We are proud to announce Josh Leong as the recipient of the 2025 Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting!

Josh Leong is a Webby Award®-winning writer and director from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. His film CHICKEN world premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and he was a spotlight director with NBCUniversal’s Scene in Color Film Series (presented by Target). His feature script LOST BOYS was an Academy Nicholl Fellowship semifinalist and topped the 2024 Black List Recommended. Josh also directed THE OTHER SIDE in Ethiopia, streaming on Peacock. The film was featured on The TODAY Show and stars Ethan Herisse from Amazon MGM’s Oscar®-nominated NICKEL BOYS (Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay). Having screened at ten Academy Award®-qualifying festivals and been awarded by President Obama, Josh was also a finalist for the Sundance Cultural Impact Residency. Currently, Josh also serves on-ground in Ethiopia to pilot film mentorship programs in local orphanages.

Josh will receive a stipend for $10K along with mentorship from a prominent screenwriter to develop a new script over the course of his yearlong fellowship, thanks to the partnership of the @theblcklst + @writersguildinitiative. Cheers Josh, we can’t wait to see what you write next!