Raha Amirfazli and Shadi Karamroudi have been selected as the recipients of the 2024 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women.
Part of the Academy’s global talent development and inclusion work, the Gold Fellowship for Women is a one-year program that combines support, personalized mentorship and access to once-in-a-lifetime networking opportunities for emerging women filmmakers to further their pursuits in the field of cinema. The Academy currently awards two fellowships annually, one to a U.S.-based filmmaker and one to a non-U.S.-based filmmaker. The fellowship is presented in partnership with CHANEL.
“The Academy is pleased to support talented and emerging women filmmakers as they seek to advance and grow in their careers. Through the Gold Fellowship for Women, we aim to provide meaningful guidance, foster a more inclusive film industry and champion diverse voices,” said Academy Senior Vice President, Impact and Global Talent Development Kendra Carter. “We are deeply grateful to our partner CHANEL, whose shared commitment of empowering the next generation of women filmmakers and generous support makes this work possible.”
Fellows also receive ongoing career advancement support through the Gold Alumni Program, which provides continued access, opportunity, professional development and education for alumni of the Academy’s talent development programs. Applicants to the Gold Fellowship for Women must be alumnae of an Academy talent development program or be nominated by an Academy talent development partner company to be eligible for the U.S. fellowship. Non-U.S. applicants must be recommended by a member of a key film organization, production company or international festival to be considered.
Amirfazli is an Iranian writer, director and producer based in New York. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Film and TV Production at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Amirfazli’s work has been screened at the Sundance Film Festival, LA Shorts International Film Festival, Minimalen Short Film Festival and Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. She directed several short films leading up to her debut feature, “In the Land of Brothers.” The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, earning her the Directing Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
Karamroudi is an Iranian actress, director, writer and producer. She studied filmmaking and acting at Karnameh Film School in Tehran and obtained a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Tehran University of Art in 2014 and a master’s degree in dramatic literature from Soore University in 2020. Karamroudi has appeared in feature films, short films and theater pieces as an actress and has participated in making five short films as a director, writer or producer. In 2024, she was invited to participate in the Berlinale Talents Labs and Script Station with her feature-length script, “I Can Hear You Whispering.”
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 programs such as the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women and the brand’s other long-standing film partnerships.
