Celebrating the rise of women in cinematography: AFI and Panavision’s 2024 intensive

A transformative journey for emerging talents

The American Film Institute (AFI) and Panavision have announced the participants for the 2024 Cinematography Intensive for Women (CIW), set to take place from July 27 to July 30 at the AFI Campus in Los Angeles. This tuition-free educational program is designed to provide emerging cinematographers with hands-on training and mentorship, helping them advance their filmmaking careers.

Empowering underrepresented voices

The CIW program is modeled after the AFI Conservatory MFA curriculum, featuring masterclasses on cinematography fundamentals and discussions on navigating the industry as women, nonbinary, and historically underrepresented filmmakers. This initiative aims to create a more inclusive and diverse industry by equipping participants with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

A beacon of inspiration

Stephen Lighthill, the conservatory cinematography discipline head at AFI, expressed his excitement about the program: “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.”

Supporting emerging talent

Kim Snyder, Panavision president and CEO, also shared her enthusiasm: “Congratulations to all of this year’s participants. 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.”

Meet the 2024 participants

Alexis Chinery

Alexis Chinery is a Maryland-based cinematographer passionate about creating an even playing field for marginalized voices. With a background in economics, she transitioned from producing to cinematography in 2015. Her work includes projects for Apple TV+, A&E, and BET, as well as independent films.

Setare Gholipour

Setare Gholipour is an Iranian-born cinematographer and filmmaker based in New York City. She collaborates as a cinematographer, writer, and director on both scripted and nonfiction projects.

J. Amy Limpinyakul

J. Amy Limpinyakul grew up in Chicago and brings a unique perspective to her work as a cinematographer. She was the 2nd Unit DP for “The Bear” and received praise for capturing the essence of Chicago. Her second feature, “Cecily and Lydia at the Waypoint,” garnered attention for its lush yet eerie world.

Katerina Olkhovaya

Katerina Olkhovaya was born and raised in Moscow and moved to New York in 2017 to study documentary filmmaking. She has since worked on short films, music videos, and documentaries as a cinematographer, gaffer, and AC.

Shannon Palmer

Shannon Palmer is a Baltimore-based cinematographer with a background in documentary filmmaking. Her work spans commercials, narratives, and episodic content, including projects for Amazon Prime Video, ESPN+, and Showtime.

Kai Philavanh

Kai Philavanh is a Korean-Southeast Asian cinematographer based in Los Angeles. With a background in documentary and photography, she aims to capture the emotional nuance and unexpected beauty of the human condition in her images.

Stephanie Rose

Stephanie Rose is a Peruvian-American cinematographer and camera operator based in Phoenix, Arizona. Inspired by grassroots media creation, she has worked on documentaries for Netflix, Al Jazeera, and Bloomberg, and is now exploring narrative filmmaking.

Nichole Ruiz

Nichole Ruiz is an LA-based cinematographer from the Philippines. Her work includes feature films, shorts, music videos, and web series. Her feature “Tahanan” won the grand prize at the Culver City Film Festival in 2022.

Nicole Simmons

Nicole Simmons is a Dallas-based cinematographer with over 10 years of experience in film and television. She aims to blend traditional and innovative cinematography techniques to provide social commentary through her work.

Hil Steadman

Hil Steadman is a New York-based cinematographer and photographer. Their work explores queerness, community, and the unique characteristics of people and objects. Steadman co-founded a small production company called Anima Works.

Faye Tsakas

Faye Tsakas is a Greek-American cinematographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Cinema in 2023, her work has screened at numerous film festivals and has been featured by The New Yorker and NYTimes Op Docs.

Sarah Winters

Sarah Winters is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer specializing in character-driven indies, lifestyle branded content, comedy, and documentaries. She prioritizes creating inclusive and communicative set environments.

A bright future for women in cinematography

The 2024 Cinematography Intensive for Women promises to be a transformative experience for its participants, providing them with the skills, knowledge, and networks they need to succeed in the industry. As the program continues to grow, it will undoubtedly play a crucial role in increasing the presence of women cinematographers and fostering a more inclusive and diverse filmmaking community.