Quinta Brunson to Keynote AFI's Showcase for Women Directors

The 'Abbott Elementary' creator and star will address the 2026 graduating cohort of the Directing Workshop for Women.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 11:04pm

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Emmy-winning 'Abbott Elementary' creator and star Quinta Brunson will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 showcase for the American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women (Dww+). The event will take place Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Directors Guild of America theater complex in Los Angeles, where the AFI Dww+ graduating cohort will premiere their short films to an audience of agency and studio representatives and members of the creative community.

Why it matters

The AFI Directing Workshop for Women has been a crucial program for supporting and elevating the voices of female directors in the film industry for decades. Quinta Brunson's participation as the keynote speaker further highlights the importance of the program and the continued need to provide opportunities for women directors to showcase their talents.

The details

The presenting directors in the 2026 cohort are Ragini Bhasin with 'Something Is Wrong With Her', Reena Dutt with 'Comfort Food', Maja fernqvist with 'Above the Sea', Melissa Fisher with 'Inside These Walls', and Ran Jing with 'Unbound'.

  • The event will take place on Wednesday, March 5, 2026 at 7 p.m.

The players

Quinta Brunson

An Emmy-winning creator and star of the hit TV series 'Abbott Elementary'.

American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women (Dww+)

A program that supports and elevates the voices of female directors in the film industry.

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The takeaway

Quinta Brunson's participation as the keynote speaker for the AFI Directing Workshop for Women showcase underscores the continued importance of providing opportunities for women directors to share their talents and perspectives with the film industry.