New York Film Academy (NYFA) Screenwriting alum, Mickey Fonseca, has struck a deal that many producers dream of with his latest film Resgate (“Redemption” in English) being bought by streaming giant Netflix. Fonseca, who wrote, directed, and produced the film, shot on location in his home country of Mozambique.

Fonseca was born in Mozambique and grew up with a love of film and acting. At the age of 12, he even remembers writing Steven Spielberg and expressing his interest in becoming an actor. “Amblin Entertainment replied a few months later telling me to get an agent. I didn’t know what an agent was, but I was ecstatic with the news.” Though his dreams of becoming an actor faded over the years, Fonseca continued to immerse himself in film, watching movies as often as he could.

After moving to Cape Town, South Africa in his mid-twenties, Fonseca got a job as a runner for Monkey Films, where he continued to develop his love for telling stories. “I watched lots of films and read all the books I could get my hands on,” he remembers. Fonseca also gained more experience by working on film sets for big-budget films like Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Diana, starring Naomi Watts.

In 2006, Fonseca started his own production company (Mahla Filmes), and later decided to go to New York City to attend NYFA’s 8-Week Screenwriting program. “I decided I needed to go to NYFA to get better knowledge of the craft,” shares Fonseca. “I wanted to write the best script as I possibly could and, for this, I needed ‘one-on-one’ guidance from the best instructors.”

After years in the business, Fonseca and his team have released their most challenging project to date, Resgate, which was produced by his company Mahla Filmes and a small crowdfunding campaign. “For over six years, we shot commercials, bought most of the equipment, saved money to pay cast/crew/locations, and we could finally make the film at all costs, with no interference,” he shares.

Resgate revolves around a man who, after four years in prison, returns to his girlfriend and child to learn about a dangerous debt taken by his late mother. “It’s the first Mozambican independent film and it did extremely well in the local cinemas (8 weeks), breaking all records,” says Fonseca. The film also went on to win two Africa Movie Academy Awards for ‘Best Production Design’ and ‘Best Screenplay,’ and was nominated in four additional categories including ‘Best Director’ (Mickey Fonseca).

With the film’s local success, Fonseca and his team knew they needed to get a distributor. “We pulled out all our contacts, hustled very hard and managed to get our film to the Netflix door,” he explains. “Fortunately for us, they liked it.” After Netflix acquired the film, Fonseca reveals that the agreement is more than just a business move, it is an important moment for African film. “Resgate is the first film from Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) Africa on Netflix and I am positive this will pave the way for other films to be screened on the platform and hopefully create Netflix co-productions too.” He continues, “Africa is a creative bomb waiting to explode. There’s so much creativity and talent.”

As for what’s next, Fonseca shares he is in the early stages of writing two different scripts; a thriller on Xenophobia with a focus on African unity and hope, with the other script being written as a social drama set in southern Mozambique. “I write my own films and what inspires me to write is my city, its people, and the day-to-day stories. My films are all about people l meet, hear about and read about, and the social instabilities that lead to life-changing decisions.”

New York Film Academy would like to congratulate NYFA alum Mickey Fonseca on his exciting news with Netflix and encourages everyone to check out Resgate when it becomes on the streaming platform.

Check out the Resgate film trailer below or click here.

RESGATE – REDEMPTION – COMING SOON ON NETFLIX from Antonio Forjaz on Vimeo.

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.

New York Film Academy (NYFA) 1-Year Acting for Film conservatory program alum Manuel Garcia-Rulfo stars in the recently released Tom Hanks film Greyhound. Originally slated for a theatrical release, the film was acquired by Apple TV+ in May due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down movie theatres across the country.

Apple TV+ premiered the film on their streaming platform July 10, 2020 and the film has since been met with critical acclaim. Greyhound follows U.S. Navy Commander Ernest Krause (Hanks) and his Allied convoy across the Atlantic. After being pursued by German U-boats, he and his crew find themselves embroiled in what would come to be known as the longest, largest and most complex naval battle in history: The Battle of the Atlantic.

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo stars as one of Commander Ernest Krause’s crewmembers named “Lopez,” who assists Hanks’ character in The Battle of the Atlantic. In addition to Hanks and Garcia-Rulfo, the film also stars Stephen Graham (This is England), Rob Morgan (Stranger Things), and Elisabeth Shue (Back to the Future franchise). Hanks, who wrote the screenplay for the film, based the script off of the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester.

The NYFA alum has already had a buzzing career in both Mexico and the United States. As a young actor in Mexico, Garcia-Rulfo said he was offered roles in telenovelas that he decided to turn down. “You’re very hungry in the beginning. But I knew what I wanted my career to look like. I said no to a lot of things early in my career.”

Since then, Garcia-Rulfo has starred in critically acclaimed films and blockbusters like Widows, The Magnificent Seven, 6 Underground, and Sicario: Day of the Soldado. He will also be starring in the upcoming film Sweet Girl from Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones, Aquaman), expected to release late 2020 or in 2021.

New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Manuel Garcia-Rulfo on his latest acting role in Greyhound and the film’s success on Apple TV; NYFA looks forward to what’s next from the Acting for Film conservatory alum.



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.

On Wednesday, July 15, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the honor of hosting Saturday Night Live legend, comedian, and actor, JOE PISCOPO, as part of The 20/20 Series, created by NYFA’s Creative Director of Filmmaking and Cinematography, Liz Hinlein. The conversation was moderated by Hinlein and was held virtually, allowing individuals to join NYFA and the special guests from all over the world.

The 20/20 Series, created by Hinlein, is a virtual pop-up event that takes us into the homes, hubs, and workspaces of an array of dynamic creative visionaries to allow for relaxed, engaging conversations on craft, creation and artistic vision.

Joe Piscopo is a well known actor, comedian, and TV/radio personality with a career spanning the past four decades. In 1980, Piscopo was chosen to join a newly formed ensemble, which included his friend Eddie Murphy, that took on one of the most difficult tasks in TV history—replacing the original cast of Saturday Night Live.

By the time Piscopo left the show in 1985, he had left his mark on the program, and the nation, thanks to his wide range of hilarious original characters and celebrity impersonations, from “The Sports Guy” and Doug Whiner to David Letterman and, of course, Frank Sinatra, who repeatedly endorsed Joe’s portrayal of him, referring to Joe as “The Vice-Chairman of the Board.”

His work on SNL naturally led to a career in Hollywood with starring roles in smash hits like Wise Guys (with Danny DeVito) and Johnny Dangerously (with Michael Keaton). Other film credits include Dead Heat, Sidekicks (with Chuck Norris) and a dramatic, critically acclaimed performance in Jonathan Parker’s Bartleby. Piscopo now serves as a regular guest on The FOX News Channel and hosts his own talk show, Piscopo in the Morning, on AM 970 The Answer (WNYM) in New York City.

Hinlein began the discussion by asking Piscopo how he found his love of performing. Piscopo reminisced of his days in high school and how he never felt like an academic, but felt comfortable on the stage. “Drama really saved me and I found myself, and then I was very fortunate to receive the Lincoln Center Student Arts Award,” he recalls. Piscopo eventually found himself at improv comedy clubs in Hell’s Kitchen in 1970’s New York and recalls eventually becoming a regular in some of the clubs before being scouted by an agent for SNL.

Hinlein then asked Piscopo what it was like to work with a performance ensemble, hinting at potential issues caused by competition among cast members or differing political views. “I am a working entertainer and I am confident I can hold my own, but others, who I had the privilege of working with like the great Eddie Murphy, were comedic geniuses.” He goes on to say that “you are a team member,” the gig is about respect and rhythm.

One audience member asked Piscopo about how he comes up with his characters, jokes and performance style, to which Piscopo immediately responded that jokes are really the best if they are timely. “I always like to do satires of something, where I can add some experience to a scenario through my observation and use it as material.”

Piscopo notes that it isn’t just about making people laugh all the time. “All comedians are great actors,” he points out. “Being funny means masking the pain within yourself, and it is great therapy. When I did drama scenes for Wise Guys, I felt very comfortable doing those.” Piscopo encourages those to see comics as more than the “funny guy” but someone who can really perform in any role, mentioning comics who have comic backgrounds like Jim Carrey, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams and others, who have truly wowed audiences with their dramatic performances.

“If you put everything else aside, all the anxiety, and all the noise, you can capture the moment [of your performance] for yourself. As actors and entertainers, the stage or being in front of the camera is like therapy.”

New York Film Academy would like to thank actor and SNL legend Joe Piscopo for taking the time to speak with the NYFA global community on his career in comedy and performing, his influences, and the escapism of performing for The 20/20 Series, created by and moderated by Liz Hinlein.

To watch the full conversation, view the video below or watch on our Youtube channel.

On Wednesday, July 1, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the pleasure of hosting screenwriter, director, and NYFA Screenwriting Chair, RANDALL DOTTIN, as part of The 20/20 Series, created by NYFA’s Creative Director of Filmmaking and Cinematography, Liz Hinlein. The conversation was moderated by Hinlein and was held virtually, allowing individuals to join NYFA and the special guests from all over the world.

The 20/20 Series, created by Hinlein, is a virtual pop-up event that takes us into the homes, hubs, and workspaces of an array of dynamic creative visionaries to allow for relaxed, engaging conversations on craft, creation and artistic vision.

Randall Dottin grew up in Boston and always knew he wanted to be a storyteller. After working for Spike Lee’s production company for many years, he decided to finally attend film school. His short film A-Alike, was licensed for a two-year broadcast run by HBO and has won numerous awards including: the DGA Award for Best African-American Student Filmmaker and the Gold Medal at the 2004 Student Academy Awards for ‘Best Narrative Film.’

In March 2009, Dottin was named by INDIEWIRE Magazine as one of their ‘Top Ten New Voices in Black Cinema.’ From 2012 to 2015, Dottin wrote and directed branded content for Jeep, Toyota and Essence Magazine. Dottin’s short film, Lifted, was sponsored by Fox Searchlight’s program for emerging directors through the Fox Searchlab while his other short film, Fevah, starred Russell Hornsby (NBC’s Grimm, The Hate You Give and Fences) and LaRoyce Hawkins (Chicago PD).

His documentary series, The House I Never Knew, is currently in production and explores how six families in Chicago, Houston, and Boston fight against becoming casualties of housing segregation policy. The series recently received a grant from the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund. Dottin also serves as Chair of the Screenwriting Department at New York Film Academy.

Dottin shared his experience growing up in the projects of Cambridge and recalls having a “vantage point of the neighborhood” and wanted to make stories with the complexity of what he actually witnessed growing up in the late 70’s/early 80’s. To this day, Dottin shares that same motivation with his students and encourages them to create. “I always tell my students that their work needs to be seen by someone in the world,” as Dottin puts it, creators inspire creators. “If you don’t work your gift, then someone else is lost.”

Dottin also provided listeners with some of his most powerful influences to his work, which included Elia Kazan’s “What Makes A Director,” Black Thought Freestyle by Funk Flex from The Roots, and Academy Award-nominated film I Am Not Your Negro, and Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Director’s Notebook’ (Featured below).

Dottin shares that his main theme for his films is to highlight identity. “The story of America is the story of identity. For African Americans, because of our history in this country, we have a particular response to that as a result of that search for identity and it has led us to create culture in a specific way.” Dottin mentions that for African Americans, there are constant portrayals of hardship and struggle, which ring true, however, “our stories are also about joy,” hitting home that representation of all stories matter.

In addition to storytelling, Dottin also shared that there are certainly ups and downs in the filmmaking process, especially when it comes to getting your film out in the world. “You make your feature, but then the process to market your film and get it out into the world is another year or two. When you make a movie, you have to decide how important it is to you because that movie takes about three to five years of your life.”

While the business side of filmmaking may seem overwhelming and the effort that promoting or financing a film requires may discourage some,, Dottin encouraged the audience stating, “Film and storytelling provide people with equipment for living,” and it is worth pushing through.

Hinlein then closed the conversation by asking Dottin about the impact being an educator has had on helping him transform his craft. Dottin explains, “You can’t become a better artist if you don’t become a better person, and the students that I come in contact with inspire me everyday. You get the opportunity to share with someone the ability to believe in the power that they have to create for themselves.”

New York Film Academy would like to thank NYFA instructor and Screenwriting Department Chair for the New York campus, Randall Dottin, for taking the time to speak with the NYFA global community on his career, his influences, and the importance of representation for people and communities of color for The 20/20 Series, created by and moderated by Liz Hinlein.

To watch the full conversation, view the video below or watch on our Youtube channel.

These guests are not faculty and do not teach at NYFA, but they have appeared to share their stories and experience with our students. As guest speakers are scheduled based on their availability, NYFA cannot guarantee whether a guest speaker will visit during a student’s attendance or who that guest speaker may be. This guest speaker forum is not part of any NYFA curriculum and attendance at guest speaker events is purely voluntary. Students should be aware that guest speaker events do not represent a job opportunity nor are they intended to provide industry connections.