The Directors Guild of America announced the winners of the 2009 DGA Student Film Awards for African American, Asian American, Latino and Women directors. The awards are designed to honor, encourage and bring attention to outstanding minority and women directors in film schools and select universities across the country.
“We are honored to recognize and call attention to talented new directors through the DGA Student Film Awards,” said Taylor Hackford, president of the Guild. “The DGA is committed to encouraging diversity and highlighting emerging talents in the entertainment industry. We wish our awardees all the best and look forward to seeing more of their work in the future.”
The 2009 winners, selected by blue ribbon DGA member panels, are:
BEST AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT FILMMAKER
East Coast Winner: Rashaad Ernesto Green of NYU for Premature
West Coast Winner: Edward Osei-Gyimah of USC for Kwame
Jury Prize: Sharon Hill of UCLA for Shades of Gray
BEST ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT FILMMAKER
East Coast Winner: Theresa Wu of Columbia University for Smoke and Mirrors
West Coast Winner: Edward Kim of UCLA for To Wander in Pandemonium
Jury Prize: Ken Ochiai of AFI for Half Kenneth
BEST LATINO STUDENT FILMMAKER
East Coast Winner: Antonio Mendez Esparza of Columbia University for Una y Otra Vez
West Coast Winner: David Martin-Porras of UCLA for Ida y Vuelta
Jury Prize: Jessica McMunn Macias of UCLA for Soleil
BEST WOMAN STUDENT FILMMAKER
East Coast Winner: Eliza Subotowicz of Columbia University for Ben
West Coast Winner: Erika Cohn of Chapman University for When the Voices Fade
Jury Prize: Rebecca Cremona of Art Center College of Design for Magdalene
The awards rules and procedures mandate that competing films must have been made in the 2008/2009 school year (September 2008 through August 2009), and must have been produced as a student project under the supervision of a faculty member. Dramas, comedies and documentaries are all eligible — animated and experimental films are not. Applicants must be enrolled in, or be a recent (one-year) graduate from, an accredited post-secondary institution in California or DGA-selected university offering a degree in film or television. Eligible films are those in which a student held every major crew position. Productions in which a non-student, professional or a faculty member served as cinematographer, camera operator, sound recordist, editor, lighting designer or screenwriter may be disqualified.
The award-winning films will be screened and the awards presented in ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York at the Directors Guild of America theaters.
Contact:Sahar Moridani Directors Guild of America 310-289-5333
“Ǝvolution” Comes Full Circle At The Chelsea Film Festival
The Chelsea Film Festival, running from October 16th through October 20th, 2024, at Regal Cinemas here in Union Square, is set to host the East Coast premiere of Ǝvolution, a thought-provoking experimental micro-short film that proves big ideas can come in small packages and in perfect circles.
In just 1 minute 16 seconds, this cinematic gem by Award-Winning Director Romina Schwedler, with original music by Argentine Composer Ignacio Montoya Carlotto, explores a cycle as old as time: life leads to progress, progress leads to destruction, and destruction, well, leads back to life. But is this vicious circle unbreakable? Ǝvolution suggests the answer is yes, unless we decide to open our eyes.
Inspired by the overwhelming number of recent events that threaten human existence, Ǝvolution, possibly the shortest film in this 12th edition of the festival, plays out entirely through the symbolism of circles, cleverly illustrating —in the blink of an eye— the repeating patterns of history, and confronting viewers with the uncomfortable truth that our so-called “progress” may, in fact, be guiding us to our own ruin.Premiering at the Regal 14 Union Square, New York City, on October 18, 2024, at 11 a.m., Romina Schwedler's micro-short, featuring Leah Young with cinematography by Alan J. Carmona, will be sure to spark conversations longer than the film itself! Forcing viewers to reconsider the true meaning of evolution, not just as a biological process, but as a reflection of our collective journey as humans.
With a string of festival appearances across the globe, including CineGlobe at CERN (Switzerland/France), Oscar®... Read More