2023 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women recipients named

Erica Eng and July Jung have been selected as the US and international recipients, respectively, of the 2023 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women. Part of the Academy Gold global talent development and inclusion initiative, the Fellowship for Women is a one-year programme that combines direct support, personalised mentorship and access to once-in-a-lifetime networking opportunities for emerging women filmmakers to further their pursuits in the field. The Academy currently awards two fellowships annually, one in the US and one internationally, each with a prize amount of $35,000.  The fellowship, presented for the second year in partnership with CHANEL, is now in its sixth year.

“We are honoured to advance the work of Erica and July – two extraordinary filmmakers. The Academy’s Gold Fellowship for Women is a crucial part of the Academy’s goals to inspire up-and-coming artists, create engaging film industry opportunities for underrepresented communities, and develop the next generation of diverse and dynamic film talent,” said Academy senior vice president, Impact and Global Talent Development Kendra Carter. “We thank CHANEL for supporting this important work.”

Fellows also receive career advancement support through the Gold Alumni Programme, which provides continued access, opportunity, professional development and education for alumni of Academy Gold programmes, including Gold Rising, the Student Academy Awards and the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. Applicants must be alumnae of an Academy Gold programme or be nominated by an Academy Gold partner company to be eligible for the U.S. fellowship. International applicants must be recommended by a member of a key film organisation, production company or international festival to be considered.

CHANEL’s support of the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women reflects the House’s deep commitment to the art of film and dedication to nurturing the next generation of women filmmakers.  Since its inception, the House of CHANEL has been intrinsically linked to the world of film. House founder and visionary Gabrielle Chanel worked with the leading filmmakers of her time, drawing inspiration from and supporting her fellow creative peers. Her legacy of fostering creativity lives on through CHANEL’s dedication to film, which is expressed through programmes such as the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women and the brand’s other long-standing film partnerships.

Eng is a fifth-generation Chinese American director native to Oakland and based in Los Angeles. Her 2021 short film, Americanised, screened at the Atlanta Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival and Cleveland International Film Festival, among others, and won 25 awards, including Best Dramatic Short at Cinequest, Best Short Film at the Bentonville Film Festival, the Young Cineastes Award at the Palm Springs International ShortFest and Best Narrative Short at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. Eng’s latest short film, Off Fairfax, premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and received a Grand Jury Honourable Mention at the Slamdance Film Festival.  Her next film, The Ghost, will premiere on Disney+ as part of Disney’s Launchpad shorts incubator programme.

Born in Yeosu, South Korea, Jung is a director and screenwriter who studied at Sungkyunkwan University and Korea National University of Arts.  Her 2014 debut feature film, A Girl at My Door, screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 67th Cannes Film Festival and won multiple awards, including Best Directorial Debut at the Stockholm International Film Festival, Best Director at the Women in Film Korea Festival and Best Screenplay in the Wildflower Film Awards.  Jung’s second feature film, Next Sohee, produced in 2022, was the closing film of the 75th Cannes Film Festival Critics’ Week.  The film won Best Director at the Fantasia International Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Amiens International Film Festival and a Special Jury Award at Tokyo Filmex, among other awards.

The 2023 fellows were selected from a group of six finalists.  The finalists are:

U.S.
Haley Anderson
Nikyatu Jusu

International
Alisa Kovalenko
Rebekah Fortune