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
Alumnus Davíð Már Stefánsson '19 has written multiple episodes for Katla, the first original Netflix show from Iceland, created by director Baltasar Kormákur and co-created by showrunner Sigurjón Kjartansson.
Slow Machine, a feature film co-directed and written by alumnus Paul Felten '04 and produced by alumnus and Adjunct Professor Shrihari Sathe '09, will screen virtually at Metrograph from June 5 to 10, 2021.
Race for the Vaccine, a television documentary edited by alumnus Shayon Maitra '17, had its premiere on CNN on May 15. The film is currently available for streaming on demand via cable/satellite systems, CNNgo platforms, and CNN mobile apps.
Two filmmakers will have their films screen at the 2021 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. They are: The Virgin, The Old Lady, The Journey, (La Virgen, La Vieja y el Viaje), written & directed by fifth-year Film student Natalia Luque and produced by alumna Marta Cruañas Compés '20, and Don’t Come Close by alumnus Daniel Pfeffer ‘18.
Third-year Film student Dhruv Sud was recently selected to receive The Joel Schumacher / Sophia Cranshaw Scholarship Award as part of his participation in this summer’s Film and Media Career Development Program with Gotham EDU, a project of The Gotham Film & Media Institute.
These directors, screenwriters, and producers — all with Columbia degrees — have found enviable success in the streaming era.
Directing alumnus Jeffrey L. Page '19 is set to choreograph the outdoor stage production of Who Could Ask for Anything More? The Songs of George Gershwin for the Barrington Stage Company. The concert will be performed a total of 25 times between June 10 and July 3, 2021 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Numerous Filmmakers will have their films screened online through May 31, 2021 as part of Visual Communications’ Asian Pacific Virtual Showcase.
Behind the D4 is an interview series about the D4 films made by Film MFA Program students.
Two films written and directed by Film students are premiering at the Sarasota Film Festival from April 30 to May 9, 2021.
Out of the Past, Into the Future is a series that aims to chronicle a limitless scope of work by Columbia filmmakers representative of the past, present, and future.
Three alumni were selected to participate in Hillman Grad Productions and Indeed's Rising Voices program.
