Join us in celebrating NYFA alumni debuting films at the 77th Cannes Film Festival! Under the direction of jury president, filmmaker, and actress Greta Gerwig, known for the 2023 blockbuster Barbie, this year’s Cannes already screened highly anticipated films such as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and legendary director Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, starring NYFA Guest Speakers Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel, as well as NYFA alum and guest speaker Aubrey Plaza.
This year, NYFA alums Fernando Broce, Janek Ambros, Tabitha McDonald, and Meshal Al Jaser join the fold, demonstrating their skills and expertise in film, acting, producing, and more. Berite Labelle, NYFA acting alum, is also in attendance after being selected to represent the French fashion house Balmain’s new hair campaign. Alex Kahuam, who had his film Failure! debut at Cannes last year, is also celebrating a win. His film, shot in a single 87-minute take, was acquired by Red Water Entertainment.
“Cannes remains the festival of all festivals, and for any New York Film Academy graduate showing up on the Croisette with a completed project is both a thrill and an opportunity,” says Neal Weisman, head of the NYFA Producing Department at NYFA New York.
“Each May, the eyes of film industry professionals and cinephiles alike turn to Cannes to discover the latest and greatest in global cinema, and it’s incredibly exciting to see our talented alumni presenting work in this setting,” adds Crickett Rumley, Senior Director of the New York Film Academy’s Film Festival Department.
Here’s more about our NYFA alums at Cannes this year!
Fernando Broce, NYFA Filmmaking Alum
Fernando Broce, an NYFA BFA Filmmaking alum, is an extremely talented filmmaker, content creator, writer, and director (look him up on TikTok) who has worked with brands like McDonald’s, Old Spice, Head & Shoulders, Gillette, Oral B, Takis, and more. Originally from Panama, Fernando’s short film Ojue screened and won Best Student Short Film in the American Pavilion’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase.
The esteemed showcase has 36 films in four showcases, including Student Short Films & Documentaries, Emerging Filmmaker Short Films & Documentaries, Emerging Filmmaker LGBTQ+ films, and an Alumni Showcase. Broce currently resides in Los Angeles.
Janek Ambros, NYFA Producing Alum
NYFA Producing alum Janek Ambros is no stranger to film festivals. He has directed and produced festival award-winning and nominated films including American Montage (2013), Unwarranted Influence (2014), Imminent Threat (2015), May 15th in Paris (2017), and Mondo Hollywoodland (2019). Ambros also produced the 2024 film In The Summers, which debuted at Sundance this year. His film Ukrainians in Exile, produced by two-time Oscar winner and NYFA Guest Speaker Janusz Kaminski and actor Liev Schreiber, will also be screened at the American Pavilion’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase. Ambros wrote and directed the short film.
“Being selected to screen at the American Pavilion provides an impressive opportunity for Fernando and Janek to not only share their work with an international audience but also to connect with the major creatives and festival organizers who will be participating in the Pavilion’s panels and conversations,” says Crickett.
Tabitha McDonald, NYFA Producing Alum
Sunlight, a film produced by NYFA Producing alum Tabitha McDonald and the teams at Anyway Content, Metro International Entertainment, and INSPIRADO, will be screening at the Cannes Great 8 showcase. The film is part of a series brought to Cannes by the British Film Institute to help new and emerging filmmakers connect with international buyers. Tabitha is also known for producing the horror film The Night Courier (2021), as well as the short films By Sunrise (2020) and Strangers by a Fire (2018).
“We are exceptionally proud of Tabitha for collaborating with other emerging international film talent in the making of SUNLIGHT,” says Weisman. “The Great 8 showcase is an exciting step forward towards securing distribution. As the Marché (Cannes Market) brings buyers and sellers together from all over the world, the Great 8 showcase offers support and enthusiasm for films that might otherwise get lost in the crowd. This initiative shines a spotlight on producers and their projects that can forge a solid trajectory to success. Everyone at NYFA Producing wishes Tabitha all the best as SUNLIGHT makes its way towards audiences around the world.”
Berite Labelle, NYFA Acting Alum
Berite Labelle is attending Cannes after being chosen to represent Balmain’s hair campaign. Completing her first short film, Time is Eternal, Labelle is currently shooting her first feature film in Romania while continuing to pursue her modeling and acting career. She’s also working on entrepreneurial pursuits with her business partner out of Los Angeles.
Meshal Al Jaser, NYFA Screenwriting Alum
NYFA alum Meshal Al Jaser directed the film NAGA, starring NYFA Screenwriting BFA student Adwa Bader, which is nominated for an award at the Critics Awards for Arab Film. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Arab Cinema Centre stand in Cannes on May 18. Al Jaser also directed the short Arabian Alien (2020), which was considered for an Oscar nomination in 2021. It was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Meshal also won the 2021 GQ Middle East Man of the Year Award for Filmmaker of the Year.
Alex Kahuam, NYFA BFA Filmmaking Alum
NYFA BFA Filmmaking alum Alex Kahuam, an award-winning director, writer, and producer screened his 2023 film Failure! at the inaugural Fantastic Pavilion Galas at Cannes. Starring Ted Raimi (Xena: Warrior Princess, SeaQuest 2032, Evil Dead II), Failure! was acquired at 2024 Cannes by Red Water Entertainment for distribution in North America. According to Variety, the film is the “first time a Mexican filmmaker has made a feature film without cuts in the U.S.”
Kahuam has also screened his films at FrightFest, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, BIFFF, SITGES International Film Festival, FICG-Guadalajara International Film Festival, and Morbido.
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Cover Images via: Amazon, Variety, DiaaDia