Film News

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

Entre tú y Milagros, a short film directed by alumna Mariana Saffon '19, written by Saffon and alumna Nathalie Álvarez Mesén '19, produced by Saffon and current student Jorge Granados Ross, associate produced by alumnus Saim Sadiq '19 and edited by alumnus Andrew Stephen Lee '18 won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film at the 77th Annual Venice International Film Festival.

Alumnus Toby Fell-Holden '13 was chosen as one of four participants for the inaugural 1497 Writer's Lab focused on South Asian screenwriters.

Film alumnus Ayad Akhtar ’02 will succeed novelist Jennifer Egan as PEN America’s next president on December 2, 2020.

Recent alumna Haya B. AlGhanim '20 and her screenplay Road 250 have been selected to participate in the Rawi Screenwriters Lab in Jordan this year.

Access Fundamentals of Directing lecture through Courseworks:Zoom

Film students Daniel Byers and Werner Traut wasted no time during the COVID-19 crisis.

Five Columbia alumni and their projects have been chosen to participate in Cine Qua Non Lab's Storylines Lab. 

Registering "On Campus" status for Fundamentals of Directing

The last two years have been busy for Film alumnus and novelist Garth Stein ’90. Last summer, the movie The Art of Racing in the Rain based on Stein’s best-selling 2008 novel of the same name, was released by 20th Century Fox/Disney.

The Nashville Film Festival’s Screenwriting Competition is underway with Has Been Beauty Queen, a script co-written by alumna Jennifer Gerber '13, reaching the final round in the Feature Film section of the festival. 

Adjunct Assistant Professor Richard Dresser's debut novel, It Happened Here was released this month by Brown Books Publishing Group. 

Four Columbia films have been selected to show at the 58th New York Film Festival from September 17 to October 11.

The Blue List

Columbia University Blue List Script Competition connects the Film Program’s most talented recent graduates with leading professionals in the world of film and television. The Blue List represents the most esteemed, un-produced screenplays and television pilots written by Film & Playwriting graduates of the Columbia University’s School of the Arts.

Student Series

Headshot of Angeline Dimambro
Life After Film School

by Angeline Dimambro

This series catches up with Columbia filmmakers who have recently graduated to discuss what they’re doing now and their goals for the future.

Headshot of Carlos Barragan
This is Who We Are

by Carlos Barragán

A series featuring Columbia School of the Arts’ professors, covering careers, pedagogy, and art-making.

Headshot of Felix van Kann
Columbia Filmmakers Connect

by Felix van Kann

Features the new mentorship program that connects recent alumni with industry professionals. 

Aisha Amin
Weekend Watchlist

by Aisha Amin

Features Columbia Film Professors, discussing their best film and TV recommendations for aspiring filmmakers.

Frozen poster

Writer and co-director: Jennifer Lee '05

Superbad poster

Writer-director: Greg Mottola '91

Zero Dark Thirty poster

Writer, director, producer: Kathryn Bigelow '79

Logan poster

Co-writer and director: James Mangold '99

Yellowjackets poster

Co-creator, executive producer, writer: Ashley Lyle '07

Shirkers poster

Writer-director: Sandi Tan '00