Adobe Awards $1 Million to 10 Filmmakers, Including Four Short-Film Projects

Adobe has announced the first ten recipients of direct grants from its Film & TV Fund, distributing a combined US$1 million among filmmakers developing narrative features, documentaries, short films and student productions.

Announced on 9 November 2026, the initiative expands the program established in 2024 and introduces a new advisory board with figures from film production, talent development and the entertainment industry.

Four dedicated short-film projects

Jasmine J. Johnson received support for BREAK, which follows a young surfer whose painful accident spreads online without her consent. Gabriela Garcia Medina’s Cuqui follows an Uber driver saving money to reunite her family in the United States.

Maria Burton’s How High the Moon examines pioneering astronaut candidate Jerrie Cobb. Spencer Jamison’s Numina follows a musician who inherits her grandparents’ home and explores family memory and grief.

Together, the four shorts address digital exposure, immigration, overlooked histories and personal relationships.

Student filmmakers also selected

Djibril Keita, an NYU Tisch student, received support for Verified, about a delivery driver locked out of work after an accident changes his appearance and a facial recognition system no longer identifies him.

Chapman University MFA candidate Olajide “Kay” Hamed received support for Dinner at the White House, which revisits the historic 1901 meeting between Booker T. Washington and President Theodore Roosevelt.

Feature and documentary recipients

The other four grants went to Austin Osanai Everett for the horror feature Akiya, Lara Everly for Reconstructing Charlie, Sue Ding for the documentary Rice Rocket Revolution, and Molly Gillis for Fringe, a documentary about American comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe.

The combined $1 million does not mean every recipient received an equal sum; individual award amounts have not been disclosed.

How recipients were chosen

Industry and community organizations nominated the inaugural cohort, with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative overseeing the process. Adobe made final selections with input from its advisory board.

Members include Lena Waithe, Reggie Hudlin, Kerstin Emhoff, Phil Sun, Jon Mone, Sophia Rzankowski, Stacy L. Smith, Stacy Martinet and Stacey Walker King.

Broader commitment and next steps

Adobe describes the grants as part of nearly $10 million in 2026 contributions comprising both financial grants and donated products. That larger amount should not be understood as a direct cash-grant pool.

Since 2024, the Film & TV Fund has supported more than 1,000 creators through partnerships and development programs. Adobe did not announce an unrestricted public application window for this first direct-grant cohort. Filmmakers should follow Adobe for updates on future funding.