Columbia Filmmakers Head to Slamdance 2026; Jiin Oh '24 Awarded AGBO Fellowship
Update:
At this year’s Slamdance Film Festival, Film alum Jiin Oh '24 has taken home the AGBO Fellowship for her film SPEEDY! at this year's Slamdance Film Festival.
Set in 1989, SPEEDY! follows Jung-min, who is determined to become a speed-reading prodigy, just like Dong-hyun—the coolest guy in town, who can finish an entire book in just 60 seconds!
The AGBO fellowship was established in 2018 by Slamdance alumni Anthony and Joe Russo, founders of the independent film studio AGBO. They began the fellowship as a way to pay forward the mentorship and support they received at the Slamdance Film Festival in the early days of their careers. The two will mentor Oh alongside the rest of the AGBO creative team.
Check out the full list of winners from this year’s festival here.
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Original: February 6, 2026
Four short films and one feature by Columbia students and alums are set to screen at this year’s Slamdance festival.
Slamdance is an annual independent film festival that was founded by filmmakers who wanted to give artists a space to share their "unfiltered voice." As their mission states, they "function as an agent of change in filmmaking and digital media, helping to make the creative works of artists with divergent voices accessible to everyone." The festival continues to grow and change. In 2024, the Oscars- and BAFTA-qualifying festival moved from their long-standing home in Park City, Utah to Los Angeles, California. This year the festival will run from February 19 to 20.
Short Films
Crazy For You (Loquita Por Ti)
Spain
Directed by Film Alum Greta Díaz Moreau '25, Crazy For You follows the story of 16-year-old Alma living in Y2K rural Spain. She is desperate to attract the attention of star bullfighter, José, but as she makes her attempts, she quickly discovers this will be more challenging than she thought at first.
SPEEDY!
South Korea/USA
Speedy!, a short film directed by Jiin Oh '24, will be making its North American Premiere at this year’s Slamdance. Set in 1989, the film follows Jung-min, who is determined to become a speed-reading prodigy, just like Dong-hyun—the coolest guy in town, who can finish an entire book in just 60 seconds!
Ghost of Home (家的幽灵)
China/USA
Directed by Film student Chen Xie and produced by Guang Ren '25, Ghost of Home will have its world premiere in the Experimental Shorts category. The film comes from a very personal place for Xie. On the day his grandfather’s spirit was to depart and enter his new home, Xie began searching for the traces he left behind through different visual forms. Ghost of Home was created as Xie’s Second year directing project.
Unlimited, Forever and Ever, No Matter What
United States
Also enjoying its world premiere at Slamdance is Unlimited, Forever and Ever, No Matter What, directed by Film student Jayme Coveliers and produced by Kautstubh Singh '25 and students Mitch Camarda and Sofia Voss. The short follows Maggie, a PE teacher and former athlete living with chronic pain. After an accident occurs at school, she attempts to get through the day and reckons with the way she's living her life.
Feature
Dump of Untitled Pieces
Turkey
Produced by Melik Kuru '21 and associate produced by Rebecca Fay O’Neill '21, Dump of Untitled Pieces tells the story of an idealistic young photographer and her hapless roommate who are facing eviction. They attempt to sell her work to galleries for the first time, embarking on a bumpy journey through the collapsing art market of Istanbul.