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
WarnerMedia Access unveiled its new Showrunner Program, and alumnus Kevin Lau ’13 is among the members of the inaugural cohort.
Film Program alumnus James Mangold ’99 is set to direct and produce a new Buster Keaton biopic for 20th Century Studios.
Several Columbia University alumni have been nominated for the Writers Guild of America’s 2022 WGA Awards in the categories of television, new media, news, and radio/audio. They are: Jacey Heldrich ’13, Eric Tuchman ’87, Brysen Boyd '20, Ashley Lyle ’07 (CC ’02), Lucia Aniello (CC '04), and Sasha Stewart (CC '09).
Alumna Maggie Briggs '19 will participate in the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Writers’ Studio class of 2022.
Animation Conversations is an interview series with Film faculty, students, and alumni where we discuss working as screenwriters, directors, and producers in the animation industry.
Alumnus Steve Schwartz '73 is one of the producers of All the Old Knives, a new spy thriller starring Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton. Schwartz produced the film alongside his wife Paula Mae Schwartz, Nick Wechsler, Mark Gordon, and Matt Jackson.
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, a new mini series directed and executive produced by alumnus and Head of Directing Concentration Ramin Bahrani '96 (CC) and executive produced by Adjunct Professor Diane Houslin, premiered on Apple TV+ on March 11. The show, which was adapted for the screen by Walter Mosley from his own novel by the same name, will have a total of six episodes with new episodes being released weekly on Fridays.
2022 marks the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards. Among the nominees are five projects from Columbia alumni. The NAACP is the home of grassroots activism for civil rights and social justice. The organization has more than 2,200 units across the nation, powered by well over 2 million activists.
The Brazilian Filmmakers Collective, co-founded by alumna Moara Passoni '21, launched formally at the Berlin Film Festival's European Film Market on February 16. The collective was created last year as a hub for Brazilian filmmakers working abroad to share resources, opportunities and promote creative enrichment.
Three projects worked on by School of the Arts alumni featured performances that were celebrated at the 2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Mabrook (Congratulations), a short film written, directed and produced by alumnus Asad Farooqui '19, won the Georgia Film Critics Association's Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgian Cinema.
Update: The Lost Daughter, a feature film written and directed by alumna Maggie Gyllenhaal '99 (CC), was the big winner at the 2022 Independent Spirit Awards.
