LOS ANGELES – The Directors Guild of of America announced today changes to the organization’s initiative to highlight student filmmakers from marginalized communities. The Guild has expanded the number of eligible institutions to include community colleges and technical schools with film coursework while also expanding the pool of eligible applicants to include any student from marginalized communities attending U.S. based post-secondary institutions with film curriculum.
“These Awards have a long-standing tradition of spotlighting emerging talent and providing a platform for these filmmakers to showcase their creativity and storytelling prowess,” said Breannah Alexander Oppenhuizen, Executive in Charge of DEI at the DGA. “The program has been a springboard for many successful directors in the industry, and this cycle promises to be no different.”
Students enrolled in (or graduated within the last year from) post-secondary institutions during 2025/2026 with film coursework are invited to submit their short films for consideration in the following categories: Narrative and Documentary. Submissions must be work done under the supervision of a post-secondary faculty member from the institution of record. Eligible films are those in which students hold every major crew position.
The submission period will start November 1, 2025, and close April 1, 2026.
Click here for the application.
Winners will receive a $2,500 grand prize and their work will be screened at the DGA Theaters in Los Angeles and New York. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place in June 2026.
Past winners have gone on to enjoy successful directing careers, including:
- Steven Caple Jr. (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts; Creed II; Grown-ish; Rapture)
- Jon M. Chu (In the Heights; Home Before Dark; Crazy Rich Asians; Now You See Me 2)
- Ryan Coogler (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Black Panther; Creed; Fruitvale Station)
- Channing Godfrey Peoples (Roar; Generation; Miss Juneteenth)
- Rashaad Ernesto Green (The Chi; Looking for Alaska; Premature; Luke Cage)
- Nicole Kassell (The Baby; Watchmen; Castlerock; Westworld)
- Patricia Riggen (Law & Order: SVU; Little America; Dopesick; Surveillance)
- Sylvain White (The Terminal List; The Umbrella Academy; The Rookie; Fargo)
Click here for more information about the 31st Annual DGA Student Spotlight Awards for Underrepresented Directors, including submission guidelines and eligibility criteria, as well as as past winners.
