Tatti Ribeiro and Noora Niasari Named 2026 Academy Gold Fellowship Recipients

LOS ANGELES, JakartaWeekly.com — Tatti Ribeiro and Noora Niasari have been selected as the recipients of the 2026 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, a yearlong program that provides support, personalized mentorship and networking opportunities to emerging women filmmakers pursuing careers in cinema.

The fellowship is part of the Academy’s global talent development and education initiatives. Two fellowships are awarded annually, one to a filmmaker based in the United States and the other to a filmmaker based outside the United States. The program is presented in partnership with CHANEL.

“Elevating the next generation of filmmakers worldwide is a priority for the Academy, and we are incredibly proud to advance that commitment through the Gold Fellowship for Women. We are deeply grateful to our partner, CHANEL, whose shared dedication to championing talented women filmmakers helps create meaningful industry opportunities and pathways for professional growth,” said Kim Taylor-Coleman, an Academy governor and president of the Academy Foundation Board.

Fellows also receive ongoing career development support through the Academy Gold Alumni Network and Mentorship Program, which provides continued access, opportunities, professional development and education for alumni of the Academy’s global talent development programs.

To qualify for the U.S. fellowship, applicants must be alumni of an Academy global talent development program or be nominated by an Academy talent development partner company. Applicants based outside the United States must be recommended by a member of a major film organization, production company or international festival.

Ribeiro is a journalist and filmmaker who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Her debut feature film, “Valentina,” earned her the Someone to Watch Award at the 2026 Independent Spirit Awards.

The film also won the Audience Award at the 2025 Austin Film Festival, the Mind the Gap Creation Prize at the 2025 Mill Valley Film Festival, a Special Jury Award at the 2026 Florida Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2026 Dallas International Film Festival.

Niasari is a writer and director born in Tehran and raised in Australia. Her feature directorial debut, “Shayda,” premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.

The film was subsequently acquired by Sony Pictures Classics and selected as Australia’s official submission in the International Feature Film category for the 96th Academy Awards.

Niasari also won Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget $1M or Over) at the 2023 Australian Directors’ Guild (ADG) Awards. She was also nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a First-Time Theatrical Feature Film at the 76th Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards.

The two fellows were selected from a pool of 10 finalists. The other U.S. finalists were Jalena Keane-Lee, Karina Lomelin Ripper, Oanh-Nhi Nguyen and Samantha Smart.

The non-U.S. finalists were Maura Delpero, Rena Effendi, Suzannah Mirghani and Zamo Mkhwanazi.

CHANEL’s partnership with the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women reflects the fashion house’s longstanding support for women in the arts and film. Since its founding, CHANEL has maintained close ties with the film industry. Its founder, Gabrielle Chanel, collaborated with leading filmmakers of her time.

That legacy continues through the brand’s ongoing programs and industry partnerships supporting women and their contributions to cinema.