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Films have the power to change our culture. And the filmmakers who tell these stories can also have a significant impact on our industry and communities. The 2025 Changemaker Award winners embody this spirit of impact, and that’s why we’re proud to announce that this year’s Film Independent Changemaker Awards are going to Andrew Ahn, Aaron T. Edmonds and Jomo Fray.

Andrew Ahn is a queer Korean American filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His film The Wedding Banquet premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and his films Fire Island, Driveways and Spa Night have premiered at festivals like Sundance and Berlinale and have won numerous awards including the John Cassavetes Film Independent Spirit Award. He has served as a mentor for Pacific Arts Movement’s Reel Voices, Outfest’s OutSet and the Sundance Institute’s Native Filmmaker Lab.

Aaron T. Edmonds is Vice President of Film at Hartbeat.

Imagine Entertainment today announced the launch of the second edition of its short film competition, “From Minutes to Movies ShortFest,” in partnership with The Film Zone, Stand Together and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (McAad). It is now open for submissions.

Themed “American Dreaming,” the festival invites U.S.-based creators to submit original works exploring personal interpretations of the “American Dream”—inspirational and aspirational stories grounded in contribution and community, hope and hardship, reinvention and resilience.

Submissions will be accepted in all formats, from scripted to unscripted, widescreen to vertical. In partnership with the award-winning content company Portal A and their Moonshots program – where Portal A invests in emerging creators and independent creative work – the first-place winner gets the chance to have a project developed, funded and produced by Imagine, Stand Together, and Portal A via a Moonshot Grant. The top three winners will also receive...

“Single Residence Occupancy,” a creative short from creators Omer Ben-Shachar and Belinda Huijuan Tang, has been named the first-place winner of the From Minutes to Movies ShortFest competition.

The social-first short film festival from Imagine Entertainment, Adobe and The Film Zone received almost 4,000 submissions and encouraged filmmakers and creators looking to cross over into longer formats to reach new audiences.

“Single Residence Occupancy” is about a Chinese immigrant living in cramped confines with her family when her application for better housing is denied, leaving her to grapple with how to share the news with her children. Imagine Entertainment will mentor creators Ben-Shachar and Tang on how to develop this short-form concept into a series or feature for distribution. As the first-place winners, they will be awarded with a cash prize of $7,500.

“Single Residence Occupancy”

“As proven by the amazing entries into the inaugural From Minutes to Movies Shortfest, the next...

Exclusive: Some high-profile jurors will be selecting winners for the 20th edition of the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival.

Among those on board to adjudicate for the festival, which runs from August 8-18 at the TLC Chinese Theater in Hollywood: Rachel Brosnahan; Rosario Dawson; Tyrese Gibson (Fast & Furious franchise); Matthew Modine; David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil); actor-director Alex Winter; Adrienne Barbeau; Danny Pino; Josh Hamilton; Peter Macon; Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel), Sarah Shahi; Jon Huertas; Samuel Arnold (Emily in Paris), among others. [Scroll for complete list of jurors]

Former NBA great Metta Sandiford-Artest (Metta World Peace) will serve as...

Exterior. Establishing: Film Independent HQ. Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. Prelap the sounds of passionate conversation and laughter. Cut To: Interior, Conference Room, Film Independent HQ. Seven new screenwriting Fellows are arrayed around a table, the Hollywood Sign visible on the distant hills outside the window. They’re here to develop six deeply personal and wholly original feature film projects under the steady guiding hand of Film Independent’s Screenwriting Lab. A fun, creative, safe space.

The End.

(Roll credits)

Sorry–we wish our story could’ve been longer but there wasn’t really any dramatic conflict at the Screenwriting Lab this year, just a lot of productive discussion and writing workshops with lead creative advisors Javier Fuentes-León, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, Jessica Sharzer, Jeff Stockwell and Christopher Makoto Yogi. Additional guest speakers and advisors include Ruth Atkinson, Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Bridget Savage Cole, Lauren Craniotes, Ellie Foumbi, Priyanka Kapoor, Danielle Krudy,...

Exclusive: Film Independent has named Omer Ben Shachar, Mary Dauterman, Mg Evangelista, Naomi Iwamoto, Thomas Kivney, Juan Paulo Laserna and Jhanvi Motla as the screenwriters selected for the 26th edition of its Screenwriting Lab, an intensive program designed to provide individualized story and career development for screenwriters with fiction feature scripts.

Over the course of the program, Fellows will workshop their projects under the guidance of creative advisors Javier Fuentes-León, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, Jessica Sharzer, Jeff Stockwell and Christopher Makoto Yogi. Additional guest speakers and advisors will include Ruth Atkinson, Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Bridget Savage Cole, Lauren Craniotes, Ellie Foumbi, Priyanka Kapoor, Danielle Krudy, Amanda Marshall, Josh Peters, Jon Schumacher, Ellen Shanman, Lauren Shelton and Caddy Vanasirikul.

“We are honored to provide the tools and support necessary for these exceptional filmmakers to propel their projects and careers forward,” said Dea Vazquez, Associate Director of Fiction Programs for Film Independent.

Please consider this edition of Fiscal Spotlight a public service announcement warning you that there are a mere eight days remaining before Valentine’s Day. Cutting it close for any truly bigass plans, but still plenty of time to pick up chalky Russell Stovers and mass-manufactured fluffy teddy bear squishies from Cvs. And yes, you’ll need to buy a card and figure out yet another way to poeticize and artfully obfuscate the same basic premise: “Thank you for not valuing your autonomous personhood enough to leave me, which would thus double the cost of many of my critical domestic financial obligations.”

Just kidding! We love love. We’re nice people who love our partners and pets, of course, but as connoisseurs of the arts we also love love as the animating dramatic element in our favorite stories, songs and celebrity TikTok meltdowns. Which is why for this most amorous...

Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, has selected 30 filmmakers for Project Involve 2023 and with a renewed partnership with Laika Studios expanded the stop-motion animation track into a two-year program, selecting five filmmakers.

Project Involve is a free nine-month program for writers, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, programmers and entertainment executives from diverse backgrounds. During the program, participants meet one-on-one with film industry mentors, create short films and attend master workshops taught by top film professionals and industry networking events.

Now in its 30th year, Project Involve fosters the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry. Alumni include Andrew Ahn (Fire Island), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Linda Yvette Chávez, Marvin Lemus and Aaliyah Williams (Gentefied), Effie T. Brown (The Inspection), Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) and Justin Simien (Dear White People).

“We’re elated to welcome the 2023 Project Involve Fellows...

Director Omer Ben-Shachar’s short film/music video hybrid for Claudio Olachea’s Down Here sees a strange dystopian world where people wonder the streets donning identical masks that allow them to blend in amongst one another. The short focuses on one individual in this society, Elijah, who finds himself desperately trying to comply with these rules until an ounce of doubt begins to creep in. Ben-Shachar’s story is one of identity and performance, questioning the role metaphorical masks play in our real world. The masks in Ben-Shachar’s world have disconcerting look to them with an uncomfortable angular smoothness to their design, this characteristic is carried into the overall look and feel of the short too which proves a compelling companion to Olachea’s track. Dn spoke with Ben-Shachar about his ongoing collaboration with Olachea, the natural evolution from sci-fi to horror that Down Here took, and the...

This ranking of the Top 50 film schools of 2020 first appeared in TheWrap’s fifth annual College Issue.

The American Film Institute Conservatory finished as the top film school in the U.S. in TheWrap’s fifth annual ranking of programs, just ahead of previous No. 1, USC. And while the Top 10 remained fairly consistent from past years, three schools — AFI, Chapman and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts — posted their highest-ever finishes. Meanwhile, Biola University returned to the list after dropping off last year, and Pepperdine made it into our rankings for the first time.

The Wrap’s annual ranking of film schools was determined by an anonymous poll of more than 2,000 entertainment industry insiders, educators, deans, filmmakers and film pundits, along with experts tasked with evaluating each school.

Yes, the list compares apples and oranges, mixing undergraduate and graduate programs and including schools with more than 1,000 students...

In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix announced the premiere date for its upcoming drama series “Away” and Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes announced their new podcast “Smartless” will premiere in July.

Dates

Netflix has announced “Away” will premiere on Sept. 4. The upcoming drama series follows American astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank) as she prepares to lead an international crew on the first mission to Mars, but she must first reconcile her decision to leave behind her husband (Josh Charles) and teenage daughter (Talitha Bateman) when they need her the most. “Away” is created by Andrew Hinderaker and is executive produced by showrunner Jessica Goldberg, Jason Katims, Matt Reeves, Hinderaker, Edward Zwick, Adam Kassan, Jeni Mulein and Swank. Watch the teaser below.

First Looks

Netflix has released a trailer for “Street Food Latin America.” The docuseries will explore countries including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Bolivia, highlighting...

Warner Bros Television Group on Tuesday revealed the 12 directors selected for the 2020 Warner Bros Television Directors’ Workshop, which will be held virtually this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The redesigned program has been condensed into two weeks (from the usual nine) of online learning, with lectures led by co-teachers Bethany Rooney and Mary Lou Belli along with various showrunners, directors, cinematographers and editors. The practical directing work normally done on Warners’ sets will now be done using co-habitating actors, with the directors work with them remotely.

The program launched in 2013 with the aim to directors from other creative fields for the transition to TV, and to spur equity and inclusion by providing opportunities for female helmers and those from underrepresented groups. It has seen 100% of the graduates from the past four classes go on to direct episodes of Warner Bros–produced series. Alums include Pamela Romanowsky, Marcus Stokes, Jennifer Phang,...

Exclusive: BAFTA Los Angeles has unveiled the participants for the latest edition of its Newcomers Program, which provides support to emerging international artists and industry professionals.

In 2018 the initiative was opened up to talents beyond the UK, and this year’s crop hail from countries including Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa and Turkey. Scroll down for the full list.

Since launching in 2007, the initiative has spotlighted the legacy of UK talents moving to the U.S. to expand their knowledge, develop their skills, and expand their network of peers. It includes professional networking opportunities, peer matching with others who have recently moved to the U.S., curated educational programming including BAFTA Briefing sessions, and access to BAFTA’s wider professional development event schedule including the BAFTA Insights series.

There are 25 new participants this year, taking the overall number on the four-year program to 71.

The...

“I think storytelling is really our hope because there is such divisiveness right now in the world. And, I think that stories enable us to hear each other and see different sides of an experience,” documentarian Rory Kennedy told Variety at the 2019 Student Academy Awards on Thursday at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Kennedy was one of the five presenters for this year’s Student Academy Awards — along with Melina Matsoukas, Gregory Nava, Phil Lord and Chris Miller — which honored 16 student winners from colleges and universities around the world.

While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has existed since 1929, the student academy wasn’t founded until 1972 in an effort to encourage student filmmakers while acknowledging them for telling stories that do more than just entertain. Robert Zemeckis, Spike Lee and Patricia Riggen were past Student Academy Award recipients.

Kennedy praised this year’s “extraordinary winners,” saying,...

Updated with medals awarded: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Miller & Son from the American Film Institute’s Asher Jelinsky the gold medal in the Narrative domestic category at the 46th Student Academy Awards. It was won of seven golds handed out during the medalists ceremony at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The Academy last month selected 16 winners of the annual Student Academy Awards, chosen from 1,615 entries from 255 domestic and 105 international colleges and universities. The wins make them eligible to compete for this year’s Oscar competition in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Subject categories.

Past winners have garnered 62 Oscar nominations and won or shared 12 awards.

The medals were handed out Thursday by presenters Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Melina Matsoukas, Gregory Nava and Rory Kennedy.

First-timers on this year’s list included for Ecole Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne in Switzerland,...

Students at the American Film Institute lead the way for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s annual Student Academy Awards.

The Academy named 16 students as winners on Thursday, including three in the narrative category from AFI. The competition received 1,615 entrants from 255 domestic and 105 international colleges and universities, the Academy said.

AFI was the only school to take more than one award. AFI students Asher Jelinsky (“Miller & Son”), Hao Zheng (“The Chef”) and Omer Ben-Shachar took home awards in the narrative category. Last year, the University of Southern California was the only school to take home more than one award, with four.

Also Read: New Academy President on the Next Oscars: 'I Don't Think We Need to Be Changing the Show'

Winners of the Student Academy Awards are eligible to compete for Oscars in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Subject category. Past...

The lineup for the 23rd annual Urbanworld Film Festival was announced Friday, with Tony-award winning broadway actor Cynthia Erivo and Emmy award-winning director Roger Ross Williams making appearances at the event, which is geared towards representing and celebrating diverse, international voices in film, music videos, television, screenplays and shorts.

Director and co-writer Kasi Lemmons will open the festival Sept 18 with her Focus Features biopic “Harriet,” following the influential life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman who led slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. Following the screening, star Erivo, Lemmons and executive producers Debra Martin Chase and Daniela Taplin Lundberg will discuss the film with CBS This Morning Saturday’s Michelle Miller moderating. Lemmons is this year’s festival ambassador.

Other notable films include HBO’s documentary “The Apollo,” which features archival footage to chronicle the history of Harlem’s landmark venue the Apollo Theater. A Q&a with director Williams and...

Jeremy Merrifield’s “Balloon,” Carolina Markowicz’s “The Orphan” and Siqi Song’s “Sister” have won the top awards at the 2019 HollyShorts Film Festival, which handed out its awards on Saturday Night at the Harmony Gold in Hollywood.

Those three films won in categories that automatically qualify a short for the Best Animated Short or Best Live-Action Short categories at this year’s Academy Awards.

“Balloon” stars Jonah Beres and Paul Scheer is the story of a high schooler who discovers he has super powers. The film, made at the American Film Institute, is also a finalist at the 2019 Student Academy Awards.

Also Read: 2019 ShortList Film Festival Finalists Announced: Watch and Vote for the Winner!!

“The Orphan” is based on true stories and deals with a teen orphan given up by his adoptive parents for being too effeminate.

“Sister,” which is also a finalist in TheWrap’s ShortList Film Festival,...

If you’re one of the filmmakers who supplied some 5,600 submissions to the 2019 Palm Springs International Shortfest, the stakes were high. Not only because Shortfest offers the only short-film market in North America; or, because 369 of those films were selected for juried screenings to an audience of more than 700 over June 18-23.

Those functions matter, but as the world’s biggest short-film festival, Shortfest also draws talent agents, production executives, and producers who are keenly aware that, beyond identifying early talent, short-form content holds tremendous value in the current market. Yes, the Sundance Film Festival is still the best way to get films seen by Hollywood — but in a world that’s (re)discovering the virtues of short-form content, there’s something sexy about an event entirely devoted to its celebration.

While short films have always provided fodder for features, today they’re more likely to fuel web or TV series.

If you’re one of the filmmakers who supplied some 5,600 submissions to the 2019 Palm Springs International Shortfest, the stakes were high. Not only because Shortfest offers the only short-film market in North America; or, because 369 of those films were selected for juried screenings to an audience of more than 700 over June 18-23.

Those functions matter, but as the world’s biggest short-film festival, Shortfest also draws talent agents, production executives, and producers who are keenly aware that, beyond identifying early talent, short-form content holds tremendous value in the current market. Yes, the Sundance Film Festival is still the best way to get films seen by Hollywood — but in a world that’s (re)discovering the virtues of short-form content, there’s something sexy about an event entirely devoted to its celebration.

While short films have always provided fodder for features, today they’re more likely to fuel web or TV series.