Columbia filmmakers had a strong presence at this year’s Film Independent Fast Track, which took place between November 19 and 21, 2025. Started and supported by Film Independent, a LA-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and championing independent storytelling, the Fast Tack Film Financing Market is a four-day industry conference where selected filmmakers are given the opportunity to pitch their projects—both fiction and documentary—to leaders in the industry for potential funding.
This year, Film Independent selected 15 projects and 34 filmmakers to support, including four films helmed by Columbia alums:
Gone By Morning, a film produced by Film alum Rob Cristiano '13, follows a dancer named Lucy returning home to her family’s ranch in Montana. Upon arriving she’s forced to contend with the life she built and the one she left behind.
Killing Jar tells the story of an entomologist reeling after her mother's sudden death. Burdened by guilt, she decides to conduct her own forensic entomology investigation to discover the truth. Written and directed by Film alum Etzu Shaw '23 and produced by Adjunct Assistant Professor of Film Galt Niederhoffer, the film also received $20,000 in funding as part of the 2025 Film Independent Alfred P. Sloan Fast Track Grant for recognition of a film that explores themes of science and technology.
Not My Name, written and directed by Juan Paulo Laserna '22 and produced by Valeria Contreras '23, explores themes of exile and family in a story about a Colombian family traveling under false identities to visit their dying patriarch.
The Umbra, written and directed by Rider Strong (CC '04), follows protagonist David Alturo in the wake of his partner Orion’s suicide. In the film, Alturo journeys into the Redwoods to confront Orion’s hermit father. The two eventually partner up to make sense of Orion’s death and complete his final mysterious invention.
In addition to the Fast Track, Film Independent is responsible for the annual Film Independent Spirit Awards—past winners include Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, Celine Song '14 for Past Lives, and Sean Baker and Mickey Madison for Anora. Film Independent also hosts year-round public programming through Film Independent Presents, and offers artistic development opportunities to filmmakers. Their program Project Involve supports filmmakers (writers, directors, producers, etc.) from communities traditionally underrepresented within the film industry.
