AFTRS celebrated the achievements of its newest graduates on Friday 29 May, with 134 students formally recognised at the 2026 Graduation Ceremony in Sydney.
Held on Gadigal and Bidjigal Country at UNSW’s Sir John Clancy Auditorium, the ceremony brought together graduands, families, staff, industry leaders and special guests to mark the culmination of years of creative work, collaboration and perseverance across the School’s disciplines.
Key speakers included AFTRS Chair Rachel Perkins and Australia’s Special Envoy for the Arts Susan Templeman MP.
Opening the event, MC Jenevieve Chang, Discipline Lead, Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production (Screenwriting), reflected on the shared journey of the cohort.
“At the heart of today is that enduring art of storytelling – something you’ve each grappled with, chased down, and made your own,” she said.
“As we reflect on the journey you’ve taken, we honour the courage it took to show up, day after day – especially when the blank page refused to yield, or the rough cut felt anything but resolved. We acknowledge the revisions, the risks, the vulnerability, and every creative choice it took to shape meaning from the raw material of life.”
Following a Welcome to Country by Elder in Residence Aunty Rhonda Dixon-Grovenor, AFTRS Council Chair and alum Rachel Perkins spoke about the powerful spirit of the graduands in the room.
“I went through AFTRS 30 years ago … and although the technology has changed since I graduated … what hasn’t changed is the spirit of the students and the spark of determination that is required to go through the school and graduate,” she said.
“It is this spirit that will drive you through your careers into the future. For me, I walked out of the school with that same determination and spirit that you have. And it sustained me over 30 years.
“I know that there is another wave coming behind me and that is you. You bring your energy and your ideas, and your intellect, and you will replenish and expand the notion of what we understand to be Australian stories. And through your storytelling, you will change what it means to be Australian.
“We look forward to your spirit, that spirit that we feel in the room today, between you, it’s a powerful energy, and it is electric. And we look forward to it burning a trail through the Australian film, television and audio industries.”
Special Envoy for the Arts Susan Templeman also addressed the graduating class, highlighting the cultural and social importance of storytelling.
“Storytelling is one of the last things that still asks people to stop, to sit still, to feel something, to put themselves in someone else’s shoes,” she said.
“A country understands itself through the stories it tells, and you now carry the responsibility and privilege to do that.”
Encouraging graduate resilience and collaboration, Susan added:
“The Australian cultural sector relies on stubbornness and passion, just as much as it relies on creative talent … a creative career is not a single premiere night. It’s a long conversation with the world.”
Graduates were recognised across AFTRS’ Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production (BASP), Master of Arts Screen (MAS), Master of Arts Screen: Business (MASB) and Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting (GDRP) programs.
The ceremony included the conferral of awards by Chair of AFTRS Academic Board Professor Craig Batty, and the presentation of testamurs led by Director of Teaching & Learning Maia Horniak, alongside program convenors including Marty Murphy (BASP), Maija Howe (MAS), Peter Herbert (MASB) and Natalie Pozdeev (GDRP).
A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Women in Cinematography Prize, sponsored by Sony, with a $10,000 FX6 camera awarded to Master of Arts Screen (Cinematography) graduate Sarah Whyte in recognition of her outstanding work.
Alyssa Young, Sony ANZ Senior Product Manager – Cinema and Professional Business, said Sony had been proudly sponsoring this award and providing women in cinematography scholarships at AFTRS for four years “because we understand how important it is to recognise and support the next generation of technical excellence, creative leadership and greater representation behind the camera.”
“This year we saw the first woman ever to win an Academy Award for cinematography and I’m confident we’ll see more female talent from this room today standing up there with the likes of Autumn Durald Arkapaw in future,” she said.
Sarah, who also delivered the Graduate Address on behalf of all graduating students, reflected on the intensity and impact of the AFTRS experience.
“My time here has been incredibly formative,” she said. “One of my proudest moments was pushing to shoot a masters capstone on 16mm film. Being able to take those risks in a learning institution with world-class resources was incredible. It’s what makes AFTRS so unique – it supports students to take risks, play and experiment. Because if not at film school, when?”
In closing the ceremony, AFTRS CEO Dr Nell Greenwood congratulated the Class of 2025 and formally welcomed them to the AFTRS alumni community, reflecting on the sense of hope evident in the room.
“What struck me this afternoon… is that incredible sense of possibility – of potential, of fresh ideas, and new work waiting to be made that will go on to open people’s hearts and minds, just like the AFTRS alumni before you,” she said.
“That sense of hope is absolutely fundamental to who AFTRS is and why this school was founded. It’s a belief that stories matter. And they really can change things for the better.
“You may need to at times check your expectations but please never check that sense of hope. Trust in your talent, trust in your skill, in the networks, and the friendships that you’ve built during your time at AFTRS, and trust in that power you have to make great work that can change things.”
Class of 2025 First Nations graduands also enjoyed an end-of-year gathering with family, friends and staff the day before 2026 AFTRS Graduation. Following some inspirational “words of wisdom” by writer, actor and director Wayne Blair, each of the students heard from a teacher they had invited to speak about their AFTRS experience. They were also presented with a specially designed stole and possum cloak.
And graduation celebrations continued into the weekend with a screening for friends and family, showcasing the breadth and depth of themes, skills and stories developed by this year’s graduating cohort.
We look forward to seeing what the Class of 2025 will achieve as they begin their journeys in the screen and audio industries – shaping the future as Australia’s next generation of storytellers. For a full list of graduates and highlights of their work, see: Graduation Day for AFTRS’ Class of 2025.
