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
Alumna Afia Nathaniel '06 was invited to participate in NBC Universal's Female Forward Program, shadowing on Chicago Med, and later directing her own episode of the series.
Dick Johnson is Dead, co-produced by Associate Professor and Chair of the Creative Producing Concentration, Maureen A. Ryan was nominated for four Critics Choice Association Documentary Awards, winning Best Documentary Feature.
I'm No Longer Here (Ya No Estoy Aquí), a feature film written and directed by alumnus Fernando Frias de la Parra '15 and produced by alumnus Gerry Kim '11, was chosen as the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences’ nominee for Best Foreign Film for next year’s Academy Awards. It took the edge over five other finalists as its country’s representative.
Inspector Ike, a feature film co-written and directed by alumnus Graham Mason '11, won the Jury Award in the Narrative Features Competition at the 31st New Orleans Film Festival.
Troublemaker, a short film written and directed by student Olive Nwosu, is making waves on the festival circuit.
Mizaru, a short film written, directed and edited by alumnus Sudarshan Suresh '18, screened as part of the Dharamshala International Film Festival 2020. It ran in the Shorts section of the 9th edition of the festival from October 29 to November 4.
When alumnus Kai Gero Lenke ’15 remembers his time at Columbia, it is with great fondness. “It’s a creative space you will miss for the rest of your life when you’re out,” he told me. “For a long time, you will work with people in the industry who have just not studied film aesthetics in the same way. At Columbia, we watched Tarkovsky, Bergman, Truffaut, and we did shot for shot analysis of their works. Then you realize all this love for film that exists in this space in New York just doesn’t exist in most parts of your future work life. It’s also not demanded by anyone.”
Out of the Past, Into the Future is a bi-weekly series that aims to chronicle a limitless scope of work by Columbia filmmaker’s representative of the past, present, and future.
The Big D, a drama series co-written and co-directed by alumni Samantha Buck '16 and Marie Schlingmann '16, is being developed by HBO.
Pillars, a short film written and directed by alumnus Cameron Bruce Nelson '20 and produced by alumna Chloe Sarbib '20, continues its successful festival run.
