Tisch students and alumni continue to fuel the film industry, as evidenced by the 2017 Sundance Film Festival selections. Nearly 35% of the films and four projects in the New Frontier category at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival are affiliated with Tisch alumni. Of the films in competition, 13 are Tisch written, directed, or produced – the most in recent history.
For 24 years, NYU Tisch School of the Arts has had a presence at the Sundance Film Festival. We are proud to continue our support of independent and creative storytelling. Tisch’s presence at Sundance is made possible by philanthropic support from Amy P. & Frank M. Garrison and Molly & Sean Durkin.
Tisch's return to Sundance in 2017 is sure to be an exceptional year, particularly given the lineup of films touched by our students and alumni.
U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Band Aid
- Zoe Lister-Jones '04 (BFA, Drama) director, writer, producer, cast
- Nelson Franklin 07 (BFA, Drama) cast
- Daryl Wein '06 (BFA, Drama) executive producer
Brigsby Bear
- Kate Lyn Sheil '06 (BFA, Drama)
- Arielle Smiles (cast)
- Brandon Tonner-Connolly '06 (BFA, Cinema) production designer
Crown Heights
- Matt Ruskin ’02 (BFA, Film & TV) writer/director
- Cherelle Cargill '97 (BFA, Acting) Diane Cardwell (cast)
- Ari Issler '01 (BFA, Film & TV) co-producer, a camera operator / additional cinematography
- Ben Kutchins '00 (BFA, Film & TV) cinematographer
- Paul Greenhouse '01 (BFA, Film & TV) editor
Golden Exits
- Alex Ross Perry '06 (BFA, Film & TV) director, writer, producer
- Peter Gilbert '79 (Film & TV) executive producer
- Scott Kuzio '07 (BFA, Film & TV) production designer
The Hero
- Scott Schuler '14 (BFA, Film & TV) first assistant editor
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
- Mark Bennett '97 (BFA, Film & TV) casting
Ingrid Goes West
- Aubrey Plaza '05 (BFA, Film & TV)
- Ingrid Thorburn (cast)
- Elizabeth Olsen '13 (BFA, Drama)
- Taylor Sloane (cast)
- Faryn Einhorn '07 (BFA, Drama) casting associate
Novitiate
- Ashley Bell '07 (BFA, Drama)
- Sister Margaret (cast)
- Joanna Fang '14 (BFA, Film & TV) foley artist
Patti Cake$
- Chris Columbus '80 (BFA, Film & TV) producer
- Eleanor Columbus '11 (BFA, Film & TV) executive producer
- Federico Cesca '15 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
Roxanne, Roxanne
- Michael Larnell '15 (MFA, Film) director, writer
- Mahershala Ali '00 (MFA, Acting) Cross (cast)
- Federico Cesca '15 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
- Sebastian Slayter '11 (BFA, Film & TV) first assistant camera: "a" camera
To the Bone
- Anita Gou '13 (BFA, Film & TV) executive producer
- Adam M. Stone '90 (BFA, Film & TV) product placement coordinator
The Yellow Birds
- Caroline Aragon '10 (MFA, Film) first assistant director
- Joanna Fang '14 (BFA, Film & TV) foley artist
- Jason Fournet '12 (BFA, Film & TV) visual effects coordinator, post-production coordinator
- Richard Friedlander '82 (BFA, Film & TV) visual effects producer: Brainstorm Digital
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Chasing Coral
- Stacey Piculell '08 (MA, GSAS/Cinema Studies) producer, Exposure Labs
The New Radical
- Adam Bhala Lough '01 (BFA, Film & TV) director
STEP
- Amanda Lipitz '02 (BFA, Drama) director
Strong Island
- Esther Robinson '92 (BFA, Film & TV) producer
Unrest
- Patricia Gillespie '11 (BFA, Film & TV) producer
WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Pop Aye
- Kirsten Tan (MFA, Film) director, writer
- Weijie Lai '10 (MFA, Film) producer
- Chananun Chotrungroj '15 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
The Wound
- John Trengove '06 (MFA, Film) director, writer
Motherland
- Clarissa De Los Reyes '11 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
God’s Own Country
- Joshua Richards '16 (Film) director of photography
NEXT
Deidra & Laney Rob a Train
- Susan Cartsonis '84 (MFA, Dramatic Writing) producer
Gook
- Anna Yates '13 (MFA, Theatre Design) Older Customer (cast)
L.A. Times
- Laura Valdivia '99 (BFA, Film & TV) Lenore (cast)
- Kristen Laffey '14 (BFA, Drama) art department assistant
Lemon
- Janicza Bravo '03 (BFA, Drama) director, writer, executive producer
- Hannah Heller '04 (BFA, Drama) Zelda (cast)
- David Bernon '11 (BFA, Drama) producer
Menashe
- Musa Syeed '06 (BFA, Film & TV) writer
Thoroughbred
- Paul Sparks '95 (BFA, Acting) Mark (cast)
- Lyle Vincent '07 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
- Jason Brignola '01 (BFA, Film & TV) second assistant camera
Person to Person
Danny Meltzer ’00 (BFA, Film & TV) sound editor
PREMIERES
Beatriz at Dinner
- Nina Arianda '09 (MFA, Acting) cast
- John Early '10 (BFA, Drama) cast
- David Warshofsky '84 (BFA, Acting) Grant (cast)
Before I Fall
- Maria Maggenti '95 (MFA, Film) writer
- Marc Bienstock '87 (BFA, Film & TV) executive producer
The Big Sick
- Celeste Arias '07 (BFA, Drama) Denise (Cast)
- Vella Lovell '07 (BFA, Drama) Khadija (cast)
- Keilly McQuail '11 (BFA, Drama) Cheryl (cast)
- Brian Burgoyne '01 (BFA, Film & TV) cinematographer Brandon Tonner-Connolly '06 (BFA, Cinema) production designer Neal Jonas '04 (BFA, Film & TV) visual effects artist
- Ari Issler '01 (BFA, Film & TV) a camera operator
- Mariana Hellmund '93 (BFA, Film & TV) script supervisor
- Jocelyn Magsumbol '14 (BFA, Drama) office PA
The Discovery
- Kateri DeMartino '98 (BFA, Acting) Compound Resident (cast)
Fun Mom Dinner
- Molly Shannon '87 (BFA, Acting) Jamie (cast)
Marjorie Prime
- Daniel M. Turcan '10 (BFA, Film & TV) co-producer
Mudbound
- Dee Rees '07 (MFA, Film) director
- Rachel Morrison '00 (BFA, Photography, Film & TV) cinematographer
Wilson
- Craig Johnson '08 (MFA, Film) director
- David Warshofsky '84 (BFA, Acting) Orson (cast)
- Frederick Elmes '75 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
- Ethan Tobman '01 (BFA, Film & TV) production designer
Wind River
- Elizabeth Olsen '13 (BFA, Drama)
- Jane Banner (cast)
The Polka King
- Rachel Annette Helson '09 (BFA, Drama) cast
- John Mikulak '95 (MFA, Film) co-executive producer
Rebel in the Rye
- Celeste Arias '07 (BFA, Drama) Doris Salinger (Cast)
- Keenan Jolliff '13 (BFA, Drama) Clay Miller (cast)
- Molly Smith '02 (BFA, Film & TV) producer
- Raquel Cedar '10 (BFA, Film & TV) props
- Karl Shefelman '92 (MFA, Film) storyboard artist
- Jonathan Beck '96 (BFA, Film & TV) additional camera operator
- Andrew Hamilton '08 (BFA, Film & TV) assistant camera
- Katherine Hurt '13 (BA, Cinema) extras casting assistant
Where is Kyra?
- Elizabeth Evans '12 (BFA, Drama) Becky (cast)
- Christine Ng '07 (BFA, Film & TV) camera operator
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
Buena Vista Social Club: The Flowers of Life
- Lucy Walker '98 (MFA, Film), director
Give Me Future: Major Lazer in Cuba
- Austin Peters '10 (BFA, Film & TV) director
Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman
- Molly Schwartz '11 (MPS ITP) animator
Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities
- Stacey L. Holman '98 (MFA, Film) producer
- Patrick Cady '96 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
- Craig Wedren '92 (BFA, Acting) music
MIDNIGHT
78/52
- Alexandre O. Philippe '97 (BFA, Dramatic Writing)/ director '98 MFA, Dramatic Writing)
- Karyn Kusama '90 (BFA, Film & TV) Herself
Bitch
- Jason Ritter '02 (BFA, Drama) cast
Bushwick
- Graham Reznick '04 (BFA, Film & TV) writer
- Lyle Vincent '07 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
- Hunter Berk '15 (BFA, Film & TV) ADR engineer
- Kimmy Suzuki '95 (BFA, Acting) stunt performer
- Anthony Morone '15 (BFA, Film & TV) assistant editor
The Little Hours
- Jeff Baena ’99 (KBFA, Film & TV) director, writer
- Aubrey Plaza '05 (BFA, Film & TV) cast, producer
- Molly Shannon '87 (BFA, Acting) cast
- Joshua Bachove '06 (BFA, Drama) co-producer
XX
- Karyn Kusama '90 (BFA, Film & TV) director
- Patrick Cady '96 (MFA, Film) cinematographer
- Craig Wedren '92 (BFA, Acting) music
SPOTLIGHT
Their Finest
- Lily Knight '79 (BFA, Acting) Rose Starling (cast)
- Robert Malone '09 (BFA, Film & TV) sound effects editor
KIDS
RED DOG: True Blue
- Daniel Taplitz '83 (MFA, Film) writer
SPECIAL EVENTS
I Love Dick
- Susan Kirr '96 (MFA, Film) producer
- Joan Scheckel '85 (BFA) producer
Shots Fired
- Malcolm D. Lee '01 (MFA, Film) series director
- Millicent Shelton '95 (MFA, Film) series director
- Tami Reiker '87 (BFA, Film & TV) series cinematographer
U.S. NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS
Cecile on the Phone
- Blake Pruitt '15 (BFA, Film & TV) production coordinator
Come Swim
- Anthony M. DiGiacomo '12 (BFA, Film & TV) co-producer, production manager
- David Ethan Shapiro '12 (BFA, Film & TV) producer
- Melanie Shaw '11 (BFA, Film & TV) assistant editor
- Taylor Fauntleroy '13 (BFA, Film & TV) script supervisor
Hardware
- Stephen Jacobson '15 (BFA, Film & TV) director, writer, producer
- Ryan Ackelsberg '16 (BFA, Film & TV) director of photography
- Zach Urban '15 (BFA, Film & TV) production designer
Hold On
- Christine Turner '04 (BFA, Film & TV) director, writer, producer
- Marshall Stief '04 (BFA, Film & TV) cinematographer
Hot Seat
- Leanne Agmon '13 (BFA, Drama) Rose (cast)
- Ashley Springer '04 (BFA, Drama) producer
- Jarrah Gurrie '10 (MFA, Film) editor
Laps
- Charlotte Wells '19 (MFA, Film) director, writer
Lucia, Before and After
- Anu Valia '10 (BFA, Film & TV) director, writer
- Gabrielle Nadig '09 (BFA, Film & TV) producer
- Charlotte Hornsby '12 (BFA, Film & TV) cinematographer
Toru
- Scott Rashap '07 (BFA, Film & TV) director, writer
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS
- Kao Shi (A Test)
- Zuxiang Zhao '14 (BFA, Film & TV) director, writer, editor, producer
- Yifei He '18 (MFA Candidate, Film) producer
- Jinwei Zeng '20 (MFA Candidate, Film) director of photography
DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS
Project X
- Jonah Greenstein '15 (BFA, Film & TV) post-production
- Legal Smuggling with Christine Choy
- Lewie Kloster ’17 (BFA, Film & TV) director, editor
- Christine Choy, Faculty writer, cast
SPECIAL EVENTS: Docuseries Showcase
Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On
- Ronna Gradus '99 (BFA, Photography) executive producer
- Abstract: The Art of Design
- Justin Wilkes ’98 (BFA, Film & TV) executive producer
SPECIAL EVENTS: Independent Pilot Showcase
Sh*T Kids
- Daniel Kellison '91 (BFA, Dramatic Writing) executive producer
When the Street Lights Go On
- Brett Morgen '99 (MFA, Film) director, executive producer
SPECIAL EVENTS: Short-Form Episodic Showcase
The Chances
- Lucas Near-Verbrugghe '06 (MFA, Acting) cast
Strangers
- Michael B. Clark '02 (BFA, Dramatic Writing) executive producer
- Jason Baum ’08 (BFA, Film & TV) producer
NEW FRONTIER: Installations
Heroes
- Melissa Painter '95 (MFA, Film) Artist
NEW FRONTIER: Virtual Reality
Through You
- Shruti Ganguly '12 (MFA, Film) producer
Tree
- Winslow Porter '10 (MPS, ITP) Artist
Zero Days VR
- Yasmin Elayat '08 (MPS, ITP) Artist