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
It has already been a successful year for alumna Grace Edwards '10.
Alumna Xixi Wang '19 and current student Nehir Tuna have been selected as 2020 Director and Screenwriting Lab Fellows by the Sundance Institute.
Professor Eric Mendelsohn sat down with film director John Badham last month to discuss Badham’s work and style.
The Ashland Independent Film Festival is an annual event that is held in Ashland, Southern Oregon every spring.
Ayaan, a short film written and directed by alumna Alies Sluiter '20, produced by alumna Meng Xiong '19, and associate produced by alumna Federica Belletti '18, is currently screening at two of Australia’s biggest film festivals. It had its world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival where it was nominated for the Dendy Live Action Short Award. The film will also screen at the St Kilda Short Film Festival where it also received nominations for Best Short Film and Best Actor for Trevor Jamieson. Both festivals are Academy Award accredited.
Professor of Professional Practice Bette Gordon will be the focus of Directed by Bette Gordon, a special streaming program on the Criterion Channel highlighting Gordon’s influential role in the independent cinema community on June 17.
Tres Noches Y Una Cabra (Three Nights and a Goat), directed by alumnus Nicolás Becerra '18, written by alumnus Ben Gottlieb '19 and produced by alumna Jennifer Sciarra '18, was selected to screen at the Panorama Colombia Film Festival in Germany, which has been postponed currently due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Salt (Sabras), a feature film project written and to be directed by current student Sushma Khadepaun, has won a SFFILM's Spring 2020 Westridge Grant.
Something to Believe In (Algo en lo que creer), a short film written and directed by alumna Fany de la Chica '18 and produced by alumnus Luca Marcovici '18, screened at the Cinequest Film Festival in March as part of the Life Lessons program, and will be shown at the San Diego Latino Film Festival in October. The film will also be presented at the 4th edition of the Latino Film Market in New York from July 17 to August 2, 2020 in New York City.
Chosen, a pilot directed by alumnus Daniel Fermín Pfeffer '18, written and produced by alumnus Michael Goitanich '18, and produced by alumna Ewing Luo '18, was selected to screen as part of the Independent Pilot Competition at SeriesFest's Virtual Film Festival. Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, the festival has shifted to a virtual edition taking place from June 18 to June 24 2020.
True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality, the new documentary by Professor of Professional Practice Trey Ellis just won a Peabody Award.
Due to the global pandemic, the Cannes Film Festival did not take place under its usual conditions from May 12 to May 23 this year, but that didn’t stop the organizers from revealing its 2020 lineup. Four films by Columbia filmmakers are listed among the 56 movies chosen for the Official Selection picked out of a total of 2,067 feature films submitted.
