CAPE and Janet Yang Productions Award $25,000 Short Film Grants

Gouw Short Film Challenge, according to Variety. The initiative, now in its fifth year, provides crucial funding and industry exposure for Asian and Pacific Islander women and non-binary filmmakers.

Who Received the Grants?

The four selected filmmakers and their projects are:

• Keshni Kashyap Nilsson – “The Shoe Burglars”
• Nayon Cho – “Stigma”
• Patricia Lee – “Wasted Resources”
• Tiffany Lin – “Hunger”

Each will use the $25,000 grant to bring their short film to life.

Who Is on the Jury?

The Short Film Challenge’s jury is composed of notable industry figures who will help guide and evaluate the program. The panel includes “Moana” star Auli‘i Cravalho, “Anora” producer Samantha Quan, “Take Me Home” director Liz Sargent, “Bridgerton” actor Yerin Ha, and “Stop! That! Train!” executive producer Chris Quintos Cathcart.

What Is the Goal of the Challenge?

Founder and Emmy award-winning producer Janet Yang emphasized the program’s impact in a statement. “After five years of our program continuing to grow, we have substantial evidence that it is achieving everything we had hoped for,” Yang said. “New filmmakers are being discovered and supported in the most beautiful way — at top festivals, with key players in the industry. Equally important, they have been given a chance to realize their full creative voice, bringing dream projects to fruition.”

Rhian Moore, CAPE’s head of programs, highlighted the importance of the initiative within the current industry landscape. “In a landscape where representation continues to rise and fall, successes from the API women and non-binary filmmakers coming out of this Short Film Challenge demonstrate the importance of continuing to uplift these stories despite decreased gender and racial diversity in Hollywood,” Moore said in a statement.

A Proven Track Record of Success

The program has a history of launching careers. A previous grant supported director Liz Sargent’s short film in 2022, which later evolved into her 2026 feature, “Take Me Home.” That film went on to win the top screenwriting honor at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, demonstrating the challenge’s potential as a pipeline for significant new talent.

What Happens Next?

The short film program will culminate in a celebratory screening showcase this November, where the finished films by the four grantees will be presented. This event serves as a key networking opportunity, connecting the emerging filmmakers with industry professionals.

The CAPE Leaders Fellowship

Separate from the short film challenge, CAPE also runs the CAPE Leaders Fellowship, a program for rising senior creative executives. The fellowship, now in its sixth year, aims to equip participants with skills and networks to advance to the VP level and beyond. It is co-chaired by CAPE Board Members Albert Cheng, the COO of Amazon Studios, Naia Cucukov, EVP of Development and Production at Walden Media, and Peter McHugh, a Partner and Manager at The Gotham Group.

Peter McHugh commented on the program's latest class. "With the continued awareness and popularity of the CAPE Leaders Fellowship, we were honored to consider and meet so many impressive candidates," McHugh said. "We congratulate this exceptional class of executives and welcome them to this fellowship for today and tomorrow’s leaders."

The 2022 class of fellows includes eight executives from across the industry. They are Eric Hsiao of Perfect Storm Entertainment, Grace Tran of Universal International Studios, and Grant Torre of Stampede Ventures. Also selected were Jason Pan of Netflix, Michelle Wilens of The SpringHill Company, and Moera Ainai of 21 Laps Entertainment. The class is rounded out by Sid Mehra of Endeavor Content and Tom Fields of Amazon Studios.

CAPE Executive Director Michelle K. Sugihara emphasized the fellowship's role in shaping industry narratives. "As the first organization to recognize the importance of creative executives in changing the stories Hollywood tells, CAPE is extremely proud of this Fellowship," Sugihara said. "It is vital to have creative executives from different backgrounds who understand the vibrant diversity of stories and experiences within our communities."

The program has a strong record of career advancement. As of July 2026, nearly two dozen alumni have been promoted into senior executive ranks. Notable promotions include Nikitha Menon, who became a VP at Destin Daniel Cretton’s Family Owned Entertainment, and Mohan Mandali, who advanced to VP of Development and Production at Fabel Entertainment.

Sources

• CAPE