Netflix And AFTRS Expand First Nations Screen Pathway With New $50,000 Scholarships
The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and Netflix ANZ are deepening their investment in First Nations storytelling, unveiling two new scholarships worth $50,000 each aimed at helping emerging creatives transition from regional workshops into full-time screen industry training.
Applications for the Netflix First Nations Pathways Scholarships open on June 17, 2026, with successful applicants beginning study during the 2027 academic year at AFTRS’ Sydney campus.
The scholarships are exclusively available to participants of AFTRS’ On Country Pathways Program (OCPP), a First Nations-led initiative delivering film, audio and storytelling workshops across remote, rural and regional Australia.
The collaboration marks a broader expansion of the long-running relationship between AFTRS and Netflix, with the partnership now positioned as a structured pipeline designed to support First Nations creatives into senior industry and leadership roles.
Each scholarship includes financial support aimed at easing the cost of relocation, accommodation, travel and digital equipment, alongside mentorship from both Netflix executives and AFTRS faculty.
AFTRS Director of First Nations and Outreach Peter Noble, a Girramay and Bandjin man, said the initiative directly addresses the barriers preventing many regional First Nations creatives from pursuing further study.
“For First Nations creatives from regional and remote communities, the pathway from On Country training into an AFTRS award course at the Sydney campus is often shaped by structural barriers, such as relocation and ongoing accommodation and travel costs, living and study costs – including equipment and connectivity – and reduced access to vital industry networks,” he said.
“The Netflix First Nations Pathways Scholarships directly tackle these barriers to education and industry access, providing a welcome opportunity for accessibility to world-class training, which ultimately enriches Australia’s storytelling landscape.”
The scholarships build on the growing reach of the On Country Pathways Program, which has already worked with more than 120 emerging creators across film, television, radio and podcasting.
Workshops have been held in Warmun, Bidyadanga, Cairns, Eden and Gadigal, creating direct training opportunities for aspiring storytellers in communities often excluded from traditional screen industry pathways.
Earlier this year, AFTRS staged a “Gadigal Week” showcase in Sydney, bringing together 30 leading participants from the program to create final projects using AFTRS’ professional production facilities. The initiative has been viewed as a pilot for the full-time scholarship transition model.
The partnership also extends an earlier collaboration launched through the Netflix Indigenous Scholarship Fund between 2021 and 2023.
Among the original recipients was filmmaker Nazareth Alfred, whose film Pills & Powder Milk later screened on SBS On Demand.
Dylan Nicholls, a Yuwaalaraay man and former psychologist, has since moved into directing documentary shorts, while Samantha Laughton has worked on productions including The New Boy and The Moogai and now serves on the Screen Australia Gender Matters Taskforce.
Alongside the scholarships, AFTRS and Netflix are also running a Leadership Skills for Screen short course focused on developing First Nations heads of department and production managers.
The program is designed to address the underrepresentation of Indigenous professionals in senior production management and financial roles within the Australian screen sector.
Netflix ANZ Director of Policy, Studio and Production Debra Richards, who also serves as Deputy Chair of the AFTRS Council, said supporting emerging First Nations voices remained central to Netflix’s local strategy.
“Through this partnership with AFTRS, we’re proud to help create more accessible pathways for First Nations creatives to develop their craft, build industry connections, and bring their stories to life,” she said.
The initiative reflects a broader effort by AFTRS leadership to expand training opportunities beyond metropolitan centres, with Peter Noble previously joining the organisation from NITV, where he served as General Manager.
