The Tisch Office of Alumni Relations is thrilled to announced the TSICH ON MAIN 2025 Fireside Chat Lineup, showcasing filmmakers whose work goes on to receive acclaim both in Park City and in theaters worldwide.
TISCH ON MAIN's Fireside Chat series has become a staple of opening weekend at the Festival, allowing us to celebrate our community through conversation. We hope you'll join us for one (or all) of these dialogues about craft, process, and theme that will teach us new perspectives from our peers.
Register for the weekend via the link below, or modify your registration to include any of these conversations.
Friday, January 24, 2025
12:30 PM MST: The Director's Chair: Women Behind the Camera
Join us for an inspiring conversation with trailblazing female directors as they share their journeys, creative processes, and the impact of their work in reshaping the film industry. Discover the stories behind the lens and the vision driving their groundbreaking films. Featuring directors Hailey Gates ’12 (Atropia), Katarina Zhu ’16 (Bunnylovr), Isabel Castro ’12 (Selena y Los Dinos), Joanna K. Fernandez ’17 (The Things We Keep), and Sofia Camargo ’22 (We're Not Done Yet).
3:30 PM MST: A Conversation with DeWanda Wise '06 & André Holland '06
In Love, Brooklyn, three longtime Brooklynites navigate careers, love, loss, and friendship against the rapidly changing landscape of their beloved city. Join us for a Fireside Chat with DeWanda Wise '06 and André Holland ’06 to talk about their roles in the film.
Saturday, January 25, 2025
*TIME TBA*: Exploring the Power of Music to Affect Change: A Conversation with Elegance Bratton ’19
In Elegance Bratton’s Move Ya Body: The Birth of House, a group of friends turn a new sound into a global movement out of the underground dance clubs on the South Side of Chicago. Join us for a Fireside Chat with Bratton and Professor Fred Carl, film composer and Tisch Co-Associate Dean of Faculty.
3:45 PM: Moving Forward: A Conversation with the Creatives Behind Rebuilding
In Max Walker-Silverman’s Rebuilding, a rancher seeks a way forward after a wildfire takes the family farm. Join us for a conversation with Walker-Silverman and the creatives behind the film about their collaboration to tell this story of loss, resilience, and growth.
Sunday, January 26, 2025
3:30 PM: From Grad Film to Park City: The Journey of RICKY
Rashad Frett’s feature film, RICKY, is set to debut in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance. Its journey, however, began right here at NYU Tisch’s Graduate Film department. Frett’s short film RICKY premiered at the 2023 First Run Film Festival, telling the story of an ex-offender struggling with new freedom who pursues redemption at all costs when given a job from his neighbor. Join us for an engaging conversation with Frett and co-writer Lin Que Ayoung ’20 as they discuss the film’s evolution from a student short to a Sundance feature.