Academy Names 2025 Gold Fellowship for Women Recipients
LOS ANGELES, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced Alina Simone and Marlén Viñayo as the recipients of the 2025 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, a global initiative presented in partnership with CHANEL.
The fellowship, part of the Academy’s talent development and education programs, is a one-year opportunity that offers financial support, personalized mentorship, and exclusive networking access to emerging women filmmakers. Each year, the Academy awards two fellowships—one to a U.S.-based filmmaker and one to an international filmmaker.
“Championing and inspiring new generations of global filmmakers is core to the Academy’s mission, and we’re thrilled to continue this work through the Gold Fellowship for Women,” said Kim Taylor-Coleman, Academy governor and president of the Academy Foundation Board. “We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of our partner CHANEL, which shares our commitment to nurturing talented women filmmakers and opening doors to meaningful opportunities in the film industry.”
About the Fellows
Alina Simone – A Ukrainian-born journalist and award-winning filmmaker, Simone’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and NPR. Her debut documentary, Black Snow (2024), executive produced by Erin Brockovich, premiered at CPH:DOX and went on to screen at more than 20 international festivals. Simone has earned multiple awards, including the Cinema Eye Honors Spotlight Award and the Sustainable Future Award at the Sydney Film Festival. Black Snow will be distributed in the U.S. by PBS as part of its 2025–26 POV season.
Marlén Viñayo – Based in El Salvador since 2013, Viñayo is a documentary director, writer, and producer who founded La Jaula Abierta Films. Her acclaimed feature Cachada: The Opportunity (2019) and short Unforgivable (2020) have screened at over 150 festivals worldwide, including SXSW, IDFA, and Telluride, and have received numerous awards. She was named Ibero-American Filmmaker of the Year at POY Latam in 2021 and has earned honors including the Gabo Award, an IDA Documentary Award nomination, and an Emmy® nomination.
The Fellowship’s Broader Impact
The Gold Fellowship for Women connects participants to the Academy Gold Alumni Network, which extends career development and mentorship beyond the fellowship year. Candidates must be alumni of an Academy program, nominated by a partner company, or recommended by key industry leaders and festivals.
The 2025 fellows were selected from a pool of six finalists. U.S. finalists included Coleen Baik and Jasmín Mara López, while the non-U.S. shortlist featured Zaynê Akyol and Mor Israeli.
CHANEL’s Legacy in Film
CHANEL’s partnership continues a historic relationship between the House and cinema. Gabrielle Chanel herself collaborated with prominent filmmakers of her era, and the brand has long supported women in the arts. Today, that legacy lives on in its commitment to amplifying women’s voices in film through programs like the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women.
For more information about the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, visit https://www.oscars.org/academy-gold/fellowship-for-women.
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