by FilmInk Staff
Editor Liam D’Silva has been announced as the 2026 AFTRS Alumni & Industry Scholarship recipient.
The announcement was made by AFTRS’ Deputy Chair and Director of Policy, Studio and Production for the Asia Pacific region at Netflix, Debra Richards, at the Australian Film Television and Radio School’s annual alumni reunion event last night (Wednesday 22 April 2026).
Debra congratulated Liam on his scholarship, noting the benefit of an AFTRS education to students and industry.
“AFTRS was established to find and nurture exceptional creative talent from across the country. Yet each year, there are future storytellers who can’t see a viable path to get here,” she said.
“Over many years, scholarships at AFTRS have allowed students who might never have walked through these doors to follow their dreams, commit to their creative development, and then step out into the industry equipped to contribute, lead and shape the work being made. That’s why scholarships don’t just benefit individuals; they benefit the entire screen sector.”
The Alumni & Industry Scholarship is one of many scholarships on offer at AFTRS. Forty-three were awarded in 2025.
Its primary focus is to support and develop the career of a gifted storyteller, with a particular focus on under-represented groups in the Australian screen industries.
This includes, but is not limited to, individuals from refugee backgrounds or from culturally and racially marginalised communities, individuals who are gender diverse, people with a disability, those from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with enduring financial need, particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
The AFTRS Alumni & Industry Scholarship is determined by an AFTRS panel, in conjunction with the Alumni Advisory Group, which assesses multiple factors including financial need, creative voice and the impact of the scholarship on the applicant.
The Scholarship will support Liam’s Master of Arts Screen: Editing studies.
Liam graduated in 2023 from Flinders University, South Australia, with a Chancellor’s Commendation for a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Arts: Screen. Liam has edited a wide array of audiovisual work, including commercial and corporate videos, social media content, short films and short documentaries. His meticulous approach to narrative structure and sensitivity to performances have already led to multiple award nominations and wins, including winning Best Editing at the 2024 48 Hour Film Project – Adelaide and Best Editing at the 2024 YesWeCannes Global Film Competition. Also in 2024, along with four other filmmakers, Liam’s group placed second in the AACTA Pitch: Focus competition, with the short film Empty Chairs.
The shorts that Liam has edited have screened at many prestigious festivals, including Adelaide Film Festival, Flickerfest, Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Perth Queer Film Festival, Filmapalooza and Sydney Underground Film Festival.
Liam said the Alumni & Industry Scholarship had given him “an immense opportunity to develop skills as an editor, as well as collaborate with other gifted emerging Australian filmmakers” at AFTRS.
“Coming from Adelaide, it means a great deal for me to be here today,” he said.
“My gratitude at being given this chance exceeds these walls and I pledge to repay their support through my hard work and accomplishments at this distinguished institution. Nothing brings me more joy as an editor than to pan through the sands of imperfections and find the rich pockets that comprise great narratives, and I hope to be a part of the shaping of Australia’s future stories, and being here at AFTRS is the first step in achieving that.”
The night was attended by alumni, industry supporters and scholarship donors, including one of Australia’s most distinguished producers, alum Anita Jacoby (Graduate Diploma in Media, 1989), a leading advocate for women in media and leadership who now supports two scholarships for female and gender-diverse creatives “with strong leadership and entrepreneurial spirit” in her name at AFTRS.
“I’ve always believed in the power of mentoring to drive significant professional and personal growth in others,” she said.
“I also very strongly believe if an industry has been good to you – and the industry has been exceptionally good to me over many years – you should give something back.
“I also like to believe in the ripple effect … that recipients, inspired by the support that they’ve received in their career, will pay it forward, by mentoring and supporting others in the future when they can.”
Also announced on the night were two new members of the AFTRS Alumni Advisory Group: Steve Pasvolsky (Master of Arts: Film & Television [Hons] — Producing, 2000) and Megan Riakos (Graduate Diploma of Directing – Fiction & Non-Fiction, 2010). Chair is Monica Davidson (Master of Arts Screen: Business 2014) and continuing members are Denson Baker ACS (Graduate Diploma Cinematography, 2000), Andrea Ulbrick (Master of Arts Screen: Documentary, 2000), Felicity Abbott APDG BFDG (Master of Arts Screen: Production Design [Hons] 1999) and Sajarn Stow (Graduate Diploma Radio, 2016).
Photo caption: Anita Jacoby, Liam D’Silva, Debra Richards
