American Film Institute Unveils Participants for Cinematography Intensive for Women

The American Film Institute and Panavision have unveiled the participants for the 2024 Cinematography Intensive for Women, which takes place from July 27 to July 30 at the AFI Campus in Los Angeles.

CIW is a tuition-free educational program designed to equip emerging cinematographers with hands-on training and mentorship to help advance their filmmaking careers. The program is emulated from the AFI Conservatory MFA curriculum, featuring masterclasses on cinematography fundamentals and discussions on navigating the industry as women, nonbinary and historically underrepresented filmmakers.

“It is an honor to celebrate the fifth edition of the Cinematography Intensive for Women, and to continue to increase the presence of women cinematographers in the industry. We are grateful to all of the AFI staff and faculty, and our partners at Panavision, for their unwavering dedication to ensure this program is a beacon of inspiration – and treasure trove of information – for young cinematographers,” said Stephen Lighthill, the conservatory cinematography discipline head at AFI. “We look forward to welcoming the new participants tomorrow on the AFI Campus and providing them with a unique and transformative learning experience.”

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“Congratulations to all of this year’s participants,” said Kim Snyder, Panavision president and CEO. “The AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women gathers such incredible talent and provides them with an invaluable opportunity to gain experience, further their filmmaking education, and expand their professional networks. We’re thrilled to return as the program’s presenting sponsor and to support these cinematographers at this exciting moment in their careers.”

Read about all the participants below.

Alexis ChineryAlexis Chinery is a cinematographer based in Maryland whose passion lies in creating an even playing field for marginalized voices to be heard. Her degree in economics was a defining catalyst for her first job as a producer. After a year of producing, Chinery began to desire to be a more technical presence on set. In 2015 she began her journey as a cinematographer. She focused her efforts on shaping the story through frame composition and lighting and has been fortunate enough to DP and camera operate on productions under Apple TV+, A&E and BET, as well as some incredible independent works.

Setare GholipourSetare Gholipour is an Iranian-born cinematographer and filmmaker living in New York City. She regularly collaborates as a cinematographer, writer and director with other creatives and enjoys alternating between scripted and nonfiction projects.

J. Amy LimpinyakulJ. Amy Limpinyakul grew up in Chicago where she learned the importance of hard work and building a community – both ideologies that she carries to her work as a cinematographer. Recently, she was the 2nd Unit DP for “The Bear,” in which she was praised for capturing the essence of Chicago that is rarely showcased. Her second feature “Cecily and Lydia at the Waypoint” garnered much attention for its depiction of a lush yet eerie world. Limpinyakul’s approach to cinematography is rooted in empathy. Her professional experience tied with her upbringing gives her a unique perspective behind the lens.

Katerina OlkhovayaKaterina Olkhovaya was born and raised in Moscow where she studied political science and worked in journalism before moving to New York in 2017 to study documentary filmmaking. Shortly after, she fell in love with cinematography and enrolled in a cinematography conservatory program. Since graduating, she’s been working on short films, music videos and documentaries as a cinematographer, gaffer and AC.

Shannon PalmerShannon Palmer is a cinematographer hailing from Baltimore, Md. Originally making a name for herself in documentary filmmaking, her work now spans commercials, narratives and episodic. She has shot for streaming platforms Amazon Prime Video (“Always Jane,” 2021), ESPN+ (“Abby’s Places,” 2022) and Showtime (“XY Chelsea,” 2019) and gained recognition for the experimental documentary “The Making Of Panthera” (Vimeo Staff Pick, 2019). Palmer has shot for many large brands, including Under Armour, Amazon, Nike, Adidas, HBO, Target, P&G, Baileys, Haagen-Dazs and more. She is currently represented by Neer Motion.

Kai PhilavanhKai Philavanh is a Korean-Southeast Asian cinematographer based in Los Angeles. -

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Her interest in visual storytelling led her to Syracuse University where she received a bachelor’s degree in film. She began her career as a technician at rental houses and has since worked on a variety of projects that range from narrative, documentary, music videos and commercials. With a visual style that draws from her background in documentary and photography, Philavanh aims to capture the emotional nuance and unexpected beauty of the human condition in her images.

Stephanie RoseStephanie Rose is a Peruvian-American cinematographer and camera operator based in Phoenix, Arizona. Inspired by the grassroots media creation she witnessed while living in Egypt during the 2011 uprising, she went on to receive an MA in Screen Documentary from Goldsmiths, University of London. Having primarily worked on documentaries for companies like Netflix, Al Jazeera and Bloomberg, she is now seeking pathways into narrative filmmaking. Deeply curious about the realms of the unseen, Rose is also a certified death doula and a student of indigenous dreamwork traditions.

Nichole RuizNichole Ruiz is an LA-based cinematographer, who comes from the Philippines where she earned her degree at the University of the Philippines Diliman before honing her craft at the New York Film Academy. With a vibrant portfolio spanning feature films, shorts, music videos and web series, Ruiz’s work is celebrated, notably her feature “Tahanan” (“Home”), which won the grand prize at the Culver City Film Festival in 2022. Co-founder of Howling Gale Entertainment, she champions diverse perspectives in entertainment. Ruiz’s passion for visual storytelling and responsible filmmaking drives her to create impactful narratives that resonate deeply with audiences.

Nicole SimmonsNicole Simmons is a cinematographer based in Dallas, Texas. Originally from Oklahoma City, Simmons began her film journey at the University of North Texas earning a BA degree and continuing education with a degree from the Art Institute of Dallas. Simmons’ passion and mission in filmmaking is to tell compelling stories through the art of cinematography. Working in film and television for over 10 years, Simmons has worked on several feature and short films, narrative and reality television shows, and a host of smaller projects. Her goal is to share stories that blend traditional and innovative cinematography techniques and provide social commentary.

Hil SteadmanHil Steadman is a New York-based cinematographer and photographer. Born and raised on a tree farm, Steadman’s interest in creating images is rooted in patience, observation and curiosity. Their work explores queerness, community, music, unique characteristics of people and objects, and what you see when you look with love. Steadman studied closely with Peter Hutton, Larry Fink and Stephen Shore. Steadman’s work has been featured on sites that include Rolling Stone Magazine, The New York Times, Paper Mag, NPR, Stereogum and The Fader. Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., they freelance full-time and co-founded a small production company called Anima Works.

Faye TsakasFaye Tsakas is a Greek-American cinematographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Cinema in 2023. Her work has screened at SXSW, Hot Docs, IFFR, True/False Film Festival, AFI Fest, Camden Film Festival, Champs Elysées Film Festival, Rooftop Films and Palm Springs International ShortFest, among others, and has been distributed and featured by The New Yorker, NYTimes Op Docs, Vimeo Staff Picks, Nowness and Paper Magazine. She received her BA in American Studies from Cornell University and her MFA in Documentary Film and Video at Stanford University.

Sarah WintersSarah Winters is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer who specializes in character-driven indies, lifestyle branded content, comedy and documentaries. Raised in Chicago, Winters grew up an avid reader and poet. She went to Occidental College to study literature, then to USC for film school where she discovered a love of camera and the emotive ways that photography was similar to poetry. She started studying camera full-time, inside and outside of classes, working as an unpaid camera assistant on countless sets until she graduated in 2017 and began freelancing full-time. She prioritizes creating set environments that are communicative, inclusive and down-to-earth.

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