Prime Video and NIDA announce recipients of the 2024 Prime Video Scholarships

The 2024 NIDA Prime Video partnership finds two scholarships for women students with intersectional backgrounds to enable them to pursue a career in the creative arts, in addition to supporting the 2024 Master of Fine Arts directing cohort. 

Master of Fine Arts directing student Nicole Puni and Master of Fine Arts writing student Krishna Patel were officially awarded the scholarships at an event at NIDA last week.

The scholarships aim to improve representation in the industry by removing barriers and providing opportunities to those who can share diverse voices, stories, and lived experiences.

At the ceremony, Sarah Christie, senior development executive at Amazon MGM Studios said: "Creative partnerships are key to our success, and investing in new voices is an important part of continuing our ambition to provide a platform for great Australian series that resonate and reach a global audience. 

"We want to make sure that we're creating opportunities that broaden the representation of perspectives in our industry and believe the education on offer at NIDA and the support offered by these scholarships, can play a significant part in elevating the storytellers of the future."

Nicole Puni is studying the master of fine arts, directing course and is a Samoan and Torres Strait Islander creative, born in Wellington, New Zealand and raised in Newcastle, NSW. Nicole has directed, written, and produced stories on women, people of colour, Indigenous Australians, the LGBTQIA+ and marginalised youth.

Krishna Patel is studying the master of fine arts dramatic writing and was born, raised and founded her artistic practice in Townsville, QLD. Krishna's lived experience of being a queer Australian with trans-cultural Kenyan, Indian and British heritage has given her interest in producing stories of identity and belonging; often with an otherworldly twist. 

NIDA CEO, Liz Hughes, said: "This generous scholarship is an incredible opportunity for Nicole and Krishna and will enable a major boost for their careers in arts and entertainment while studying at NIDA.

"The support and dedication from Sarah and the team at Prime Video to broaden horizons in storytelling by supporting diverse voices is perfectly aligned to NIDA’s vision and greatly appreciated by everyone.”