photos by Howard Wise (Los Angeles) and Marcie Revens (New York)
The ceremonies for the 2026 DGA Student Spotlight Awards for Underrepresented Directors were held in the Guild’s Los Angeles Theater on June 18, and the DGA New York Theater on June 23. Created three decades ago by the DGA’s National Board as the Student Film Awards, these awards are provided to encourage and bring attention to outstanding film students from historically underrepresented groups. The participants were enrolled in or had recently graduated from U.S. based post-secondary institutions nationwide and completed their films between September 2024 and December 2025.
To date, the program has grown to encompass over 200 schools nationwide, including historically black colleges and universities as well as community colleges, and is a hallmark of the DGA’s efforts to increase representation amongst feature film directors in the industry pipeline, supporting their entrance into the film industry and eventually into the Guild.
For over 30 years, the awards have highlighted the best filmmakers in U.S. based post-secondary institutions. This year's winners will join a notable group of program alum like Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Patricia Riggen (G20), Jon M. Chu (Wicked), Rashaad Ernesto Green (The Chi), and HIKARI (Rental Family). Both events featured screenings of the winning shorts and clip packages of the category finalists.
Los Angeles Ceremony:
The June 18 West Coast ceremony was hosted by HIKARI and featured award presentations from Directors Alexandria Stapleton (Sean Combs: The Reckoning), Patricia Cardoso (Real Women Have Curves), and Kelly Park (Lopez v. Lopez).
HIKARI, a noted Director whose USC thesis film, Tsuyako, earned her the 2011 Student Film Award in the then category of West Region Best Woman Student Filmmaker, discussed the importance if this event in her opening remarks – noting the connection this event has created for prolific filmmakers like herself to the Guild.
The Los Angeles ceremony recognized the following winners:
- Undergraduate Documentary category-winner,
Hisonni Mustafa Johnson of The College of Southern Nevada for
Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain - Graduate Documentary category-winner
Candace Williamson from The University of Southern California for
Boil That Cabbage Down - Undergraduate Narrative West category-winner
Shayan Habibnejad from the University of Texas at Austin for |
Each Other - Graduate Narrative West category-winner
Rohit Relan from the American Film Institute Conservatory for
Patakha/Firecracker - Undergraduate first runner up
Paola Valencia from New York Film Academy for
The Joke’s on Him - Undergraduate second runner up
Aristides de Jesus Mantilla Artigas from New York Film Academy for
In the Still of the Night - Graduate first runner up
Amirah Adem from The University of Southern California for John - Graduate second runner up
Karim ElDin ElAlfy from The University of Southern California for
Empty Lands.
New York Ceremony:
The June 23 New York event featured remarks from DGA Assistant Secretary-Treasurer and former Focus on Women Committee Co-Chair Joyce Thomas, and award presentations from Directors Lisa Cortes (Little Richard: I Am Everything), Rashaad Ernesto Green (The Chi), and Afia Nathanial (Chicago Med).
The New York Ceremony recognized the following winners:
- Undergraduate Documentary category-winner
Asahni Williams of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for
Against A Sharp White Background - Graduate Documentary category-winner
Jean Chapiro from Columbia University for
La Mar - Undergraduate Narrative East category-winner
Ainsley Wiseman from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for
I Love My Shower - Graduate Narrative East category-winner
Taylor Sanghyun Lee from New York University for
Parkside East - Undergraduate first runner up
Claire de Vries from the University of Michigan for
We’re Not the Same - Undergraduate second runner up
Chrisshea Owens from University of North Caroline School of the Arts for
A Crimson Harvest - Graduate first runner up
Ana Alpizar from New York University for
Norheimsund - Graduate second runner up
Wenjing Zheng from Columbia University for
Everything She Believes In
