Announcing the 2025 Flaherty X The New School Fellows
Congratulations to the five students selected for this year’s Flaherty X The New School Fellowship. The fellows were chosen by a faculty panel from among a robust and highly competitive pool of applicants across programs.
These students will join a small, international cohort of Flaherty Fellows, gaining access to a unique professional development experience shaped by mentorship, curated programming, and collaborative engagement opportunities during the renowned Flaherty Film Seminar.
This year marks a particularly special moment as The School of Media Studies co-hosts the 70th edition of the Flaherty Film Seminar, taking place June 26–29, 2025. The Seminar will feature an immersive lineup of screenings and carefully moderated conversations that continue its legacy as a leading forum for collective inquiry into the form and function of non-fiction cinema. Known for pushing the boundaries of the documentary form, the Flaherty Seminar fosters dialogue across generations, geographies, and creative practices.
Seminar venues this year include:
- The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- The New School’s Tishman Auditorium
- Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film
- Select Global Pods and online platforms
Pending availability, currently enrolled students will have the opportunity to register for the full seminar (onsite or online) at a discounted rate. Additionally, students enrolled in the summer course Contemporary Documentary (NMDS 5205) will be automatically registered for the online seminar experience.
Complimentary ticket availability for a number of individual screenings at MoMA and at The New School will be announced closer to the seminar dates for all members of the New School community.
2025 Flaherty X The New School Fellows
Sabrina Frometa (MA, Media Studies)
Shenghan Gao (Certificate in Documentary Media Studies + MA, Media Studies)
Isabella Rodriguez (BA, Screen Studies)
Aisha Servia (MA, Media Studies)
Meghna Yesudas (MA, Media Studies)
The SMS community extends sincere congratulations to these five remarkable students and looks forward to the contributions they will bring to this year’s Seminar and beyond.