Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television
Cinema Studies
Dr. Howard Besser, Professor and MIAP founding Director, contributed to an Archives for Artists program in Denver, CO.
Alumnus Jacob Zaborowski (’17) joined the Getty Research Institute’s digital content management and preservation program.
MIAP students organized an Audiovisual Preservation Exchange in Spain in order to safeguard the world’s audiovisual heritage.
Alumni Walter Forsberg ('10), Pamela Vízner ('14) and Stefan Elnabli ('10) co-led workshops at the Fédération Internationale des Archives de Télévision / International Federation of Television Archives (FIAT/IFTA) 2017 World Conference in Mexico City.
Professor Manthia Diawara’s 2017 film An Opera of the World was screened by The Flaherty and the African Film Festival New York at Anthology Film Archives.
University of Minnesota Press published Lewd Looks: American Sexploitation Cinema in the 1960s by alum Elena Gorfinkel (PhD 2008).
Rubaiyat Hossain (MA 2017) was a member of the Locarno Filmmakers Academy this past summer. Her film, Made in Bangladesh, showcased in the Open Doors at the festival, was given an Arte Award.
PhD student Zoe Meng Jiang was a member of the Locarno Critics Academy this past summer, and has published a review of the two Chinese independent films shown at the Locarno film festival in IndieWire: 'China Revealed: How New Documentaries Explore a Side of the Country Never Seen before" (9/14, 2017).
Assistant Professor Toby Lee’s film Composite premiered in September at the Camden International Film Festival, one of the top documentary film festivals in the world.
Hegine Nazarian (BA 2013, MA 2015) was an editor of Icarus, a documentary about Olympic doping, which was released this fall on Netflix.
Professor Dana Polan was honored with the Anne Friedberg Award for Contributions to Noir and Its Preservation, announced at NOIR CON 2017 – a biennial tribute to all things noir from literature to film to art and poetry.
Tills vidare (Until Further Notice), a short film directed by PhD student Christian Rossipal, was screened at the Bobst Film Festival at the brand new Avery Fischer Center.
Allen Weiss, Distinguished Teacher in Cinema Studies and Performance Studies, was nominated for Best Director and his co-director / co-producer Tom Rasky was nominated for Best Cinematography for their film Dolls of Darkness at the Nice International Filmmaker Festival (Nice, May 2017).
Ying Xiao (PhD 2010), currently Assistant Professor at University of Florida, Gainesville, published her first book, China in the Mix: Cinema, Sound, and Popular Culture in the Age of Globalization.
The National Film Preservation Foundation awarded two grants to fund students of MIAP under the facilitation of professor Bill Brand and BB Optics, a media preservation and post-production company.
Professor Dana Polan was interviewed by Senses of Cinema.
Rebecca Guenther, MIAP professor, received an Innovation Award at the Opening Plenary of the National Digital Stewardship Alliance's 2017 Digital Preservation Conference.
MIAP Student Danielle Calle was featured by Remezcla.
MIAP Alumni’s have contributed to XFR Collective, digitizing and preserving time-based media artworks from obsolete formats.
MIAP Alumna Siobhan Hagan founded Mid-Atlantic Regional Moving Image Archive (MARMIA) and acquired historic tv collection from Baltimore.
MIAP Alumnus Eddy Colloton contributed to an Archives for Artists program in Denver, CO.
Alumna Siobhan Hagan was featured in the Baltimore Sun.
Rita & Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing
Students Stephanie McFarlane and Bryce Ahert were selected for HBOAccess 2017 Writing Fellowship.
Alumnus Donald Glover (’06) received Breakthrough Series - Long Form award for his creator/executive producer role of Atlanta at the 2017 Gotham Independent Film Awards.
Alumni R. Shanea Williams and Nikyatu Just received grants from Tribeca Studios’ Through Her Lens program.
Alumni Joanna Alpern and Josh Brown were selected for 2017-2018 Nickelodeon Writing Program.
Alumna Annie Baker (’03) was selected as a 2017-2018 MacArthur Fellow.
Issac Aptaker (’08) and Elizabeth Berger (’08) won Outstanding Drama Series at the 2017 Emmy Awards for their co-executive producer roles of This Is Us.
Alumnus Donald Glover (’06) won Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series at the 2017 Emmy Awards for Atlanta, B.A.N.
Alumnus Phil Gurin (’83) won Outstanding Structured Reality Program at the 2017 Emmy Awards for his executive producer role of Shark Tank.
Professor Richard Wesley won Best Playwright and Dramatic Production of the Year at the Audelco Awards for his play, Autumn.
Alumnus Daniel Kellison (’91) won Outstanding Variety Special at the 2017 Emmy Awards for his executive producer role of Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust.
Alumna Megan Callahan (’08) won Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series at the 2017 Emmy Awards for Saturday Night Live.
Alumnus Donald Glover (’06) won Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series at the 2017 Emmy Awards for his role as Earn Marks in Atlanta.
Alumnus Phil Gurin (’83) won Outstanding Structured Reality Program at the 2017 Creative Emmy Awards for his executive producer role of Shark Tank.
Alumnus Donald Glover (’06) was nominated for Record of the Year, Best R&B Song, and Best Traditional R&B Performance for song "Redbone" and Album of the Year, Awaken, My Love at the 60th Grammy Awards.
Graduate Film
MFA Candidate Chloé Zhao was nominated for the Bonnie Award at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards, recognizing a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.
MFA Candidate Shevaun Mizrahi was nominated for the Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award for directing film Distant Constellation at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards, presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features with a $25,000 unrestricted grand funded by the Jeep brand.
Professor Jennifer Ruff was interviewed by FilmSupply.
Professor Peggy Rajski screened her first film The Brother From Another Planet at the MoMA.
Professor Julia Solomonoff screened her film Nobody’s Watching at Film Forum.
Anthony Janelli, Head of Cinematography, and Alex Rockwell, Head of Directing, both were interviewed in podcasts for Kodakery.
Alumnus James Franco (’11) was honored Top 10 Movies by the 2017 National Board of Review for his director/producer role in The Disaster Artist.
Student Evan Karg’s MOS film Earthly Delights screened at NewFest.
Student Gracie Vergara was awarded a grant from the Cinematografo film festival to producer a short film about Filipino-Americans.
Student Kevin Wilson Jr. won Best Director at HollyShorts for his film My Nephew Emmett.
Student Mamdou Did was selected for the 2017 TIFF Talent Lab.
Student Stephanie Bollag was interviewed by Brandstorytelling for her fashion film A Tale of Endurance: Celebration of the Imperfect.
Student Ian Barling’s film Deterrent played at the LA Shorts International Film Festival.
Student Kevin Wilson Jr. won the prestigious Gold Medal Award for Domestic Narrative at the 2017 Student Academy Awards for his film My Nephew Emmett. This honor has made him eligible for the short-film categories at the 2017 Academy Awards.
Student Emilijia Gasic’s MOS film Little Wolf premiered at Mykonos Biennale in Greece.
Student Alfonso Herrera Salcedo’s film Los premeired at the 15th Festival Internacíonal de Cine de Morelia in Mexico.
Student Jomo Fray was interviewed by Shadow and Act about the future of VR and his role as cinematographer for short film, Haunt.
Students’ Raven Johnson and Ben Kallam were named finalists in the AT&T Entertainment Project for their respective shorts, Tween and Red Folder.
Student Tony Koros won the Alexis Award for Best Emerging Filmmaker at the Palm Springs Shortest for his film Chebet.
Student Kevin Wilson Jr. and Alumna Marie Dvorakova (’16) were finalists in the 2017 Student Academy Awards in the Domestic Narrative category for their respective films, My Nephew Emmett and Who’s Who in Mycology.
Student Artemis Shaw screened his film Single Room Occupancy at the Village East Cinema.
Student Max Walker-Silverman’s film Get Away premiered at Radiance Film Festival in London.
Alumni Dagny Looper and Jean Pesce were two of six screenwriters chosen to participate in the 5th Annual Black List Feature Writers Lab.
Professor Julia Solomonoff has completed a new film Nobody’s Watching that premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.
Alumnus Melani Schiele’s screenplay was selected for the 2017 Purple List
Student Kevin Wilson Jr. and Alumna Marie Dvorakova (’16) won two of three awards in the Domestic Narrative category at 2017 Student Academy Awards for their respective films, My Nephew Emmett and Who’s Who in Mycology.
Student Chloe Zhao and Alumnus Jonas Carpignano received top honors at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in the section ‘Directors’ Fortnight’.
Alumna Mia Coiffi Henry and student Kevin Wilson Jr. were selected for the 55th New York Film Festival Shorts Program 3: New York Stories category for her director of photography role in Cheer Up Baby and Wilson’s My Nephew Emmett.
Alumna Laura Moss won Best Short Film at the Melbourne Grand Prix for her film Fry Day.
Alumna Myosin Arstidou’s thesis film Aria was selected for the 2017 Venice Biennale Film Festival.
Alumnus James Franco was featured in the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival for his film The Disaster Artist.
Student Jovan James debuted his short film The Jump Off at the 21st Annual Urbanworld Film Festival.
Alumnus James Franco (’11) received Best Actor at the 2017 Gotham Independent Film Awards for The Disaster Artist.
Alumnus Brett Morgen (’99) was awarded Best Documentary by the 2017 National Board of Review for his director/producer role in Jane for National Geographic.
Alumni Martin Scorsese and Jim Jarmusch were selected for the 55th New York Film Festival in the Robert Mitchum Retrospective category for their works Cape Fear (1991) and Dead Man, respectively.
Alumni Dee Rees and Chloé Zhao were selected for the 55th New York Film Festival in the Main Slate category for their works Mudbound and The Rider, respectively.
Alumna Abbess Akhamie is featured in ‘Short Cuts’ section of the Toronto International Film Festival for her film Still Water Runs Deep.
Alumni Chloé Zhao, Joshua James Richards, and Mollye Asher are featured in ‘Special Presentations’ section of the Toronto Film Festival for their film The Rider.
Alumna Ingrid Jungermann was nominated for Best First Screenplay at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for her film, Women Who Kill.
Alumnus Joshua James Richards was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for film, The Rider.
Alumni Jonas Carpignano and Chloé Zhao were nominated for Best Director at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for their respective films, A Ciambra and The Rider.
Alumna Dee Rees was featured in the Gala Presentations section of the Toronto International Film Festival for her film Mudbound.
Alumna Sara Driver was featured in the TIFF Docs section of the Toronto International Film Festival for her film BOOM FOR REAL: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Alumna Lisa Bruce was featured in the Gala Presentations section of the Toronto International Film Festival for her film Darkest Hour.
Alumni John Trengrove won the International Grand Jury Prize at the Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival for his film The Wound.
Student Francesca Mirabella’s short film Modern Love was selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick.
Student Elegance Bratton was featured in out.com for her short Walk for Me.
Students Karishma Dube, Jovan James and Tamarin What won the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Narrative at the Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival for their film Goddess.
Student Haley Anderson’s film Get Out Fast was selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick.
Student Charlotte Wells was featured in the ‘Short Cuts’ section at the Toronto International Film Festival for her film Blue Christmas.
Professor Eliza Hittman won Best Screenwriting in a U.S. Feature at the Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival for her film Beach Rats.
Alumna Dania Bdeir’s latest short IN WHITE, set in Beirut, Lebanon, won the International Grand Prize at Curta Cinema, Rio de Janeiro Short Film Festival, qualifying her for an Oscar nomination.
Alumni Mollye Asher and Chloé Zhao were nominated for Best Feature at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for their film, The Rider.
Alumna Atsuko Hirayanagi was nominated for Best First Feature at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for her film, Oh Lucy!
Alumnus James Franco was nominated for Best Male Lead at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for his film, The Disaster Artist.
Undergraduate Film & Television
Alumnus Max R.A. Fedore was awarded first place in the Alternative category at the Student Academy Awards for his film Opera of Cruelty.
Alumni Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie have created new musical theater podcast, 36 Questions.
Lorne Michaels, Dean’s Council, and Brian Siedlecki ’96 (BFA, Kanbar, Film & TV) were awarded 2017 Emmy’s in Outstanding Variety Sketch Series for their respective positions of Creator/Executive Producer/Producer and Co-Producer/Associate Producer of Saturday Night Live.
Jason Baum (’08) was nominated for Best Music Video for his video producer role in Kendrick Lamar's Humble at the 60th Grammy Awards.
Beach Rats, produced by Andrew Goldman (’07) and Paul Mezey (’96), executive produced by Philipp Engelhorn (’07) and Michael Raisler (’07) was released in theaters.
Alumnus Vince Gilligan (’98) won Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series at the 2017 Creative Emmy Awards for his film Los Pollos Hermanos Employee Training.
Alumnus Alex Baldwin (’94) won Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series at the 2017 Emmy Awards for his role as Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live.
Alumna Alexa Lim Haas is scheduled to premier short, Agua Viva, at 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Alumnus Chris Jenkins (’88) won Sound Mixing For a Nonfiction Program (Single or Multi-Camera) at the 2017 Creative Emmy Awards for his role as Re-Recording Mixer of The Beatles: Eight Days A Week.
Alumnus Larry Hoff (’74) won Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Limited Series Or Movie at the 2017 Creative Emmy Awards for his role as Production Mixer for The Night Of and The Beach.
Alumna Reed Morano (’01) won Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series at the 2017 Emmy Award for her directed work in The Handmaid's Tale • Offred (Pilot).
Alumna Kyra Thompson (’86) won Outstanding Reality-Competition Program at the 2017 Emmy Awards for her Co-Executive Producer of The Voice.
Alumni Larry Fessenden and Chadd Harbold were nominated for the John Cassavetes Award for film, Most Beautiful Island, at the 2018 Film Independent Awards for film, given to best feature made for under $500,000.
Alumnus Sean Baker was nominated for Best Director at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for film, The Florida Project.
Alumnus Ronald Bronstein was nominated for Best Editing at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for film, Good Time.
Alumna Dee Rees was nominated for the Robert Altman Award for film at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for film, Mudbound.
Musa Speed (’06) was honored Top 10 Independent Movies by the 2017 National Board of Review for his writer role in Menashe.
Students Jacob Small, Kara Bartek, Brenna Gehlen, Gabriella Salemi, Blake Lyon and Jamie Christina Osganian won Best Web Series at Top Short for their film, Reunion.
Alumnus Fred Elmes (’75) won Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Series Or Movie at the 2017 Creative Emmy Awards for his role as ASC, Director of Photography in the film, The Night Of and Ordinary Death.
Alumnus Chris Columbus was nominated for Best First Feautre at the 2018 Film Independent Awards for his film, Patti Cake$.
Chris Columbus '80 (BFA, Kanbar, Film & TV)/Dean's Council and Eleanor Columbus '11 (BFA, Kanbar, Film & TV) were honored Top 10 Independent Movies by the 2017 National Board of Review for their respective roles of producer and executive producer of Patti Cake$.
Alumna Erica Lou won NBR Student Grant and 2017 Marion Carter Green Award for her film Ocean Song.
Alumni Igor Kropotov was featured on the profiled for Action Magazine Issue 7.
Alumnus Allen Kelman (’77) won Outstanding Special Class Program at the 2017 Creative Emmy Awards for his role as Producer of the 70th Annual Tony Awards.
Professor John Canemaker presented a film lecture at the Colby College Museum of Art on the history of animation and art direction for the Disney film Bambi.
Faculty and Alumna, Zoya Baker, won Best Short Film for her film Cranberry Lake at the 2017 Portland EcoFilm Festival.
Alumna Liza Chasin (’87) was honored Top 10 Movies by the 2017 National Board of Review for her executive producer role in Baby Driver.
Alumnus Ian Hutchinson (’03) was honored Top 10 Independent Movies for his executive producer role in Loving Vincent.
Alumnus Joseph Cedar (’95) was honored Top 10 Independent Movies by the 2017 National Board of Review for his director/writer role in Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer.
Alumna Lizzie Shapiro was one of six selected for the New Film Independent Producing Lab Fellowship.
Alumnus Joe Mann (’07) was named to The Hollywood Reporter’s list of Hollywood’s Up-and-Coming Executives ‘Next Gen 2017’.
Alumnus Xackery Irving (’92) re-released his first film American Chain Gang.
Student Amanda Stenberg was included in the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Professor Joe Pichirallo, spoke with WABC on the importance of women in Hollywood’s block-buster films, noting Alumna Patty Jenkins’ recent directorial work on Wonder Woman.
Alumnus Nick Quested (’93) was honored Top Five Documentaries by the 2017 National Board of Review for his director/producer role in Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS.
Alumnus Sean Baker (’98) and Chris Bergoch (’94) were honored Top 10 Movies by the 2017 National Board of Review for their producer roles in The Florida Project.
Alumna Alexa Lim Haas was selected as one of 25 New Faces of Independent Film for Filmmaker Magazine.
Alumni Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch were nominated for Best Feature at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards for their film, The Florida Project.
Scott Rudin, Dean’s Council Member, was nominated for Best Feature at the 2018 Film Independent Awards for his film, Lady Bird.
Alumna Aubrey Plaza was nominated for Best First Feature at the 2018 Film Independent Awards for her film, Ingrid Goes West.