The American Film Institute and Panavision have revealed the 2024 Women’s Cinematography Intensive, which will take place July 27-30 at the AFI campus in Los Angeles.
CIW is a free educational program designed to provide emerging cinematographers with hands-on training and mentoring to help them advance their careers in filmmaking. The program is modeled after the AFI Conservatory’s MFA curriculum, which includes advanced classes in cinematography fundamentals and discussions on navigating the industry as women, gender non-binary, and historically underrepresented filmmakers.
“It is a great honor to celebrate the fifth edition of the Women’s Cinematography Intensive, and to continue to increase the presence of female cinematographers in the industry. We are grateful to all the staff and faculty at the American Film Institute, and our partners at Panavision, for their tireless dedication to ensuring that this program is a beacon of inspiration—and a treasure trove of information—for young cinematographers,” said Stephen Lighthill, Chair of Cinematography at the American Film Institute. “We look forward to welcoming the new participants to the AFI campus tomorrow and providing them with a unique and transformative learning experience.”
“Congratulations to all of this year’s participants,” said Kim Snyder, President and CEO of Panavision. “The AFI Women’s Cinematography Intensive brings together incredible talent and provides an invaluable opportunity to gain experience, further their filmmaking education, and expand their professional networks. We are thrilled to return as the title sponsor of the program and support these cinematographers at this exciting time in their careers.”
Read about all the participants below.
Alexis Chenery
Alexis Chinnery is a Maryland-based cinematographer whose passion is creating equal opportunities for marginalized voices to be heard. Her degree in economics was a crucial catalyst for her first job as a producer. After a year of production, Chinnery began to desire a more technical presence on set. In 2015, she began her journey as a cinematographer. Focusing her efforts on shaping the story through framing and lighting, she has been fortunate enough to work as a director of photography and camera operator on productions for Apple TV+, A&E, and BET, as well as some incredible independent work.
Gholipour's curtain
Setar Gholipour is an Iranian-born cinematographer and director based in New York City. She regularly collaborates as a cinematographer, writer, and director with other creatives and enjoys alternating between scripted and unscripted projects.
J. Amy Limpinacol
J. Amy Lempinakool grew up in Chicago, where she learned the importance of hard work and community building—ideologies she carries into her work as a cinematographer. Most recently, she was the second director of photography on The Bear, where she was praised for capturing the essence of Chicago that is rarely seen. Her second feature, Cecile and Lydia at Waypoint, has received much attention for its portrayal of a lush yet alien world. Lempinakool’s approach to cinematography is rooted in empathy. Her professional experience combined with her upbringing gives her a unique perspective behind the lens.
Katerina Olkhovaya
Katerina 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. Soon after, she fell in love with cinematography and enrolled in the Institute of Cinematography program. Since graduating, she has worked on short films, music videos, and documentaries as a cinematographer, director of photography, and assistant director.
Shannon Palmer
Shannon Palmer is a cinematographer from Baltimore, Maryland. Originally known for making documentaries, her work now spans commercials, narratives, and episodics. She has shot for streaming platforms Amazon Prime Video (“Always Jane,” 2021), ESPN+ (“Abby’s Places,” 2022), Showtime (“XY Chelsea,” 2019), and received recognition for her experimental documentary “The Making Of Panthera” (Vimeo Staff Pick, 2019). Palmer has shot for many major brands, including Under Armour, Amazon, Nike, Adidas, HBO, Target, P&G, Baileys, Haagen-Dazs, and more. She is currently represented by Neer Motion.
Kay Villafane
Kay Villafane is a South East Asian Korean cinematographer based in Los Angeles. Her interest in visual storytelling led her to Syracuse University where she earned a BA in Film. She began her career as a rental house technician and has since worked on a variety of projects ranging from narratives to documentaries, music videos, and commercials. With a visual style inspired by her background in documentary and photography, Villafane aims to capture the emotional nuances 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 the grassroots media creativity she witnessed while living in Egypt during the 2011 uprising, she earned an MA in Documentary Film from Goldsmiths, University of London. Having worked primarily on documentaries for companies such as Netflix, Al Jazeera, and Bloomberg, she now seeks to explore narrative filmmaking. Deeply curious about the unseen, Rose is also a certified death assistant and a scholar of indigenous dreamwork traditions.
Nicole Ruiz
Nicole Ruiz is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles, originally from the Philippines where she earned her degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman before honing her craft at the New York Film Academy. With a vibrant portfolio spanning narratives, short films, music videos, and web series, Ruiz’s work is celebrated, most notably her feature film “Tahanan” (“Home”), which won the Grand Prize at the 2022 Culver City Film Festival. She is the co-founder of Howling Gale Entertainment, and advocates for diverse perspectives in the entertainment industry. Ruiz’s passion for visual storytelling and responsible filmmaking drives her to create impactful narratives that deeply resonate with audiences.
Nicole Simmons
Nicole Simmons is a cinematographer based in Dallas, Texas. Originally from Oklahoma City, Simmons began her filmmaking journey at the University of North Texas, earning a BA, and continued her 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. Simmons has worked in film and television for over 10 years, working on numerous feature films, shorts, reality TV shows, and a variety of smaller projects. Her goal is to share stories that blend traditional and innovative cinematography techniques with social commentary.
Hill Steadman
Hale Steadman is a New York City-based cinematographer and photographer. Born and raised on a tree farm, Steadman’s interest in creating images stems from patience, observation, and curiosity. His work explores sexuality, society, music, the unique qualities of people and things, and what you see when you look with love. Steadman has studied closely with Peter Hutton, Larry Fink, and Stephen Shore. Steadman’s work has been featured in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Paper Mag, NPR, Stereogum, and The Fader. Based in Brooklyn, New York, they freelance full-time and co-founded a small production company called Anima Works.
Fay Tsakas
Faye 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 Festival, Camden Film Festival, Champs Elysées Film Festival, Rooftop Films, Palm Springs International ShortFest, and more, and has been distributed and featured by The New Yorker, NYTimes Op Docs, Vimeo Staff Picks, Nowness, and Paper Magazine. She holds a BA in American Studies from Cornell University and an MFA in Documentary Film and Video from Stanford University.
Sarah Winters
Sarah Winters is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer who specializes in independent, character-driven films, branded lifestyle content, comedy, and documentaries. Raised in Chicago, Winters was an avid reader and poet. She attended Occidental College to study literature, then went on to study film at the University of Southern California where she discovered her love of the camera and the emotional ways photography is similar to poetry. She began studying camera work full-time, in and out of class, working as an unpaid camera assistant on countless sets until she graduated in 2017 and began freelancing full-time. She prioritizes creating communicative, inclusive, and authentic photographic environments.
