Visitors to the 15th Annual Dusty Film Festival and Awards May 3-6, 2004 will have the opportunity to attend the screenings of over 100 films by graduating seniors in the Film, Video and Animation Department at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City. In addition to numerous lighthearted animations and comedies, some of the films this year carry emotional weight, including the painful loss of a parent, the unfair treatment of a New York City resident during the aftermath of 9/11, and an animated personal journey about sexual identity and finding ones comfort zone.
Animation senior Morgan Jacobson created FISH KISS, a tale that portrays a personal girl-into-adulthood journey through beautifully hand-drawn sketches that come to life and evolve along with the films story.
At the annual Dustys Film Festival and Awards, graduating students from SVAs Film, Video and Animation Department are recognized for their outstanding achievements with four days of star treatment at the annual Dusty event. The festival kicks off with a three-day viewing feast of short films, videos and traditional animations, offering many students their first shot at showing their films on a big screen in front of a large audience.
On the fourth and final day of the festival, notable presenters from the film industry honor the students at an evening awards ceremony and bring the festival to a close with a gala reception.
Each year, Outstanding Achievement awards are presented in the following categories: screenwriting, cinematography, video, editing, directing, film, acting, traditional animation and stop-motion animation.
Reeves Lehmann chair of the Film, Video and Animation Department at SVA said, Fifteen years ago we set out to create a ceremony that would showcase student achievement to the New York film, animation and television community. The event is more than an awards and festival program. It has evolved into a major venue for producers, agents, directors, and industry people to meet the next generation of talent. Today, we find that more and more people are eager to meet our students and see their films.
The Dusty Film Festival and Awards began in 1990 after the Film, Video and Animation Department discovered a need to bring its yearly screenings of student films to a larger audience. It was named Dusty after the nickname given to SVA founder/chairman, Silas H. Rhodes during World War II.
2004 Festival Schedule:* May 3 5: Screenings at Loews, 34th Street, 312 West 34th Street, Noon to 11:00 pm* May 3: Screenwriters Night, Century Center for the Performing Arts, 111 East 15th Street at 6:00 pm* May 6: Awards ceremony and gala reception at Astor Plaza, 1515 Broadway, 7:00 pm
Film screenings are free and open to the public. To request tickets to the Awards Ceremony and Gala call (212) 592-2195.
School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City is an established leader and innovator in the education of artists. From its inception in 1947, the College has instituted numerous educational innovations, including the selection of professionals working in the arts and art-related fields as instructors.
