Igor Kovalyov, faculty, Experimental Animation program won the Nelvana Grand Prize for Independent Short Animation at Ottawa for his film "Milch","Oblique but perceptive storytelling, which through a myriad of closely observed details takes us into an atmospheric, touching, sad story of childhood."

JJ Villard, BFA 2004, Character Animation, screened his film SON OF SATAN, which was well received at the FANTOCHE film festival. JJ won the prize for BEST VISUAL in the international competition--which brings 2000 Swiss Francs (at least 1500 US I bet), a little soft doll, and a certificate of the selection for Mr. Villard.

Additionally, JJ Villard won the GRAND Prize for student animation for his film "Chestnuts Icelolly at Ottawa animation festival. "A story with great contemporary relevance told with edgy rawness in
stark and striking black and white."

Mari Inukai, alumni, BFA, Character Animation was award for Best Japanese Short, at the Short Shorts Film Festival Expo 2005, for her animated film Orange and Blue. Unfortunately the director, Mari Inukai was unable to attend the ceremony but her sister, Rei Suzuki, was present on her behalf. She presented a brief statement from Mari stating that the film is about love and inspired by her deep love and affection for her child. Everyone is extremely pleased that to recognize this emotional and stunning animated short film.

Benjamin Vu, MFA 3, Experimental Animation program had been invited to screen his short film "Noobies" in the official competition at the China International Cartoon and Digital Art Festival Sept. 28- Oct. 1, 2005.

Steven MacLeod, BFA 3-student, Character Animation program has been invited to screen his work "My Little Obsessive Compulsive Friend" at the Munich International Festival of Film Schools November 19-26, 2005. Steven was equally invited to attend the festival with an all expense paid by the festival. Congratulations Steven!

Lori Damiano, MFA, Experimental Animation Program will be contributing to the Hot & Cold exhibit Oct. 25th - Nov. 4th at the California College of Art's PlaySpace Gallery in San Francisco. She will be screening part 1 of her (in progress) thesis film.

Tamar Saliban, alumni, Program in Film and Video
announced her film Beautiful Armenians" was screened at the Golden Apricot Festival in Yerevan, Armenia in July and screened at the Arpa International Film Festival at the Arclight theater on Thursday, October 6 at 7pm in the Armenian program that evening.

Beth Bird, alum, MFA 12/03 Program in Film and Video
We are pleased to announce that *EVERYONE THEIR GRAIN OF SAND* received two additional festival awards this month, winning the *FEATURE FILM AWARD* at the *SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL*, and *FESTIVAL FAVORITE* at the *OXNARD FILM FESTIVAL*. She was also featured in the September/October issue of *FILM COMMENT* in a review of the Los Angeles Film Festival.

Christine Beebe, alum, MFA, 5/05 Film Directing Program announced the documentary she has been working on for over a year, F*CK, is having it's world premier at the AFI FEST in LA at the Arclight Theater, Nov. 7th at 7pm. Christine started out on this film as an Academy of Motion Pictures intern while still in school and is now one of the Co-Producers. The film is about censorship in America. Also, her thesis film "The Band" have been selected to screen in the Anchorage Film Festival, Dec. 2005.

Rahul Das, alumni, MFA 5/05, Film Directing Program has been selected to screen his work "India Spiceland" and "The Intruder" in the 5th Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival, NYC (Nov 2-6). His work "Men & Women" has been selected to be included in New Screen Television Program, Orlando, FL. New Screen is the world's first television service dedicated to the world of emerging and established independent film & video production.

Julia Croon, alumni, BFA 5/05, Program in Film and Video has been hired as a visual effects coordinator at a post production company. She had been offered a film theory teaching position at New Roads School, but turned it down due to the great opportunity at the post production company. Julia is assisting (in her words) "the greatest, funniest visual effects producer in the world." Julia has recently been published in an anthology...Best New Erotica writers, Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica Writers, publishers are Carroll and Graf in the US and Robinson in the UK.

Colin Barton, faculty, Experimental Animation Program has received the Grand Festival Special Recognition Gorilla Awards, Berkeley Film and Video Festival, for is work "One Man's Treasure" - Colin Barton - Ethnographic Documentary - 30:00 - Premiere "One Man's Treasure" examines Syrian-American peddlers in Boston as junque passion becomes obsession becomes demolition. Sanford & Son redux Middle Eastern. Sat, Oct 29 - 7:16pm His credit includes Producer/Director and Cinematographer) this piece was shot in 16mm B&W and DV. )

Nina Menkes, faculty, Program in Film and Video, currently on creative leave The experimental feature doc which she shot and co-created, MASSAKER 2005), 98 minutes has won for general PR ----it won another award at the Visions du Reel Festival in Nyon, and has screened at many other festivals--info below---

Awards: FIPRESCI Prize Berlinale 2005, Prix SRG SSR idée suisse Visions du réel Nyon

Festivals: Berlin International Film Festival, Visions Du Réel Nyon, Festival de Cannes (ACID Section), Festroia Film Festival Setúbal, Durban International Film Festival, International Filmfestival La Rochelle, FID Marseille, Melbourne International Film Festival, Jewish Film Festival San Francisco, Gwangju International Film Festival, Helsinki International Film Festival, Women´s Film Festival Ramallah, DocBsAs Buenos Aires, International Documentary Film Festival Lisbon, International Film Festival Viennale, Jewish Film Festival Warsaw, Leeds International Film Festival, International Documentary Festival Vilnius, Documentary Film Festival Copenhagen, Gijon International Film Festival