The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted 18 students as winners of the 47th Student Academy Awards® competition. This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received a total of 1,474 entries from 207 domestic and 121 international colleges and universities. The 2020 winners join the ranks of such past Student Academy Award winners as Patricia Cardoso, Pete Docter, Cary Fukunaga, Spike Lee, Trey Parker, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis.
The winners are (listed alphabetically by category):
Alternative/Experimental (Domestic and International Film Schools)
- Curry Sicong Tian, “Simulacra,” University of Southern California
- Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma, “Ciervo,” Rhode Island School of Design
- Daniela Dwek, Maya Mendonca and Chrisy Baek, “Hamsa,” School of Visual Arts
- Kate Namowicz and Skyler Porras, “Mime Your Manners,” Ringling College of Art & Design
- Pascal Schelbli, “The Beauty,” Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Germany)
- Allison A. Waite, “The Dope Years: The Story of Latasha Harlins,” University of Southern California
- Laura Zéphirin, “Making Waves,” New York University
- Yucong Chen, “Unfinished Lives,” University of Southern California
- Maren Klakegg, “Dear Father…,” Westerdals Institute of Film and Media, Kristiania University College (Norway)
- Karishma Dube, “Bittu,” New York University
- Rommel Villa Barriga, “Sweet Potatoes,” University of Southern California
- Talia Smith, “Umama,” New York University
- Percival Argüero Mendoza, “Crescendo,” Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (Mexico)
- Marie Mc Court, “I Was Still There When You Left Me,” Institut des Arts de Diffusion (Belgium)
- German Golub, “My Dear Corpses,” Baltic Film & Media School, Tallinn University (Estonia)
First-time honors go to Baltic Film & Media School, Tallinn University, Estonia, and Institut des Arts de Diffusion, Belgium.
All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for 2020 Oscars® in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Subject category. Past winners have gone on to receive 64 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared 13 awards. The medal placements – gold, silver and bronze – in the seven award categories will be revealed in a virtual program highlighting the winners and their films on Wednesday, October 21.
The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent by creating opportunities within the industry to showcase their work.
About THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, opening April 30, 2021.
