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NYFA Instructors Shoot “The Sisters Karras” (2022 Festival Update)

The Sisters Karras is a compelling film about two estranged half-sisters, a will reading, a valuable antique rug, and a mysterious stranger. The film has deep roots in the NYFA community, with NYFA Acting for Film and Filmmaking instructor Micah Stathis and his SK Deli Market Productions at the helm of the production. It also includes New York campus instructors Dennis Green and Andy Mendez amongst the film’s cast and crew.

Poster for “The Sisters Karras”

Shooting The Sisters Karras

The film, shot last Summer in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is an original feature written, directed, and starring Stathis. NYFA’s Post-Production Supervisor, Andy Mendez, serves as the main editor of the film, and joining Stathis in the cast is NYFA Screenwriting instructor Dennis Green.

Photo courtesy of Micah Stathis

The shoot itself proved challenging for the crew as safety took precedent with the filming during the pandemic. 

“It was very stressful shooting during the pandemic,” explained Stathis. “We were a SAG registered production, so the COVID protocols were very strict and required a lot of additional planning and precautions. Not to mention, it’s really hot shooting in New York in August…especially while having to wear masks!”

Post-Production and The Kickstarter Campaign

With the production wrapped, The Sisters Karras went into the post-production phase. Like many filmmakers know, shooting the film is half the battle, with a huge part of the filmmaking process dedicated to putting all the finishing touches on the project and getting the film out in the public eye.

Micah Stathis (Right)

“I hope that audiences enjoy the tragicomic tone and nature of the film. I hope audiences find the story of the two sisters captivating, funny, and stressful but ultimately, relatable,” shared Stathis.

Photo courtesy of Micah Stathis

“We are definitely aiming for a festival run with an eye towards sales and distribution. We have already been in dialogue with a few distribution companies who are waiting for the film to be ready. We do not want to rush the post-production process and want to make sure the film is, ultimately, as good as it can possibly be. That’s why we’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign specifically for post-production,” said Stathis at the original posting time of this article. 

New York Film Academy congratulates the instructors who banded together to create a feature film safely in the middle of the pandemic. 

2022 Festival Update

In 2022, The Sisters Karras is starting its festival run, screening live at Deep in the Heart Film Festival in Waco, Texas, and with doing a multi-city tour with The Greek International Film Festival in Canada in October. The film is also screening at the 2022 Chain NYC Film Festival.

NYFA’s students, alumni, and faculty have a lot of achievements on the film festival circuit, including international festivals such as the Venice Film Festival and Sundance. To learn more, click here.

EMMY & GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER HENRY WINKLER HOLDS MASTER CLASS FOR NYFA ACTING FOR FILM STUDENTS

In a case of art imitating life imitating art, Henry Winkler who co-stars as acting teacher Gene Cousineau on the hit HBO dark comedy, Barry, came to the NYFA campus in Los Angeles, to reveal he not only plays an acting teacher, but he truly is a gifted acting teacher in real life.
In 2018, Henry Winkler won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his role on Barry, which stars Emmy award-winning actor, and NYFA alumnus, Bill Hader.


 

A 1973 audition in Los Angeles forever changed the life of the Yale School of Drama graduate when producer Garry Marshall and Tom Miller cast Winkler in the iconic role of Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz,” in the TV series Happy Days. During his 10 years on the popular sitcom, he won two Golden Globe Awards, was nominated three times for an Emmy Award and was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Winkler has enjoyed over four decades of success in Hollywood and continues to be in demand as an actor, producer, and director.


On June 30, Henry gave the acting students at the Los Angeles campus an inspiring Master acting class, working with MFA actors Clara Navarro De Mora-Granados, Ewelina Zawada, Sanmi Oguntunde, Andrea Pineda, Kutloano Headbush, Lenae Miles, and BFA actors Spencer Holly and Styr Juliusson on scenes from a variety of plays. He guided the actors, helping them to personalize each moment and find the nuances in their performances.

In the Q&A afterwards, he spoke about acting as a calling and his relentless drive to pursue his craft. “I would eat through brick to do this job. If you don’t have that passion for this job, then I will buy shoes from you.” His humor drew many laughs, but he emphasized the drive an actor must have to be successful in the business. “You have to figure out your own journey. Whatever your challenge is, your talent must override that challenge. Your talent is bigger than your challenge.”

Working with each scene he told the actors “Once you have tasted something new, something you haven’t thought of we will move on.” With that Henry directed each actor and brought them insights into their work. He gave the following notes:


 

To Clara and Ewelina (Top Girls):

  • Acting is listening. You can only respond if you hear what your partner is saying.
  • You must adjust your energy to the stage. Your energy must fill the room and embrace everyone in the audience.

To Lenae and Kutloano (5 Women Wearing the Same Dress):

  • When you make a choice, you have to make it a big choice. You have to trust that what you are doing at the moment is enough.

Styr and Spencer (The Pillow Man):

  • Personalize every moment. Don’t dance around it but go to the center of things.
  • You have to write down and memorize your objective.

To Sanmi and Andrea (My Children, My Africa):

  • Your anger (in the scene) is wonderful but there are more colors than just your anger.
  • Solve your dilemma first, don’t worry about the anger.

He praised the actors for their understanding of the material and their connection with each other. Henry took several questions and offered some gems for the audience:

  • A million people are going to say “no.” Somebody is going to say “yes” because you are going to get up and keep going. Because you believe in yourself and keep working on your instrument all the time.”
  • Acting is different from auditioning: You have one job- to get the job. Once you get the job, your job is to do the job. The audition is different from the job. You are going to use every bit of your talent, your everything to get the job.

He thanked the actors and applauded their “enormous” talent. Henry ended his class by saying, “I love what I get to do.” It was quite clear to everyone in the room that he does.

A Conversation with NYFA MFA Acting for Film Alum Logan Arneson

NYFA MFA Acting for Film alum Logan Arneson is a professional voice over actor and podcast sound editor. Since graduating from NYFA, Arneson has worked on 3 international podcasts and recently created his own podcast.

Arneson shared with NYFA that, like many artists, during the pandemic he was in need of an outlet, “I was feeling frustrated with the lack of artistic outlets.” Arneson and his partner enjoyed playing Dungeons and Dragons, a table-top role playing game that has seen much success since its release in 1974. The game provided a reprieve from the global pandemic,“It [was] a cathartic outlet.” This outlet sparked the fire that had been extinguished. “We started Brain Adventures a Dungeons and Dragons, an actual play podcast that tells dynamic stories with life lessons.” Arneson describes the podcast as funny and dramatic. The podcast also gave him the opportunity to collaborate with another NYFA alum Cristina Castaño Brunet.

“Our first season is called “Hollywood Knights”, where 3 medieval knights end up in modern-day Hollywood and have to find out why and if they can get back. It’s a story of growth and found family.” Arneson added, “Our 2nd season is called “A Familiar Journey”, a story of four animals whose owners go missing so they set out to find them. During this quest they learn to accept each other, themselves, and their flaws.”

The third installment is about customer service employees that are trapped in a mall that has fallen to hell. The employees are then tasked with working their jobs in hell as they face their past and present struggle.

Arneson completed the MFA Acting program at NYFA and affirms that all roads, all of the knowledge he acquired helped him create Brain Adventures, “My acting training was important in developing my characters, improv was key in keeping the story moving while still being entertaining, I also used sound editing tips I picked up during my Voice Over classes at NYFA”

Arneson also shared his advice for incoming students, he said, “my advice is find people that you trust, that are talented and create your own opportunities. You’ll be surprised what doors will open for you.”

The New York Film Academy commends MFA Acting for Film alum Logan Arneson on his work in Brain Adventures!

EMMY & GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER HENRY WINKLER HOLDS MASTER CLASS FOR NYFA ACTING FOR FILM STUDENTS

In a case of art imitating life imitating art, Henry Winkler who co-stars as acting teacher Gene Cousineau on the hit HBO dark comedy, Barry, came to the NYFA campus in Los Angeles, to reveal he not only plays an acting teacher, but he truly is a gifted acting teacher in real life. In 2018, Henry Winkler won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his role on Barry, which stars Emmy award-winning actor, and NYFA alumn, Bill Hader.

A 1973 audition in Los Angeles forever changed the life of the Yale School of Drama graduate when producer Garry Marshall and Tom Miller cast Winkler in the iconic role of Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz,” in the TV series Happy Days. During his 10 years on the popular sitcom, he won two Golden Globe Awards, was nominated three times for an Emmy Award and was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Winkler has enjoyed over four decades of success in Hollywood and continues to be in demand as an actor, producer, and director.

On June 30, Henry gave the acting students at the Los Angeles campus an inspiring Master acting class, working with MFA actors Clara Navarro De Mora-Granados, Ewelina Zawada, Sanmi Oguntunde, Andrea Pineda, Kutloano Headbush, Lenae Miles, and BFA actors Spencer Holly and Styr Juliusson on scenes from a variety of plays. He guided the actors, helping them to personalize each moment and find the nuances in their performances.

In the Q&A afterwards, he spoke about acting as a calling and his relentless drive to pursue his craft. “I would eat through brick to do this job. If you don’t have that passion for this job, then I will buy shoes from you.” His humor drew many laughs, but he emphasized the drive an actor must have to be successful in the business. “You have to figure out your own journey. Whatever your challenge is, your talent must override that challenge. Your talent is bigger than your challenge.”

Working with each scene he told the actors “Once you have tasted something new, something you haven’t thought of we will move on.” With that Henry directed each actor and brought them insights into their work. He gave the following notes:

To Clara and Ewelina (Top Girls):

  • Acting is listening. You can only respond if you hear what your partner is saying.
  • You must adjust your energy to the stage. Your energy must fill the room and embrace everyone in the audience.

To Lenae and Kutloano (5 Women Wearing the Same Dress):

  • When you make a choice, you have to make it a big choice. You have to trust that what you are doing at the moment is enough.

Styr and Spencer (The Pillow Man):

  • Personalize every moment. Don’t dance around it but go to the center of things.
  • You have to write down and memorize your objective.

To Sanmi and Andrea (My Children, My Africa):

  • Your anger (in the scene) is wonderful but there are more colors than just your anger.
  • Solve your dilemma first, don’t worry about the anger.

He praised the actors for their understanding of the material and their connection with each other. Henry took several questions and offered some gems for the audience:

  • A million people are going to say “no.” Somebody is going to say “yes” because you are going to get up and keep going. Because you believe in yourself and keep working on your instrument all the time.”
  • Acting is different from auditioning: You have one job- to get the job. Once you get the job, your job is to do the job. The audition is different from the job. You are going to use every bit of your talent, your everything to get the job.

He thanked the actors and applauded their “enormous” talent. Henry ended his class by saying, “I love what I get to do.” It was quite clear to everyone in the room that he does.

Please note: NYFA does not represent that these are typical or guaranteed career outcomes. The success of our graduates in any chosen professional pathway depends on multiple factors, and the achievements of NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances.

EMMY & GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER HENRY WINKLER HOLDS MASTER CLASS FOR NYFA ACTING FOR FILM STUDENTS

In a case of art imitating life imitating art, Henry Winkler who co-stars as acting teacher Gene Cousineau on the hit HBO dark comedy, Barry, came to the NYFA campus in Los Angeles, to reveal he not only plays an acting teacher, but he truly is a gifted acting teacher in real life. In 2018, Henry Winkler won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his role on Barry, which stars Emmy award-winning actor, and NYFA alumn, Bill Hader.

Emmy & Golden Globe Winner Henry Winkler Holds Master Class for NYFA Acting for Film Students

A 1973 audition in Los Angeles forever changed the life of the Yale School of Drama graduate when producer Garry Marshall and Tom Miller cast Winkler in the iconic role of Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz,” in the TV series Happy Days. During his 10 years on the popular sitcom, he won two Golden Globe Awards, was nominated three times for an Emmy Award and was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Winkler has enjoyed over four decades of success in Hollywood and continues to be in demand as an actor, producer, and director.

On June 30, Henry gave the acting students at the Los Angeles campus an inspiring Master acting class, working with MFA actors Clara Navarro De Mora-Granados, Ewelina Zawada, Sanmi Oguntunde, Andrea Pineda, Kutloano Headbush, Lenae Miles, and BFA actors Spencer Holly and Styr Juliusson on scenes from a variety of plays. He guided the actors, helping them to personalize each moment and find the nuances in their performances.

In the Q&A afterwards, he spoke about acting as a calling and his relentless drive to pursue his craft. “I would eat through brick to do this job. If you don’t have that passion for this job, then I will buy shoes from you.” His humor drew many laughs, but he emphasized the drive an actor must have to be successful in the business. “You have to figure out your own journey. Whatever your challenge is, your talent must override that challenge. Your talent is bigger than your challenge.”

Working with each scene he told the actors “Once you have tasted something new, something you haven’t thought of we will move on.” With that Henry directed each actor and brought them insights into their work. He gave the following notes:

To Clara and Ewelina (Top Girls):

  • Acting is listening. You can only respond if you hear what your partner is saying.
  • You must adjust your energy to the stage. Your energy must fill the room and embrace everyone in the audience.

To Lenae and Kutloano (5 Women Wearing the Same Dress):

  • When you make a choice, you have to make it a big choice. You have to trust that what you are doing at the moment is enough.

Styr and Spencer (The Pillow Man):

  • Personalize every moment. Don’t dance around it but go to the center of things.
  • You have to write down and memorize your objective.

To Sanmi and Andrea (My Children, My Africa):

  • Your anger (in the scene) is wonderful but there are more colors than just your anger.
  • Solve your dilemma first, don’t worry about the anger.

He praised the actors for their understanding of the material and their connection with each other. Henry took several questions and offered some gems for the audience:

  • A million people are going to say “no.” Somebody is going to say “yes” because you are going to get up and keep going. Because you believe in yourself and keep working on your instrument all the time.”
  • Acting is different from auditioning: You have one job- to get the job. Once you get the job, your job is to do the job. The audition is different from the job. You are going to use every bit of your talent, your everything to get the job.

He thanked the actors and applauded their “enormous” talent. Henry ended his class by saying, “I love what I get to do.” It was quite clear to everyone in the room that he does.

Please note: NYFA does not represent that these are typical or guaranteed career outcomes. The success of our graduates in any chosen professional pathway depends on multiple factors, and the achievements of NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances.

A Conversation With Nigerian Filmmaker and NYFA Filmmaking Alum Michael Obiazi Abadi

NYFA One -Year Filmmaking alum Michael Obiazi Abadi first fell in love with filmmaking because of  “the ability to tell stories and tell them how you wish.” 

Abadi told NYFA that he is inspired by his “surroundings, and the things I see affecting the people around me.” For Flaky, he drew inspiration from his own experiences as an immigrant and conversations with people in his community. The film, which was shot in both New York and Nigeria, centers on the experiences of Ibinabo, a Nigerian immigrant living in the United States, working at a fast-food restaurant despite her formal education. During this difficult period of transition Ibinabo finds solace in the arms of Reggie, which might be her biggest mistake.

Abadi hopes that Flaky imparts “a sense of understanding and [awareness] of what’s going on in these underrepresented communities.” 

When Abadi came to NYFA, he wanted to learn the fundamentals of filmmaking but upon completing the One-Year Filmmaking program he realized he was leaving with much more. “90% of the crew were NYFA Alumni and most of them immigrants: the [director of photography], production designer, sound recorder, [assistant cinematographer], [assistant director], script supervisor, colorist, key grip, swing, and even some of the actors, are people who I either met while studying at NYFA or after… I made [this film] with my friends.”

Writing and directing Flaky, though fulfilling, did not come without its share of challenges but Abadi shares that the hardest part was “putting all the pieces together, and seeing the end result from the start.” The final product, however, shows little sign of difficulty.

Michael Obiazi Abadi is also a talented comic book writer. “[it] kinda gives an edge, you know, because I get to storyboard most of my shots and it gives me the opportunity to also blend genres, which is so fun to do!”

Abadi is not done just yet. “I’m currently shooting a four part docu-series in Nigeria and across America called I Can Yes I Can. It focuses on the first female surfers from Nigeria, social media, Lagos city and the growth of Basketball in the country and Nigerian players in the NBA. We’ve interviewed past and present NBA players to share their journey and I am also in pre-production for a feature set in the 80’s, which is slated to be shot this summer.”

Flaky is available for streaming on Amazon, Apple TV, Youtube TV and other platforms.

NYFA congratulates alum Michael Obiazi Abadi on his work on Flaky. We look forward to his next projects!

 

NYFA Alumni Virtual Career Meet and Greet with NPACT

NYFA Alumni Virtual Career Meet and Greet with NPACT
NYFA Alumni Department held a Virtual Meet & Greet for Los Angeles Campus alumni in June 2022

On June 16th, 2022 the New York Film Academy (NYFA) Alumni Affairs Department co-hosted a Virtual Career Meet and Greet for alumni from the NYFA Los Angeles Campus.

The special event was attended by top entertainment companies from the The Nonfiction Producers Association (NPACT). NPACT is the U.S. trade organization for nonfiction production companies, composed of 100+ member companies who produce most of the unscripted content for U.S. broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms.

NPACT previously reached out to NYFA looking to spread awareness among students and recent graduates about career paths in the world of unscripted television.

The virtual event was hosted by NPACT representatives, Michelle Van Kempen and Mike Mistovich. Alumni were paired into breakout rooms with executives from various companies. They shared their resumes, discussed the types of careers in reality television and networked with other alumni in production and editing fields.

Executives attending the event included Gayani Wainigaratne and Lauryn McCollum of Bunim-Murray, Bree Frank of Hello Sunshine, Dan Goldsack of Magical Elves, Dawid Pypec of Industrial Media, Ben Stoddard of B17 Entertainment, Marko Joelson of Renegade, and Susan Rayborn-Miller and Keely Biladeau of Jupiter.

Response from the alumni was wonderful. Yulia A.K. said “I loved this experience; it was good to actually see how interviews go and how questions are asked.” Konstantin S. was contacted the next day for an interview as an editor.

Rumena Dinevska, NYFA’s Alumni Affairs Coordinator and event organizer said, “It was a great collaboration between NYFA and NPACT and we look forward to having another career meet and greet in the near future.”

 

NYFA COMMUNITY REPRESENTED AT THE 2022 EMMY AWARDS NOMINATIONS

The Television Academy announced the nominations for the 74th annual Emmy awards on Tuesday, July 14th. The 2022 award season looks promising and exciting for the NYFA community.

NYFA Filmmaking alum Bill Hader added 14 more nominations to his growing collection of Emmy’s nods and wins for the third season of Barry. Since premiering in 2018, Barry has amassed 30 Emmy Primetime Award nominations and won 6, including two ‘Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series’ and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.’ This year, Hader is up for ‘Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series’ and ‘Best Comedy Series’. Of the news he says, “I’m just super happy and proud of everyone on the show and humbled and thrilled with the recognition and nominations.” Hader’s co-star and NYFA Guest Speaker and Masterclass instructor Henry Winkler was also nominated for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series’. Winkler won the award in 2018.

NYFA MFA Screenwriting alum and internationally acclaimed director/screenwriter Mohamed Diab scored an impressive 8 nominations for Moon Knight. Diab is not only Marvel’s first Arab director but also an internationally recognized, award-winning director and writer. His sophomore film, Clash, was the official opening selection at the 2016 Cannes Festival, ‘Un Certain Regard’ category. For Moon Knight, Diab wrote a 200-page pitch with his creative partner and wife, Sarah Goher, complete with locations, a score, tone, pictures, and costumes. This pitch went on to be the bible for Moon Knight, which he not only executive produced but also directed four of the six episodes. The mini-series is nominated for a total of eight awards, including Outstanding Cinematography, Outstanding Music Composition, and Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes.


Moon Knight still from Forbes

NYFA Board Member, Matthew Modine, who plays Dr. Brenner on fan-favorite Stranger Things scored 13 nominations including ‘Outstanding Drama Series’. The series took audiences by storm since the Duffer Brothers aired the sci-fi, coming of age drama on Netflix in 2016.

Insecure, the web series-turned-HBO series by NYFA alum Issa Rae, didn’t disappoint bringing home a total of 3 nominations including ‘Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series’. The 5-season show aired its final season last winter and has been collecting nominations for the 2022 award season ever since. Rae’s production company, Hoorae Productions was also nominated for ‘Outstanding Variety Series’ and ‘Outstanding Production Design For A Variety, Reality Or Competition Series’ for A Black Lady Sketch Show.

NYFA 2-Year Acting for Film alum Devin Laron Chandler made his debut on the second season of Only Murders in the Building, the show was nominated for ‘Oustanding Casting for a Comedy Series’ and ‘Outstanding Comedy Series’, among other nods. Nominated for ‘Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) is Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts executive produced by NYFA Documentary alum Louis Mole.

This year’s Emmy nominations are historic in more ways than one. Squid Games collected an astounding 14 nominations making history as the most-nominated foreign TV show in the Emmy Awards 74-year run. Squid Game was created in 2008 by Hwang Dong-hyuk but was shelved by Netflix, led by NYFA Guest Speaker Ted Sarandos, for 10 years before it was greenlit in 2018. After its premiere in 2021, the show went on to be Netflix’s most streamed series after only 17 days with over 100 million views world-wide. NYFA Guest Speaker Seth Rogen is also nominated for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie’ for his work on Pam & Tommy. NYFA 3D Animation and VFX alum Francesco Panzieri worked as a compositor for the hit show.


Squid Game still from Newsweek

Abbott Elementary creator and leading lady Quinta Brunson is nominated for the first time and made history as the youngest Black woman nominated in the ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy’ acting category. Zendaya was nominated for the second time for her work in Euphoria making her the youngest acting nominee for the second year in a row and Bill Hader’s old stomping ground Saturday Night Live maintained its record as the most Emmy-nominated series in history after earning 9 Emmy nominations this year.

The 74th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. Eastern on Sept. 12 on NBC and will stream live for the first time on Peacock.

The New York Film Academy congratulates all the nominees and we look forward to hearing the winners!

Please note: NYFA does not represent that these are typical or guaranteed career outcomes. The success of our graduates in any chosen professional pathway depends on multiple factors, and the achievements of NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances.

Six NYFA Alumni Screen Films at Micheaux Film Festival’s 4th Edition

Six New York Film Academy (NYFA) alumni will screen their films at the Los Angeles-based Micheaux Film Festival. This year, at the festival’s fourth edition, participants will engage in a series of activations, digital panels, master classes, networking mixers, workshops and film screenings from July 11 – 17, 2022. This year’s festival events will be available to participants both online and in-person starting on July 13, 2022 at the Regal Cinemas L.A. in downtown Los Angeles. You can purchase tickets here. 

The Micheaux Film Festival was recognized as one of the ‘Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee’ in 2022 by MovieMaker Magazine. The festival shares stories that focus on multiculturality, inclusivity of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), diverse representation and gender/identity parity. 

The organization seeks to cultivate a dynamic community that gives artists an honest space to share their unique stories, making it a perfect match for films made by NYFA’s incredibly diverse student body. Event sponsors include the Oprah Winfrey Network, SONY Entertainment, Panavision, The Academy Museum, Braham Entertainment.

Among the six lucky NYFA alumni chosen to showcase their work at this year’s festival include Abraham Amkpa (Master of Arts in Film & Media Production), Kate Burduzhan (2-Year Filmmaking Conservatory), Meital Cohen Navarro (Master of Fine Arts Filmmaking), Lethabo Mokgatle (Bachelor of Fine Arts Filmmaking), Victor Shao (Master of Fine Arts Filmmaking), and Dan Smith (Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting and Master of Fine Arts in Producing).

Learn about our alumni’s films below: 

Lift by Abraham Amkpa

Six NYFA Alumni Screen Films at Micheaux Film Festival’s 4th Edition
“Lift” by NYFA alum Abraham Amkpa

Abraham Amkpa, who earned his MA in Film & Media Production at NYFA, will screen his thesis film Lift, a story of two Nigerian immigrants competing against each other in order to gain US citizenship in the Greater Heights program. This film will be screened on July 16, 2022 as well as available to view online.

Check out Abraham’s interview below on New Filmmakers LA Film’s ‘Stage 5’ in partnership with MovieMaker Magazine. Abraham discusses his thesis film Lift, which screened at the NFMLA in May 2022 in their immigrant stories program.

It’s Your Fault by Kate Burduzhan 

Six NYFA Alumni Screen Films at Micheaux Film Festival’s 4th Edition
“It’s Your Fault” by NYFA alum Kate Burduzhan

Kate Burduzhan, who completed NYFA’s 2-Year Filmmaking Conservatory program, tells the story of Polina, a young woman looking to have some fun when she leaves a Russian nightclub with guys she just met only to find herself in an unexpected and dangerous situation in her film It’s Your Fault. The film screens online throughout the festival.

Over My Dead Body by Meital Cohen Navarro

Six NYFA Alumni Screen Films at Micheaux Film Festival’s 4th Edition
“Over My Dead Body” by NYFA alum Meital Cohen Navarro

Over My Dead Body, the intermediate film of Meital Cohen Navarro, tells the story of a young Jewish Persian-American woman who reveals to her parents that her fiancé is Muslim and is forced to choose between him and her family. The film will screen on Friday, July 15, in the True States program. Navarro earned her MFA in Filmmaking from NYFA.

Sebari Milach by Lethabo Mokgatle 

Six NYFA Alumni Screen Films at Micheaux Film Festival’s 4th Edition
“Sebari Milach” by NYFA alum Lethabo Mokgatle

Lethabo Mokgatle’s thesis film Sebari Milach will premiere in Los Angeles on July 14th in the Origins and Odyssey program as well as online. The film follows the story of a young African woman tricked by her mother into participating in a traditional purification ritual only to face either mutilation or exile from her tribal society. Mokgatle earned her BFA in Filmmaking from NYFA.

Date by Victor Shao

Six NYFA Alumni Screen Films at Micheaux Film Festival’s 4th Edition
“Date” by NYFA alum Victor Shao

Taiwanese filmmaker Victor Shao, who earned his MFA in Filmmaking from NYFA, will screen his thesis film Date in the Love, Lust & Other Drugs program on July 15th as well as online. Date surrounds a nervous man and a reserved woman who order dishes that take forever in an effort to prolong their awkward dinner rendezvous.

Tahriib (Those Who Travel North) by Dan Smith

Six NYFA Alumni Screen Films at Micheaux Film Festival’s 4th Edition
“Tahriib (Those Who Travel North)” by NYFA alum Dan Smith

Slipping away the mask of anonymity shrouding the 1.8 million refugees who have entered Europe since 2014, the short documentary Tahriib (Those Who Travel North) by NYFA MFA Screenwriting and MFA Producing alum Dan Smith will screen online throughout the festival. The documentary features six refugees who describe in their own words and voices, their previous lives, dangerous journeys, and attempts to integrate into Western culture.  

“It’s truly fantastic that so many NYFA alumni are official selections at Micheaux this year,” said Crickett Rumley, Senior Director of NYFA’s Film Festival Department. “This festival’s commitment to diversity and inclusive programming is superlative. They not only celebrate filmmakers, they help them move to the next level with panels, master classes, and networking events. I’m confident that our filmmakers will gain tremendously from this opportunity.”  

This year’s festival celebrity ambassadors include actors Sharon Lawrence and Anthony Anderson. Honors will go to Brenda Gilbert, the President & Founder of Bron Studios, who will receive the Oscar Micheaux Trailblazer of Excellence Award, and to director/cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, who will receive the Michael Ajakwe Pioneer of Influence Award. 

Tickets to all events can be purchased here. 

New York Film Academy congratulates its alumni on their selection to the fourth annual Micheaux Film Festival and wishes them the best of luck!