, from development through production and exhibition.
Alumni of this elite program, ranging from modern masters to bold new voices defining the state of the art form, include Andrea Arnold, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Sam Esmail, Brad Falchuk, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Liz Hannah, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas, Polly Morgan, Rachel Morrison and Wally Pfister, among others.
Press contact:
American Film Institute
Shari Mesulam, [email protected]
