The Gotham Announces Winners Of 5th Annual Student Short Film Showcase

Valerie Complex
·4 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the 33rd annual Gotham Awards Ceremony, taking place live and in person on Monday, November 27, 2023 in New York City, The Gotham Film & Media Institute announced the winners of its fifth annual Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase.

The five winning filmmakers include:

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Kevin Haefelin (Fuse, Columbia University),
Xinying Lao (Xiaohui and His Cows, New York University)
Sisa Quispe (Urpi: Her Last Wish, City College of New York)
James Ross (Don’t Blink, Florida State University)
Mel Sangyi Zhao (Return to Youth, California Institute of the Arts and 2022 Gotham EDU Film and Media Career Development program graduate).

With the critical support of returning partners JetBlue and Focus Features as well as Soho House, The Gotham aims to discover and empower a diverse group of emerging filmmakers as well as foster multi-platform distribution of their work through the annual program.

“With both extraordinary talent and vision, these students have demonstrated clear command of the craft that will take them all very far on their filmmaking journeys,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “We’re thrilled to recognize each of them at the upcoming Gotham Awards Ceremony and are grateful for the support of our faithful partners JetBlue, Focus Features, and Soho House.”

“The overwhelming response from applicants for the Short Film Showcase has been really inspiring to see and a great indication of today’s vibrant up-and-coming filmmaking community,” said Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski and Vice Chairman Jason Cassidy (a new member of The Gotham’s Board of Directors) in a joint statement. “In a year where we received a record number of submissions from a record number of universities, we could not be more excited to continue this partnership with The Gotham and JetBlue and look forward to discovering the industry’s next generation of talented storytellers.”

The fifth annual Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase received projects from 34 graduate film schools, more than half of the graduate film programs in the United States. A special jury of filmmakers, curators, and critics – including Opal H. Bennett (Executive Producer, POV Shorts and Senior Producer, POV), Jesse Trussell (Programmer, Brooklyn Academy of Music), and Maria Altamirano (Producer) – selected the five winning filmmakers, who will be recognized during the 2023 Gotham Awards Ceremony, taking place live and in person on Monday, November 27, 2023 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Each winner will receive a $10,000 grant and will have their films shown for twelve months on JetBlue’s seatback entertainment systems under the “Gotham Selects” movie category and on Focus Features digital streaming platforms. Throughout 2024, the winning filmmakers will also receive ongoing mentorship and workshopping opportunities from The Gotham.

This year’s participating schools include American Film Institute Conservatory, Beaconhouse National University (Lahore, Pakistan), California Institute of the Arts, Chapman University, City College of New York, Columbia College Chicago, Columbia University, DePaul University, Emerson College, Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema (Brooklyn College), Florida State University, Full Sail University, Loyola Marymount University, MIT Sloan School of Management, New York Film Academy, NYU, Ohio University, San Francisco State University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Southern California Institute of Architecture, Stanford University, Stony Brook University, Syracuse University, Temple University, The City College of New York (CUNY), The New School, The University of Texas at Austin, UCLA, University of North Carolina Wilmington, University of California Santa Cruz, University of California.,Los Angeles, University of Central Florida, University of Miami, University of New Orleans, USC Cinematic Arts, and Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Kevin Haefelin’s The Fuse was previously shortlisted for the 2023 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards. Mel Sangyi Zhao is a 2022 graduate of the Gotham EDU Film and Media Career Development program graduate. The winners of the first annual Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase included Saim Sadiq, the writer and director of Joyland, the film selected as the Pakistani entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with The Gotham Film & Media Institute for a fifth year as we believe that entertainment is more than an opportunity for enjoyment, but another avenue for discovery, education and connection to the world,” said Mariya Stoyanova, director of product development, JetBlue. “At JetBlue, we champion stories that inspire humanity and look forward to amplifying these award-winning films as we feature them on our seatback entertainment screens.”

Jo Addy, Global Film Director for Soho House said,  “As an organization, bringing together and supporting creatives is in our DNA. We’re delighted to support The Gotham and this remarkable program. At Soho House locations across North America, we’re excited to screen these short films from young filmmakers who are just starting their careers.”

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