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
Leylak has been named Best Drama at the 2021 New York Shorts International Film Festival. This win comes amidst the film’s sparkling screenings on the film festival circuit, where it was recently named the winner of the 2021 Special Jury Mention Award in the shorts category of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
Two films by Columbia filmmakers were recognized at the 2021 CinEast film festival. They are: Miracle, written and directed by Assistant Professor Bogdan Apetri, and Murina, directed by alumna Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović ’17 and co-written by Kusijanović and fellow alumnus Frank Graziano '18.
Paradise Highway, a new thriller written and directed by alumna Anna Gutto '16, was recently acquired by Lionsgate for North American distribution and international sales.
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.
Ida Red, a feature film edited by Adjunct Assistant Professor John David Allen, opens in theaters around the country on November 5 with a same-day streaming release on Paramount+.
Alumna Nicole Holofcener '88 is set to write and direct the feature film Beth and Don, which will begin filming in New York City in early spring 2022.
The House of Spirits, a TV series adapted, co-written, and directed by alumna Francisca Alegría '16, will go into production for FilmNation Entertainment next year.
In this series, we feature the new mentorship program that connects recent alumni with industry professionals.
Associate Professor Ramin Bahrani (CC ’96) is the producer of two films making waves this fall. They are Luzzu and 7 Prisoners.
Two films by Columnia filmmakers have been making waves on the festival circuit recently. They are: Libertad, written and directed by Clara Roquet '16, and Between Two Dawns, written, directed, and produced by Selman Nacar '21.
Professor Bette Gordon was invited as a guest of honor to the 2021 Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon, France to celebrate her seminal film Variety (1983).
The British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA) recently announced the newest members of its prestigious Newcomers program, and eight Columbia filmmakers have been added to this four-year new talent initiative that recognizes and supports international filmmakers who have recently moved to Los Angeles or New York to further their development and career. They will be joining the seven filmmakers who were added to the initiative last year.
