Inspired by the Hollywood Black List, and by their professor Robert Warren's challenge to find new ways to link students with potential film investors, thesis students Ash Bhalla and Shandor Garrison founded The Purple List with the support of the faculty and Professor John Tintori.

The Purple List’s objective is:
To bring vetted, production-ready feature screenplays from the NYU Grad Film community to the attention of industry professionals and potential investors.

How the list is formed:

  1. Faculty members sponsored student/alum feature screenplays that they deem to be production-ready, and of the highest standard.
  2. An outside panel of film professionals gave a blind-read to these faculty-selected projects. We asked them to sift through these excellent scripts and pick our list. We didn't start out with a maximum or minimum number of projects. Our primary criteria: is this script ready to be made, and will it make a good movie?


Numerous Purple List selections have been finished as accomplished feature films which have played top tier film festivals and gone-on to enjoy successful theatrical releases.

Skin of Youth
Skin of Youth by Ash Mayfair. 2020 Purple List. Ash Mayfair's second feature film as well as her second completed Purple List film. Skin of Youth received its World Premiere in Japan on March 21, 2025 launching its theatrical rollout in Asia.
In The Land Of Brothers by Raha Amirfazil.
In The Land Of Brothers by Raha Amirfazil. 2021 Purple List. Premiered at Sundance 2024. Winner of the Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic.
MUSTACHE by Imran J. Khan
MUSTACHE by Imran J. Khan. 2020 Purple List. Premiered at SXSW. Winner of Audience Award for Narrative Feature.
THE STARLING GIRL by Laurel Parmet
THE STARLING GIRL by Laurel Parmet. 2019 Purple List. Premiered at Sundance.
EYIMOFE (THIS IS MY DESIRE)
EYIMOFE (THIS IS MY DESIRE) by Chuko Esiri. Purple List 2018. Premiered at Berlinale 2020, nominated for the GWFF Best First Feature Award.
NOAH LAND by Cenk Erturk Purple List 2016. Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2019 winning best screenplay and best actor awards. Released theatrically.
THE THIRD WIFE by Ash Mayfair.
THE THIRD WIFE by Ash Mayfair. Purple List 2015. Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018, winning the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award. Released theatrically.
YOMEDDINE by Abu Bakr Shawky.
YOMEDDINE by Abu Bakr Shawky. Purple List 2014. Premiered in Competition at Cannes 2019. Released theatrically.
DEAD PIGS by Cathy Yan
DEAD PIGS by Cathy Yan. 2015 Purple List. Premiered at Sundance. Winner of the 2018 Sundance Special Jury Award for Ensemble Acting.
IT HAD TO BE YOU, Sasha Gordon
IT HAD TO BE YOU, Sasha Gordon 2012 Purple List, Honorable Mention for Best Narrative Feature at Woodstock, released theatrically.
THOSE PEOPLE, Joey Kuhn
THOSE PEOPLE, Joey Kuhn, 2013 Purple List, premiered at Seattle International Film Festival, won Audience Award at OUTFEST and NEWFEST, released theatrically.
THE ADDERALL DIARIES, Pamela Romanowsky
THE ADDERALL DIARIES, Pamela Romanowsky; 2013 Purple List, premiered at Tribeca, released theatrically.
YOSEMITE, ​Gabrielle Demeestere
YOSEMITE, ​Gabrielle Demeestere 2013 Purple List, Slamdance, released theatrically.
SONGS MY BROTHERS TAUGHT ME, ​Chloe Zhao
SONGS MY BROTHERS TAUGHT ME, ​Chloe Zhao 2012 Purple List, premiered at Sundance, released theatrically.
MANOS​ ​SUCIAS, Josef Wladyka
MANOS​ ​SUCIAS, Josef Wladyka 2013 Purple List, Tribeca winner, released theatrically.
Appropriate Behavior, Desiree Akhavan
Appropriate Behavior, Desiree Akhavan, 2013 Purple List, premiered at Sundance & released theatrically.
NEWLYWEEDS, Shaka King
NEWLYWEEDS, Shaka King; 2012 Purple List, premiered at Sundance and released theatrically.