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 alums picked up several nominations and two awards at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards last night, when Hollywood celebrated the best and brightest of TV and film at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
After honing her filmmaking skills at Columbia, the writer-director went on to create one of Hollywood’s most successful franchises.
Valeria Contreras '23 has been selected by The National Association of Latino Independent Producers to join Netflix's fifth cohort of its Director Incubator.
This Is Who We Are is a series featuring Columbia University School of the Arts' professors, covering careers, pedagogy, and art-making. Here, we talk with Adjunct Senior Research Scholar Frank Rose about the power of narrative and the future of storytelling.
MFA Film student Cameron Clay was named one of the four winners of the 7th Annual Focus Features Student Short Film Showcase, part of the Gotham Awards.
Don’t Be Late, Myra, a short film by Afia Nathaniel '03, is enjoying a stellar turn on the festival circuit, having won more than twelve awards, including the Oscar-qualifying Best Short Film at the Asian World Film Festival.
Four films helmed by Columbia alums selected to participate in Film Independent Fast Track program.
Trapped, a short film produced by Film alum Silvia Chen '21, has been awarded the HollyShorts Grand Prix Award at the HollyShorts Film Festival. With this win, the film is now qualified to be nominated for an Oscar in the Shorts category.
The golden age of adaptation is now. In a lecture hall at Columbia School of the Arts, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Film Galt Niederhoffer is priming her students to launch headfirst into this creative intersection.
DGA, Primetime Emmy, and Peabody Award–winning director, actor and producer Ben Stiller (Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost) and his Oscar-winning producing partner John Lesher (Birdman) have boarded the Columbia thesis short film Extremist as executive producers.
Melanie Rish-Ho '24 was selected to participate in the Black List 2025 Writers Lab.
