Conservatory, based on merit and financial need. Additionally, Canva will provide Canva Pro subscriptions to 250 AFI Fellows and 1,000 AFI Conservatory Alumni, along with in-depth design training and workshops.
The recipients of the inaugural Canva Fellowship for 2023-2024 are AFI First Year Fellows Alex Bush , Hayoun Kim , Dominika Podczaska , He “Shirley” Sui , Sydney Sullivan and Darcy Wytko , who will start the MFA filmmaking program on AFI’s Los Angeles campus in August. “The AFI and Canva collaboration embodies the forward-thinking partnerships that are critical in supporting rising filmmakers,” said Susan Ruskin, who serves as Dean of the AFI Conservatory and Executive Vice President of the. “By breaking down barriers to education and technology and giving underrepresented filmmakers the opportunity to tell their stories, we are creating a pathway to a more diverse and inclusive industry.
Added Canva’s Head of Global Brand Marketing, Natalie Schwartz, “We’re delighted to partner with AFI to support the goals of the next generation of filmmakers in such a meaningful way. Canva’s mission is to democratize design and creativity so that anyone can bring what’s in their mind’s eye to life. We’re thrilled to play a part in the journey of so many talented students, so they can build out their ideas and tell their stories in visually rich ways.
Alex Bush is a storyteller and director whose work is concerned with transformation, transcendence, intimacy and ecstasy among other themes. Their film THAW had its world premiere in competition at the 2023 Tribeca Festival. Eastern Oregon Filmmaker Residency, 2023. They received their BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where they studied theatrical direction. Theatrical directorial work with Ars Nova, The PUBLIC and Musical Theater Factory.