Director Omar S. Kamara with Djimon Hounsou
HIGHWAYS LAB DIRECTORS PROGRAM
The Highways Lab Directors Program Phase 1 is designed to support accomplished filmmakers whose work has made a meaningful impact in the industry. This invitation-only opportunity invites creators to submit a proposal for a short film that represents the creative vision and thematic foundation of a feature-length project they aspire to develop.Our goal is to support underrepresented filmmakers in the early stages of their next project, providing them with the resources to express their larger vision through a high-quality short film.WHAT FELLOWS RECEIVE
A distinguished group of accomplished producers and top- level executives reviews submissions and helps select four finalists. Each selected filmmaker receives a $50,000 grant to produce a compelling short film that encapsulates the essence of their story.As part of the program, finalists are invited to attend the Sundance Film Festival, where they participate in curated networking opportunities and meet key industry leaders, expanding their visibility and opening doors to advance their projects.Year 1 Cohort
Aitch Alberto Writer/Director
Project: The Long Con
Named one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch, Aitch
Alberto is celebrated for her bold, personal storytelling
across film and television, including the acclaimed feature Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe—featured on “Best Of” lists from Vanity Fair and The Los Angeles Times—as well as HBO Max’s Duster and Apple
TV+’s Little America.
Ana Maria Hermida Writer/Director
Project: Madrecita
Her films have premiered internationally—from the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to Havana’s Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine
Latinoamericano, and her debut, La Luciérnaga,
was later acquired by Netflix.
Aristotle Torres Writer/Director
Project: The Co-Op
Aristotle Torres, an accomplished music video and commercial director, premiered his debut feature
film “Story Ave” at SXSW 2023, where it won a
Grand Jury Prize.
Omar S. Kamara Writer/Director
Project: Calabash
Omar S. Kamara won the Grand Prize at the DGA
Student Film Awards and was an inaugural Resident
in Ridgeback Rise, in addition to winning the
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at Slamdance
for his feature, AFRICAN GIANTS, and has had his
work featured on HBO, Hulu, and Amazon Prime
Isabel Castro Director
Project: La Raza
Five-time Emmy-nominated Mexican-American filmmaker
and photographer. Her films include
Selena y Los Dinos, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, won a Special Jury Award, multiple audience awards, and was acquired by
Netflix. Her debut feature Mija, a Sundance 2022 selection, went on to receive widespread critical
acclaim.
Yolanda Cruz Writer/Director
Project: 40+
Her films have been screened and awarded at the Presentations are communication tools that can be
used as demonstrations, lectures, Sundance Film Festival, the Guggenheim Museum speeches,
reports, and more. It is mostly in New York, Parc
de la Villette in Paris, and the presented before an audience. It serves a National Institute of Cinema
in Mexico City. Her variety of purposes, making presentations two feature films, Hope, Soledad and
La Raya, powerful tools for convincing and teaching. were both selected to compete for Best Mexican
Feature Film at the Morelia International Film
Festival in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
