Name: Morgan Mathews

Recipient Year: 2023

Sponsor: Palo Alto Networks Group

Name of Film: Clara's Fruit

Description: Morgan Mathews is a Black Muslim writer-director based in Atlanta. With a diverse body of work that encompasses both narrative and non-fiction filmmaking, Morgan is passionate about seamlessly bridging the realms of imagination and reality. Driven by a pursuit of exploring nuanced dimensions of Black life, his stories delve into the intricacies of communal experiences, the complexities of finding one’s agency, and the layered inwardness surrounding vulnerability. Among his notable achievements, Morgan's short film "Half-Day" achieved great success during its festival run, engaging audiences at BlackStar (nominated for Best Short 2022), SFFILM (special jury award winner 2022), and more. Morgan's journey has led to two projects currently in development at a studio, a grantee of the 2023 Islamic Scholarship Fund, and 2022 finalist for the Film Independent Amplifier Fellowship and SFFILM Raining Grant.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganmathews/