December 6, 2016
Los Angeles, CA – The Directors Guild of America today announced the winners of the 2016 DGA Student Film Awards for African American, Asian American, Latino and Women directors. The awards are designed to honor, encourage and bring attention to exceptional diverse directors in film schools and select universities across the country.
“The DGA Student Film Awards recognize talented new student filmmakers, and we congratulate this year’s exceptional recipients,” said DGA President Paris Barclay. “The DGA is committed to calling attention to new talent and encouraging greater inclusion in the entertainment industry. It’s not an accident that many of our past winners have made their marks on our business. We look forward to seeing what these awardees do next.”
The 2016 winners, selected by blue ribbon DGA member panels, are:
Best African American Student Filmmakers:
West Region
- Award Winner: Jackson Young of AFI for Trouble Man
- Jury Award: Rachel Bass of Chapman University for Black Magic
East Region
- Award Winner: Kevin Giles of Drexel University for The Blaise EP
- Jury Award: Daniella Hobbs of Ithaca College for The City of Good Neighbors
Best Asian American Student Filmmakers:
West Region
- Award Winner: Auden Bui of USC for The Lost City of Tomorrow
- Jury Award: Yizhou Xu of Art Center College of Design for Shop of Eternal Life
East Region
- Award Winner: Yudho Aditya of Columbia University for Pria
- Jury Award: Christina Liao of School of Visual Arts for My Grandma's House
Best Latino Student Filmmakers:
West Region
- Award Winner: Juan Martinez Vera of USC for SPARK
- Jury Award: Santiago Paladines of AFI for The Fare
East Region
- Award Winner: Jimmy Keyrouz of Columbia University for Nocturne in Black
- Jury Award: Ivo Huahua of Florida State University for Stutter
Best Women Student Filmmakers:
West Region
- Award Winner: Kelly Pike of UCLA for Owen
- Jury Award: Mia Niebruegge of AFI for Snowplow
East Region
- Award Winner: Ugla Hauksdóttir of Columbia University for How Far She Went
- Jury Award: Hannah Engelson of Emerson College for Jonah Stands Up
The DGA Student Film Awards have highlighted dozens of African-American, Asian-American, Latino and Women filmmakers over the years. A number of past winners have gone on to enjoy successful directing careers, including:
- Jon M. Chu (G.I. Joe: Retaliation; Justin Bieber: Never Say Never; The LXD: The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers; Step Up 3D)
- Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station; Creed)
- Nicole Kassell (The Following; The Killing; The Americans; Suits; The Closer; Cold Case; The Woodsman)
- Patricia Riggen (The 33; Lemonade Mouth; Under the Same Moon)
- Sylvain White (Hawaii Five-0; Person of Interest; Covert Affairs; CSI: Miami; Stomp the Yard)
The awards require that competing films must have been made in the 2015/2016 school year (September 2015 through August 2016), and must have been produced as a student project under the supervision of a faculty member – with students holding every major crew position. Dramas, comedies and documentaries are all eligible – animated and experimental films are not eligible. Applicants must be enrolled in, or be a recent (within one year) graduate from an accredited post-secondary institution in California or DGA-selected university offering a degree in film or television.
West Region award-winning films were screened as part of the awards presentation ceremony at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Los Angeles on November 10, 2016 (click here for photos from that event). The East Region screenings and ceremony will take place at the Directors Guild of America Theater in New York on December 15, 2016.