Rahul Das, alum 2005, Film Directing Program, has been invited to be screen his thesis film 'India Spiceland' in the 'KEEP IN TOUCH' short film program in
the New Space Gallery in Hollywood. 'KEEP IN TOUCH' is a program of short films related to the themes of estrangement, reunion, solitude and synergy being coordinated in conjunction with the multi-media art experience, POSITIVE CONTACT running June 24-July 31st at New Space Gallery. The films were selected by film programmer Felicia Dickerson (Indian Film Festival, AFI)

Saturday, July 23rd at 8:00pm Newspace, 5241 Melrose
Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Elizabeth "Beth" Bird has won the Best Documentary award and accompanying
$50,000. cash prize, awarded by Target, for her film "EVERYONE THEIR GRAIN
OF SAND" at the LA Film Festival.

The citation written by the jurors read:
This year's Target Documentary Award winner is a return to unvarnished,
passionate documentary filmmaking. A testimony to the importance of access
and dedication, both of which culminate in an engrossing look at issues of
corporate power and international politics as they bear down on the lives
of ordinary citizens. With a deceptive simplicity, this film captures the
courage and resilience of those who rise up to fight the power.

Beth Bird is an alum, MFA 12/03, Integrated Media Program, School of
Film/Video.

Eric Darnell, alum, MFA, Experimental Animation program along with DreamWorks premiered Madagascar, a computer animated comedy feature. The animated feature opened strong over the memorial weekend ($61 million US box office). Madagascar was written by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Mark Burton, and Billy Frolich.

Tod Polson, alum, BFA 1993, Character Animation Program, has been selected to screen his film, The Pumplin of Nyefar in the Shorts category at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Sunday June 19 at 7:15pm and Sunday, June 26, 1:30pm located in the DGA Theatre.
The Pumpkin of Nyefar, 8 min., Color, 2004 Directed and produced by Tod Polson, Mark Oftedal / Written by Tod Polson
In a faraway kingdom, a prince falls in love with a beautiful pumpkin. Will he sacrifice everything for love?

Eric Lahey, alum, BFA 2002, Program in Film and Video, World Premiere, Los Angeles Film Festival, June 16-26, 2005, Documentary Competition category: screening dates: Monday, June 20th, 7:30pm and Friday, June 24th, 5:00pm in the DGA Theatre 2
The Century Plaza, 79 min., Color, 2004, Directed by Eric Lahey
First-time feature filmmaker Eric Lahey's stirring portrait of life inside a Portland single room occupancy hotel is as visually mesmerizing as it is emotionally riveting. Tenderly documenting the shattered and fascinating souls that occupy the Century Plaza, Lahey's camera, like a mute, watchful ghost, moves from room to room, life to life, always trailing the films silent narrator, a large orange cat named Rico. While the Plaza's occupants range from an elderly psychotic to a reflective prostitute to a recent immigrant, they all share in the struggle against a rising tide of poverty that is the dark underbelly of the American experience.

Marianne Hayden, MFA student, Experimental Animation
screened her recent films (animation and live action) 'Other Worlds' and ' 'cause That's What Happened' at the Pantheon Gallery: Xperimental 4.0, March (Cyprus) and International Funtup Film and Art Festival 2005, May (Milwaukee, WI). Winterlude , a live action 'mockumentary' feature, will be premied in Baltimore March 2, 2005. Marinanne played 'the girlfriend' in the 'relationship'. Ghostwatcher . She played Nikki, the best friend. It was released on DVD last October and is in Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, Netflix, etc.

Deborah Stratman, faculty, Program in Film and Video screened her films at the following Los Angeles locations:

Kings of the Sky, 2004, 68 min. the Los Angeles premiere was held at LA Film Forum at the Egyptian Theater, Sunday, April 3rd, 7pm.

Energy Country, 2003, 14:30min, On the Various Nature of Things, 1995, 25 min., In Order Not to be Here, 2002, 33 min. all screened at the Echo Park Film Center, Thursday, April 28th, 8pm

The BLVD, 1999, 64 min. screened at the CalArts Bijou Theater, Friday, April 29th, 4pm

Nina Menkes, faculty, Program in Film and Video screened the documentary she shot and co-created Massaker (about the sabra and shatilla massacre) as the 2005 Berlinale film festival where the film won the FIPRESCI prize award.

Reginald Spangler, alum, Film Directing Program worked as an editor for the new "reality" show I Married A Princess which premiered Monday, April 18th on Lifetime.

James Benning, faculty, Program in Film And Video had an extensive featured interview "Exploring the New West" in Film Quarterly, Volume 58, Issue 3, pages 2-15.

David James' massive, comprehensive book, "The Most Typical Avant garde-- "history and geography of minor cinemas in Los Angeles" has recently come out, UC Berkeley Press, and, seems destined to become a landmark classic and definitive resource in the field.
Thom Andersen, James Benning , Betzy Bromberg and Nina Menkes (faculty, Program in Film and Video) are all featured very, very prominently...

The feature documentary Nina Menkes, faculty, Program in Film and Video, shot and co-created MASSAKER has Won a prize at the FESTIVAL DU REEL in France.

Adobe Design Achievement Award: Animation finalist : Sean Jimenez, student,
Character Animation Program. Sean has been invited to attend the ADAA
awards ceremony at the Guggenheim in NYC, Thursday, July 21st. The
finalist's work will be on display at this exciting event, where they will
be formally recognized and awarded on stage.