The Legacy of Milos Forman
In 1978, esteemed director Milos Forman and his Screenwriting mentor Frank Daniel were appointed co-chairs of the Film Program. Under their leadership, the program flourished and became the world-renowned institution of film education that it is today. In many ways, Forman was the "creative founder" of Columbia Film, having shaped and refined its commitment to narrative filmmaking anchored in strong screenplays. He gave it a character as distinct as his own—original, passionate, intelligent, and international.
News
Columbia filmmakers took over the lineup at last week's San Francisco International Film Festival, which ran from April 24 to May 4, 2026.
Coming off the heels of the massive blockbuster A Minecraft Movie, Film alum Chris Galletta '10 has been announced as the co-writer of the next film in the series, A Minecraft Sequel.
The short film At the Edge of the Volcano, directed by Jorge Granados Ross '21, co-written by Granados Ross and fellow alum Melik Kuru '21, and produced by Mariana Saffon '19, is set to screen at the Semaine de la Critique (Critic's Week) of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, in the International Film Festival of Morelia program.
A new supernatural drama, The Boroughs, executive produced by The Duffer Brothers with writing by Professor of Professional Practice James Schamus—also a consulting producer on the project—is set to premiere on Netflix this spring on May 21, 2026.
Heaven is Nobody’sˆ, the latest by director, Film alum, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Film and Media Studies Hector Prats '23, has been released on Short of the Week.
Directing Concentration Head and Professor of Professional Practice Bette Gordon has been featured in the book Cinema Her Way: Visionary Female Directors in Their Own Words, published by Rizzoli International Publications on February 25, 2026.
Film alum Katla Sólnes '24 has been awarded a prestigious 2025-2026 Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Three short films by Columbia alums are set to screen at this year’s Aspen Shortsfest.
Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, a feature film produced by Film Chair and Associate Professor of Professional Practice Jack Lechner, was recently acquired by Abramorama and made its theatrical premiere on March 13, 2026.
Highly anticipated thriller Wardriver, directed by Rebecca Thomas '13, is set to release on March 20, 2026 in select theaters and on streaming on March 27 after a world premiere at the 2026 Cinequest Film Festival.
The Last Summer, directed by Patrick Wei '25, written and produced by Leah Simone Scott '24, and co-producted by Ellis Finney '25 and Red Truss '24, is now available to stream on Tubi.
Winners of the 98th Academy Awards were announced on the evening of Sunday, March 15, 2026 with three projects with Columbia connections taking home major awards.
