Film Festival Successes of the New York Film Academy Community

February 1, 2024

Each year, the New York Film Academy (NYFA) community–including our students, alumni, and faculty–find a great deal of success on the film festival circuit, including fests around the globe like the Venice Film Festival, Berlinale, and Sundance.

Here are some of the proud achievements the NYFA community has made on the festival circuit:

AFI LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL

Elizabeth Grimaldo Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) – Los Angeles Alum Algo Azul 2021  Official Selection

ALEXANDRA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Mohamed Maged 1-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Cricket Liu 2019  Jury Award Winner – Best Short Film

ALTERNATIVE FILM FESTIVAL

Aaron Latta-Morissette 1-Year Acting for Film – NYC Alum The Night Clubbers 2021  Best Writer

AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 

Tyler D’Andrea Lambert 1-Year Acting for Film – NYC Alum Jonathan’s World 2022  World PremiereJury Award – Nominee

AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL (AmDocs)

Julia Cheng 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Alum Cricket Liu 2019 Winner – Best International Short Documentary

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL

Meshal Al Jaser BFA Screenwriting – LA Alum Arabian Alien 2020 Winner – Best Narrative

ARIZONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Sara Seligman 2-Year Filmmaking – NYC Alum Kosnin 2017 Winner – Special Jury Award

AMERICAN PAVILION EMERGING FILMMAKER SHOWCASE

Meital Cohen Navarro MFA Filmmaking Alum Over My Dead Body 2022 Screening
Dr. Ariel Orama López Acting for Film Alum 2ḦOOM 2022 Screening
Yueh-Tzu “Robby” Sun BFA Filmmaking Alum A-Tien 2022 Screening

AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL

Lily Malm BFA Screenwriting Alum Scent of Marigold 2023 Second Round Finalist
Laila Matuk BFA Acting for Film Student Scent of Marigold 2023 Second Round Finalist

BARCELONA FILM FESTIVAL

Sara Seligman 2-Year Filmmaking – NYC Alum Diego 2014 Golden Lion Award – Short Film Category

BEIJING DOCUMENTARY WEEK

Bill Einreinhofer Broadcast Journalism – NYC Faculty Chair Century Masters – Mei Lanfang 2021  Official Selection
Zi Xiang & José Val Bal MFA Filmmaking – LA Alum A Dog Barking at the Moon 2019 Nominee – GWFF Best First Feature Award – Panorama

BFI FUTURE FILM

Camila Marcano Carreno

BFA Filmmaking Alum One Call Away 2021 Nominee – Best International Film

BIG SKY DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL

Mollie Moore 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Alum A Word Away 2020 Official Selection

BLACK STAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Felipe Araujo 8-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Glass Man 2019 Official Selection

BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL (BIFFF)

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking – Universal Alum Sissy 2022 Official Selection

BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Farkhat Sharipov 4-Week Filmmaking – LA Alum The Secret of a Leader 2019 World Premiere

BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking – Universal Alum Sissy 2022 Winner – Audience Award

CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Zaid Abu Hamdan MFA Filmmaking Alum Daughters of Abdul-Rahman 2021 Winner – Audience Award

CAMDEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 

Mollie Moore 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Alum A Word Away 2019 Official Selection

CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – MARCHÉ DU FILM

Bill Einreinhofer Broadcast Journalism – NYC Faculty Chair Invisible Love 2020 Official Selection

CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – SHORT FILM PALME D’OR

Marija Apcevska MA Film and Media Production – LA Alum Severen Pol (North Pole) 2021 Official Selection

CANNES INTERNATIONAL SERIES FESTIVAL – CANNESERIES

Anatolli Panchenko 1-Year Acting for Film- LA Alum Infiniti 2022 World Premiere

CHELSEA FILM FESTIVAL

Cesia Cano MFA Screenwriting – LA Alum High Score 2020 Best Short Film

CINEMALAYA FILM FESTIVAL

Tim Muñoz 1-Week Acting for Film Alum Don Filipo 2021 Official Selection

COLUMBIA GORGE FILM FESTIVAL

Galo Semblantes MFA Filmmaking Alum Oblivion 2011 Official Selection

CONEY ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL

Florian Gunzenhauser 1-Year Filmmaking Conservatory Alum Glasgow 2022 Winner ‘Best Drama Short’

CYRUS INTERNATIONAL MONTHLY FESTIVAL OF TORONTO

Kartik Venkatraman 1-Year Filmmaking – NYC Student Tehravin 2020 Official Selection

DANCES WITH FILMS FESTIVAL

Nick Venuti

AFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Buffalo Scientists 2020 Official Selection

DAW FILM FESTIVAL

Mohamed Al Salman

1-Year Filmmaking Alum Raven Song 2023 Winner – DAW Competition

DOC NYC

Kuldeep Sah Gangola 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum Ghost Villages of the Himalayas 2019 Official Selection
Serena Smith 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum My Dad Vernon 2019 Official Selection
Lucia Florez MFA Documentary LA; 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum Mamá 2019 Official Selection
Nancy Dionne 1-Year Documentary; 6-Week Documentary NYC Alum All I See Is the Future 2019 Official Selection
Mollie Moore 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum A Word Away 2019 Official Selection
Joe Cleary 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum Get It 2019 Official Selection
Carolina Gonzales 1-Year Documentary; 6-Week Documentary NYC Alum B-city 2019 Official Selection
Aya Hamdan 1-Year Documentary; 1-Week Filmmaking NYC Student Baladna 2019 Official Selection
Anna Panova 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum Epiales 2019 Official Selection
Nika Nikanava 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum Unloved; The Rhythms 2019 Official Selection
Mollie Moore 1-Year Documentary NYC Alum A Word Away 2019 Official Selection

DTLA FILM FESTIVAL

Janek Ambros MFA Producing Alum Mondo Hollywoodland 2021 Best Director

DUMBO FILM FESTIVAL

Blanche Baker NYC  – Acting for Film Faculty Make America Safe 2020 Semi-Finalist

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking – Universal Alum Sissy 2022 Official Selection

Emirates Film Festival

Farhan Abbas

Evening Digital Alum The Chase 2021  Official Selection

FANTASTIC FEST

Alberto Trezza NYFA-LA Screenwriting Faculty We Summon the Darkness 2019 Official Selection

FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE CINE DE LA SERENA

Camila Marcano Carreno

BFA Filmmaking Alum One Call Away 2021 Official Selection

FFTG FILM FEST

Themo Melikidze 1-Year Conservatory Acting for Film – NYC Alum Hamlet/Horatio 2020

Jury Choice Award – Best Feature Film

Andrew Burdette 2-Year Conservatory Acting for Film – NYC Alum Hamlet/Horatio 2020 Jury Choice Award – Best Feature Film
Paul Warner Acting Instructor – NYC Instructor Hamlet/Horatio 2020 Jury Choice Award – Best Feature Film
David Vando Former Acting Instructor – NYC Instructor Hamlet/Horatio 2020 Jury Choice Award – Best Feature Film

FRIGHTFEST LONDON

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking – Universal Alum Sissy 2022 Official Selection

GÄSSLI FILM FESTIVAL

Giacun Caduff 8-Week Filmmaking NYC Alum n/a 2009 Founder

GARDEN STATE FILM FESTIVAL

Aaron Latta-Morissette 1-Year Acting for Film – NYC Alum Doesn’t Fall Far 2022 Best Actor – Nominee

GLOBAL IMPACT FILM FESTIVAL

Blanche Baker NYC  – Acting for Film Faculty Make America Safe 2020 Official Selection – Social Relations Documentaries & Narratives

GOLD COAST FILM FESTIVAL

Stephen Osborne NYFA Australia Alum Strangeville 2021 Official Selection
Stephen Osborne NYFA Australia Alum Dome House 6 2022 Official Selection

HEARTLAND FILM FESTIVAL

Prarthana Mohan NYFA-Los Angeles Faculty The MisEducation of Bindu 2019 Winner – Indiana Spotlight Award for Best Director
Ed Timpe NYFA-LA Filmmaking Faculty The MisEducation of Bindu 2019 Official Selection

HOLLYWOOD GOLD AWARDS

Rajni Chamaraj MA Film & Media Production – LA Alum The Day I Met Joshua 202o Winner
Israa Al-Kamali MFA Filmmaking LA Student Founder 2020 Founder
Aaron Latta-Morissette 1-Year Acting for Film Alum The Alpines 2021 Best Actor
Abhinay Pandit 1 Year Cinematography-LA Alum Odh 2023 Winner-Best Film Award

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL MANHATTAN

Jameelah Rose Lineses 1 Year Filmmaking Conservatory – NYC Alum Atareek 2019 Best Cinematography Award

INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS

Ling Zhu and Zhiyuan Duan MA Film and Media Production; BFA Acting for Film – LA Alum Song of Love 2021 Gold Winner

KANSAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Mohamed Maged 1-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Cricket Liu 2019  Official Selection

KCET FINE CUT FESTIVAL OF FILMS

Yueh-Tzu Sun BFA Filmmaking – Los Angeles Alum A-Tien 2020 Winner – Jack Larson Southern California Filmmaker Award

LGBTQ TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL

Miguel Ángel Parra 8-Week Screenwriting – NYC Alum The Pink House 2020 Winner – Screenplay Contest

LOS ANGELES DIVERSITY FILM FESTIVAL

Galo Semblantes MFA Filmmaking Alum Project Heaven 2014 Official Selection

LULEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Tim Muñoz 1-Week Acting for Film Alum Don Filipo 2021 Winner – Best LGBT Film

LUNAFEST

Crickett Rumley NYFA – Los Angeles Director, Film Festivals n/a 2019 Moderator

KEY WEST FILM FESTIVAL

Steven Wieclaw  MFA Filmmaking – South Beach Alum Nonstop 2020 Official Selection – World Comedy Shorts

MABIG FILM FESTIVAL

Tim Muñoz 1-Week Acting for Film Alum Don Filipo 2021 Winner – Best LGBT Film

MADRID INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Miguel Ángel Parra 8-Week Screenwriting – NYC Alum The Pink House 2020 Winner – Screenplay Contest

MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (MANIFF)

Mark O’Connor 6-Week Filmmaking Workshop – NYC Alum Cardboard Gangsters 2017 Winner – Best Feature Film; Film of the Festival; Best Actor; Outstanding Director; Outstanding Screenplay; Outstanding Cinematography

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (MIFF)

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking – Universal Alum Sissy 2022 Official Selection

MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL

Anastasia Kochetkova BFA Acting for Film & MFA Filmmaking – South Beach Alum Late Again Ana 2019 Official Selection – Cinemaslam
Braulio Jatar & Anaïs Michel 6-Week Documentary Filmmaking Workshop – NYC
1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC
Alum Where Chaos Reigns 2019 Honorable Mention – HBO Ibero-American Award

Camila Marcano Carreno

BFA Filmmaking Alum One Call Away 2021 Official Selection – Cinemaslam

MIAMI INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL

Yulia Korotkova MFA Acting for Film – SoBe Alum Waters 2020 Official Selection
Elaine Minionis 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Alum

Uncanny: The Dolls of Mariana Monteagudo

2019 Winner – Best Documentary

MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Farkhat Sharipov 4-Week Filmmaking – LA Alum The Secret of a Leader 2019 Grand Prix

NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Miguel Ángel Parra 8-Week Screenwriting – NYC Alum The Pink House 2020 Semifinalist – Screenwriting

NATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR TALENTED YOUTH

Catalina Loret  BFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Flores Dentro 2020 Official Selection
Matthew Avery Berg  Teen Filmmaking – LA Alum Accomplice 2020 Official Selection

NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL

Mark O’Connor 6-Week Filmmaking Workshop – NYC Alum Cardboard Gangsters 2017 Winner – Best Foreign Film

NEW WAVE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Samantha Soule 4-Week Filmmaking & Cinematography Workshop – Online Alum Shed 2021 Women Empowerment Best Film Special Jury Selection

NEW YORK FESTIVAL RADIO AWARDS

Jean de Meuron 1-Year Cinematography – NYC Alum Blockbuster 2020 Winner – Best Mini Series
Winner – Best Biography/Profile

NEW YORK INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL

Aakash Prabhakar 4-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Freddie’s Piano 2020 Official Selection

NEW YORK LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

Sara Seligman 2-Year Filmmaking – NYC Alum Coyote Lake 2019 Official Selection

NEW YORK LIFT-OFF FILM FESTIVAL

Kartik Venkatraman 1-Year Filmmaking – NYC Student Tehravin 2020 Official Selection
Jia Wertz 6-Week Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Alum Conviction 2020 Official Selection

NFMLA ANNUAL LATINX AND HISPANIC EVENT

Maria Fernanda Belmar MFA Filmmaking – Los Angeles Student Undocumented 2020 Official Selection

NORDIC INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (NIFF)

Linnea Larsdotter & Johan Matton 2-Year Musical Theatre – NYC & Alum: 2-Year Acting for Film; 2-Day Line Producing – NYC Alum n/a 2015 – Present Founders
Michael Young NYFA President n/a 2019 Award Presenter

NÒT FILM FESTIVAL

Silvia Susanna 8-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Normality 2020 Official Selection

ODENSE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 

Tushar Tyagi 1-Year Filmmaking – NYC Alum Gudiya 2022 Official Selection

OREGON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Aaron Latta-Morissette 1-Year Acting for Film – NYC Alum The Night Clubbers 2022 Best Comedy Short – Nominee

OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking – Universal Alum Sissy 2022 Winner – Audience Award

PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Meshal Al Jaser BFA Screenwriting – LA Alum Arabian Alien 2020 Official Selection

PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL

Edrei Hutson MFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Sisters 2020 Official Selection

PARIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Bill Einreinhofer Broadcast Journalism – NYC Faculty Chair Invisible Love 2021 Winner – Best Narrative Feature Film

PEMBROKE TAPARELLI FILM FESTIVAL

Blanche Baker NYC  – Acting for Film Faculty Make America Safe 2020 Official Selection

PBS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Drama del Rosario MFA Documentary Filmmaking Alum In This Family 2020 Official Selection; Juried Prize

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Cleavandor Vandorn Wright BFA Acting for Film – South Beach Student True Romance Revamped 2017 Official Selection

RAINBOW CINEMA AWARDS LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

Kai Kaldro 1-Year Filmmaking – NYC Student Sinner’s lullaby 2020 Semi-Finalist

RINCON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Dr. Ariel Lopez 1-Week Acting for Film Workshop – LA Alum 2ḦOOM 2020 Official Selection

RIVER TO RIVER FLORENCE INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL

Aastha Verma MFA Filmmaking – LA Alum The Last Rights 2020 Official Selection

SAN DIEGO ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL 

Eleonora Privitera 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Alum Queenz of The Night 2019 Official Selection
Eleonora Privitera 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Alum Rebirth 2020 Silver Award

SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL 

Camila Marcano Carreno

BFA Filmmaking Alum One Call Away 2021 Official Selection

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Drama del Rosario MFA Documentary Filmmaking Alum In This Family 2020 Jury Winner – Golden Gate Award for Best Short Documentary

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL NEW CONCEPT FESTIVAL

Mohamed Maged 1-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Cricket Liu 2019  Official Selection

SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Meital Cohen Navarro MFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Over My Dead Body 2021  Winner – George Sidney Independent Film Competition for Best Narrative Short Film

SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL 

Pedro Peira MFA Documentary – LA Alum Camí Lliure (Free Way) 2020 Official Selection

SANTA BARBARA FILM FESTIVAL

Orso Miyakawa & Andrey Nuzhnyy BFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Easy Living 2019 Official Selection

SCOTTSDALE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Somasekhar Kovvuri  4-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Freddie’s Piano 2020 Official Selection
Aakash Prabhakar 4-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Freddie’s Piano 2020 Official Selection

SEATTLE FILM FESTIVAL

Samantha Soule

4-Week Online Film Directing

Alum Midnight Black Midnight Blue 2022 Official Selection

SHANGHAI Film Festival FILM FESTIVAL

Janek Ambros MFA Producing Alum Since August 2022 Competed – Golden Goblet

SITGES FILM FESTIVAL

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking Alum Sissy 2022 Winner – Midnight X-treme People’s Choice Award

ShorTS International Film Festival

Bob Ahmed Filmmaking Alum Tikkun Olam 2021 Winner – Best Short Film 

SITGES FILM FESTIVAL

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking – Universal Alum Sissy 2022 Official Selection

South By South West (SXSW)

Kane Senes MFA Filmmaking Alum Sissy 2022 World Premiere

SOUTHERN SHORTS AWARDS

Ling Zhu and Zhiyuan Duan MA Film and Media Production; BFA Acting for Film – LA Alumni Song of Love 2021 Winner – Winter 2021 Southern Shorts Award

STOCKHOLM CITY FILM FESTIVAL

Tim Muñoz 1-Week Acting for Film Alum Don Filipo 2021 Winner – Best LGBT Film

STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS

Phyllis Tam  MFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Fragile Moon 2020 Finalist – Narrative (Domestic Schools)
Kaiyi Niu BFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Way Out 2021 Semi-finalist

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Janek Ambros MFA Producing Alum In the Summers 2024 Winner – Grand Jury Prize
Meshal Al Jaser BFA Screenwriting – LA Alum Arabian Alien 2020 Nominated – Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film
Aya Hamdan 1-Week Filmmaking & 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking – NYC Student Dunya’s Day 2019 Winner – Short Film Jury Award for International Fiction
Anna Solano & Qianying Zhou 1-Year Cinematography NYC & BFA Filmmaking LA Alumni The Farewell 2019 Nominated – Grand Jury Prize Drama
Akinola Davies Jr. 8-Week Filmmaking – NYC Alum Lizard 2019 Winner – Short Film Grand Jury Prize

TAMPA BAY UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL

Yulia Korotkova MFA Acting for Film – SoBe Alum Waters 2020 Official Selection

TORINO FILM FESTIVAL

Orso Miyakawa & Andrey Nuzhnyy BFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Easy Living 2019 Official Selection

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL NOLLYWOOD FESTIVAL

Donald A. Eferere (EAD, the Creator) 1-Year Filmmaking – NYC Alum Dari Ji Mi 2020 Best Short Film

TRIESTE SCIENCE+FICTION FESTIVAL

Alessandro Marcon 1-Year Filmmaking – LA Alum Anemone 2020 Official Selection

UK JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Leroy Button Diploma of Screen and Media – Filmmaking Alum Sense 2015 Best Student Film, Runner Up; Best Film; Winner – Audience Choice Award

UNDERSTORY FILM FESTIVAL

Meital Cohen Navarro

MFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Over My Dead Body 2020 Official Selection

URUVATTI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Tim Muñoz 1-Week Acting for Film Alum Don Filipo 2021 Winner – Best International Feature Film

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Craig Caton 3D Animation & VFX – Los Angeles Faculty Chair n/a 2019 Taught Master Classes as part of the fest
Shahad Ameen 1-Year Screenwriting – New York Alum Scales 2019 Nominated – Critics Week Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Debut Film
Li Cheng 4-Week Filmmaking – New York Alum José 2018 Winner – Queer Lion Award

VENICE SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Kai Kaldro  1-Year Filmmaking – NYC Student Sinner’s Lullaby 2020 Official Selection
Kartik Venkatraman  1-Year Filmmaking – NYC Student Tehravin 2020 Official Selection

VISIONS DU RÉEL FILM FESTIVAL

Francesca Mazzoleni 4-Week Music Video Workshop Alum Puntasacra 2020 ‘Sesterce d’or la Mobilière’ (Best Feature Film)

X WORLD FILM FESTIVAL

Blanche Baker NYC  – Acting for Film Faculty Make America Safe 2019 Winner – Best International Short Winner – Best Original Music

YELLOWKNIFE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Rajni Chamaraj

MA Film and Media Production – LA

Alum Let’s Pretend I’m Talking About You 2020 Winner – Audience Choice Award

YONKERS FILM FESTIVAL

Daniel Pradilla De Bedout

1-Year Cinematography – LA

Alum The Day I Met Joshua 2020 Official Selection

ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTVAL

Angela Ruhinda

MFA Screenwriting – LA Alum Binti 2021 Winner – Golden Dhow

ZED FEST FILM FESTIVAL

Jessica Coro

BFA Filmmaking – LA Alum Planet I.X. 2020 Official Selection