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 |
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 |
| 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 |