From left, top to bottom: Iris Almaraz; Elaine Del Valle; Karla Espino; Danielle Gibson; Alejandra López; Lorena Lourenço; Itziar Martinez; Sylvia Ray; Sienna Serrano; Jessica Silvetti; Margaux Susi; Cynthia Garcia Williams.
AWD 2025 Mentor Latina Directors Fellows
A Fellowship Forged in Vision, Voice, and Vital Stories
As highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter, Alliance of Women Directors (AWD) proudly announces the 12 remarkable Latine and Indigenous directors and writer/directors selected for its transformative 2025 Mentor Latina Directors (MLD) Fellowship. These bold storytellers represent a dynamic new wave of cinematic voices poised to shape the future of film and television.
The 2025 cohort includes: Iris Almaraz (Delusions of Grandeur, Cinequest), Elaine Del Valle (Brownsville Bred, LALIFF), Karla Espino (Vagina Sommelier, Austin Comedy Film Fest), Danielle Gibson (Red Velvet, CAA Moebius) Alejandra López (The Blue Cape, Cleveland Int’l), Lorena Lourenço (Stitched, HollyShorts), Itziar Martinez (Nycto, SITGES Int’l), Sylvia Ray (A Period Piece, Lonely Seal Film Fest), Sienna Serrano (A Bear-Able Life, Oklahoma Cine Latino Film Fest), Jessica Silvetti (In Absentia, Raindance Film Fest), Margaux Susi (guts, Sundance Film Fest), and Cynthia Garcia Williams (Legend of El Cucuy, LALIFF Inclusion Fellowship).
MLD directors work across narrative, documentary, and unscripted spaces. Each Fellow brings a singular artistic lens and is driven to amplify personal, resonant, and fearless storytelling that challenges the industry’s status quo.
Now in its second year, the program delivers so much more than mentorship. Over a span of 12 months, fellows receive:
- One-on-one mentorship from seasoned industry professionals;
- Monthly salons and panels focused on craft and career sustainability;
- Workshops tailored to the unique ambitions of the cohort;
- A mid-year artistic retreat to refresh, recharge, and reawaken creative purpose.
What sets the MLD Fellowship apart is the powerful, interwoven community that forms organically among the fellows. It’s a safe and engaged space where directors not only receive support, they are truly seen, heard, and celebrated. Many alumni continue staying engaged after the fellowship ends, offering guidance, mentorship, accountability, and camaraderie to new fellows, building a long-term ecosystem of mutual empowerment.
The Fellowship remains deeply committed to continuing this one-of-a-kind program. It’s made possible by the generosity of those who believe in the power of representation, storytelling, and community. To support the MLD Fellowship, sponsor MLD events, or Mentor fellows, please contact donna@allianceofwomendirectors.org.
To make a tax-deductible donation to MLD efforts, visit www.allianceofwomendirectors.org and specify “MLD” in Order Notes.
Together, we ensure this bold, vital work not only continues, but thrives.