SXSW 2024
Congratulations to the Grad Film alumni who premiered their films at 2024 South by Southwest (SXSW), with two films receiving awards!
AWARDS:
'Dissolution'
Dissolution, written and directed by Anthony Saxe, received the Jury Award in the Narrative Shorts Competition.
"Dissolution is a film chronicling my parents’ divorce after forty-eight years of marriage. Starring my parents as themselves, this hybrid short combines archival home video footage with new footage based on the events surrounding their recent divorce and my father’s battle with alcoholism," Saxe says.
The film also features work by several Grad Film alumni including Lasse Ulvedal Tolbøll as Director of Photography, Shuyao Chen as Assistant Camera, Youmin Kang as Production Sound Mixer, and Alec Davis as Colorist. Stern alum Thomas Lopez also served as Producer.
'TRAPPED'
Trapped, produced by Tara Sheffer, received the Special Jury Award in the Narrative Shorts Competition.
Trapped follows the story of Joaquin, a highschool janitor at the prestigious Hallston Academy, finishing up his rounds in the early morning hours. Investigating voices echoing through the empty halls, he’s drawn to the gymnasium, where he stumbles into a group of boys in the middle of a senior prank. Tensions arise when his attempts to shut down the prank take an unexpected direction and he is caught between the boys, the head custodian and his own moral compass.
PREMIERES
NARATIVE SHORTS COMPETITION
Let
Alyssa Loh, Writer/Director
Karen Madar, Producer
Clara Dubau, Producer
Melanie Akoka, Creative Director
Gustavo Milan, Assistant Director
Ella Gibney, Assistant Camera
Chheangkea Ieng, 2nd Assistant Camera
Andy Brame, Gaffer
Wren Haven, Sound
Kayla Arend and David Kramer, Swing
Jason Maselle, Associate Producer
NARATIVE FEATURES COMPETITION
We Strangers
Joy Jorgensen, Producer