2008 DGA Student Film Awards Winners Announced

The DGA recently announced the winners of the 2008 DGA Student Film Awards for African American, Asian American, Latino and women filmmakers. The awards are designed to honor, encourage and bring attention to outstanding minority and women directors in film schools and select universities across the country.

“These awards spotlight promising new directors from film schools and universities across the country,” said DGA President Michael Apted. “We’re honored to call attention to these exciting young filmmakers and encourage diversity in the entertainment industry at the same time. We look forward to seeing more of their work in the future.”

The 2008 winners, selected by blue ribbon DGA member panels, are:

BEST AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT FILMMAKER:

East Coast:

• Winner: William Sutphin of Columbia University
  for Uncle Killa

West Coast:

• Winner: Hezekiah Lewis of UCLA
  for Warrior Queen
• Honorable Mention: Anthony Onah
  of UCLA for The Cure
  

BEST ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT FILMMAKER:

East Coast:

• Winner: Wei-Hsin Yang of Columbia University
  for Passing Fancy

West Coast

• Winner: Ching-Yao Koh of Academy of Art
  for Overnight, a Rose
• Honorable Mention: Ross Ching of San Diego State
  University for The Perfect Frame
  

BEST LATINO STUDENT FILMMAKER:

East Coast:

• Winner: Marco Garcia of North Carolina School
  of the Arts for 1915

West Coast:

• Winner: Adriana Montenegro of UCLA
  for From the Core
• Honorable Mention: Roberto Gudino of University of
  Arizona for Below the Fold: The Pulitzer that Defined Latino Journalism

BEST WOMAN STUDENT FILMMAKER:

East Coast:

• Winner: Elina Fessa of Columbia University
  for Still Water

West Coast:

• Winner: Miranda Yousef of UCLA f
  or Collectibles
• Honorable Mention: Alexandra Fisher of UCLA
  for Desert Wedding

The awards rules and procedures mandate that competing films must have been made in the 2007/2008 school year (September 2007 through August 2008), and must have been produced as a student project under the supervision of a faculty member. Dramas, comedies and documentaries are all eligible — animated and experimental films are not. Applicants must be enrolled in, or be a recent (one year) graduate from, an accredited post-secondary institution in California or DGA-selected university offering a degree in film or television. Eligible films are those in which a student held every major crew position. Productions in which a non-student, professional or a faculty member served as cinematographer, camera operator, sound recordist, editor, lighting designer or screenwriter may be disqualified. 

The award-winning films will be screened and the awards presented in ceremonies on the East Coast and West Coast at the Directors Guild of America theaters.