Columbia Filmmakers Head To Aspen Shortsfest 2026
Three short films by Columbia alums are set to screen at this year’s Aspen Shortsfest.
This Oscars-qualifying festival is held annually in Aspen, Colorado and is one of the top short film festivals in North America, focused on highlighting the work of “bold new voices and the craft of short-form cinema.” This year’s event will take place from the April 7–11, 2026.
This short film was written and directed by JJ Adler '09 and recently screened at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. The film follows a skeptical psychiatrist who faces a crisis of belief when his hypnosis session with a fraudster yields an impossible message from beyond the grave, forcing him to question everything he knows about truth and deception. As part of Program 6, The Oracle will screen on Thursday, April 9 at 8 PM. Watch the film on MUBI.
This short film was written and directed by Raman Nimmala '25 for his 5-12 project—one of the requirements for second years in the MFA Film Program. Produced by Film student Priyanka Krishna, O’Sey Balamma premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival as part of the International Short Films slate. The film follows a matriarch and her housekeeper confronting solitude through the intimacy of each other’s company during the Sankranti festival celebrations. O’Sey Balamma will be screened as part of Program 7 on Friday, April 10 at 4 PM. Watch the film on MUBI.
Dua Ji was written and directed by Yuhan Tsai '24. The short premiered at the 2026 South by South West Film Festival and it is also set to be screened at the San Francisco International Film Festival and the Golden Harvest Awards. At her mother’s rural Taiwanese funeral, the eldest daughter quietly confronts inheritance, grief, and her place in the family. The film will screen as part of Program 10 on Saturday, April 11 at 5 PM. Watch the film on MUBI.