The Gotham announces the winners of its fifth annual student short film showcase

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the 33rd annual Gotham Awards, which will take place live and in person in New York on Monday, November 27, 2023, the Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced the winners of the fifth annual Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase.

The five award-winning filmmakers include:

Kevin Häfelin (Add togetherColumbia University),
Xinjing Lao (Xiaohui and his cowsNew York University)
Sisa Quispe (Urpi: Your last wishCity College of New York)
James Ross (Don’t blinkFlorida State University)
Mel Sangyi Zhao (Back to youthCalifornia Institute of the Arts and 2022 graduate of the Gotham EDU Film and Media Career Development Program).

With the critical support of returning partners JetBlue and Focus Features, as well as Soho House, The Gotham seeks to discover and strengthen a diverse group of emerging filmmakers and to promote cross-platform distribution of their work throughout the annual program.

“With exceptional talent and vision, these students have demonstrated a clear mastery of the craft that will take them all far in their cinematic journeys,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham Film & Media Institute. “We are pleased to recognize each of them at the upcoming Gotham Awards ceremony and are grateful for the support of our longtime partners JetBlue, Focus Features and Soho House.”

“The overwhelming response from short film screening applicants has been truly inspiring and a great indicator of today’s vibrant, emerging film community,” said Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski and Vice Chairman Jason Cassidy (a new member of The Gotham’s Board of Directors ). ) in a joint statement. “In a year where we received a record number of submissions from a record number of universities, we are thrilled to continue this partnership with The Gotham and JetBlue and look forward to discovering the next generation of talented storytellers in the industry.”

The fifth annual Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase featured projects from 34 graduate film schools, more than half of the graduate film programs in the United States. A special jury of filmmakers, curators and critics – including Opal H. Bennett (Executive Producer, POV Shorts and Senior Producer, POV), Jesse Trussell (Programmer, Brooklyn Academy of Music) and Maria Altamirano (Producer) – selected the five winning filmmakers selected , who will be honored at the 2023 Gotham Awards ceremony, taking place live and in person on Monday, November 27, 2023, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. Each winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship and their films will be shown for 12 months on JetBlue’s in-seat entertainment systems in the Gotham Selects film category and on Focus Features’ digital streaming platforms. Throughout 2024, winning filmmakers will also receive ongoing mentorship and workshop opportunities from The Gotham.

This year’s participating schools include the American Film Institute Conservatory, Beaconhouse National University (Lahore, Pakistan), California Institute of the Arts, Chapman University, City College of New York, Columbia College Chicago, Columbia University, DePaul University, Emerson College and Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema (Brooklyn College), Florida State University, Full Sail University, Loyola Marymount University, MIT Sloan School of Management, New York Film Academy, NYU, Ohio University, San Francisco State University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Southern California Institute of Architecture, Stanford University, Stony Brook University, Syracuse University, Temple University, The City College of New York (CUNY), The New School, The University of Texas at Austin, UCLA, University of North Carolina Wilmington, University of California Santa Cruz, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Central Florida, University of Miami, University of New Orleans, USC Cinematic Arts and Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Kevin Häfelin The backup was previously shortlisted for the Yugo BAFTA Student Awards 2023. Mel Sangyi Zhao is a 2022 graduate of the Gotham EDU Film and Media Career Development Program. Winners of the first annual Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase include Saim Sadiq, the writer and director of JoylandThe film was selected as Pakistan’s entry for Best International Film at the 95th Academy Awards.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with the Gotham Film & Media Institute for a fifth year because we believe that entertainment is more than just an opportunity to enjoy, but another avenue for discovery, education and connection with the world,” said Mariya Stoyanova. , Director of Product Development, JetBlue. “At JetBlue, we are committed to stories that inspire humanity, and we look forward to sharing these award-winning films as they show them on our in-seat entertainment screens.”

Jo Addy, Global Film Director at Soho House, said: “As an organisation, it’s in our DNA to bring together and support creative people. We are happy to support The Gotham and this remarkable show. We are excited to showcase these short films from young filmmakers just starting their careers at Soho House locations across North America.”