ACTING & FILM SCHOOL

Photography and Film School Around the World: Get Aboard the Queen Mary 2!

New York Film Academy Summer 2010 Recap

As Labor Day nears, the New York Film Academy, is officially wrapping up our summer programs. We had a great time at all of our locations - New York City, Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Harvard University, Disney, Japan, Paris and Florence - and are grateful to our host campuses for helping us bring film and acting education to all corners of the world. We were especially happy to receive so much positive feedback from the tweens and teens who decided to spend their summer learning at our Film and Acting Camps. It was a pleasure working with all of you!

Over the course of the summer we had some great guest speakers. Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, (Doubt, Capote, Magnolia), and legendary director Abel Ferrara, (Bad Lieutenant, King of New York), each took time out to meet and speak with our students. We were also lucky enough to have director Doug Liman, (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Bourne Identity, Swingers), come in as a guest speaker as well.

We are also proud to report a successful first summer at the New York Film Academy Café at Astor Place in downtown Manhattan. In the past few months, we’ve expanded our selection from Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea to a variety of snacks, pastries and now crepes. We encourage everyone to come visit!

Over the past week, the faculty and staff of the New York Film Academy have proudly watched several of our classes graduate. The screenings of student film and acting work were both rewarding and bittersweet. While it’s a great feeling to see how far our students have come over the part year or two of study, it’s never easy to see everyone go.

With the departure of our summer 2010 graduates, come the arrival of several new classes of NYFA students. We welcome all our new students and look forward to working with you to strengthen your various crafts.

Here’s to a good fall at the New York Film Academy!

NYFA and Nollywood: A Love Story

The New York Film Academy seeks to support blossoming film industries all over the world. This past spring, NYFA ran a one month program in Nigeria in collaboration with Nigerian media and communications company Del York International to teach filmmaking and acting to Nigerian citizens. Since working with Del York International, we have been happy to hear more and more about the growth of Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry.

Increasingly, filmmakers in Nigeria have begun to focus on making fewer, higher quality films with strong scripts and better production values, instead of churning out several cheaply-made movies in a year. By investing in the quality of the films, Nollywood has a chance to send them to theaters and increase artistic standards in the industry. Movies that have a theater run also have the opportunity to earn money in the cinema before being sent to DVD to inevitably pirated.

Education and the rise of the Nigerian film industry have been closely tied. At least three New York Film Academy alums have successfully broken artistic ground in Nollywood.  Kunle Afolayan did the practically unheard of and reportedly made a good profit on The Figurine’s theater run, his latest full-length film. NYFA Acting School alum Stephanie Okereke wrote, directed and starred in Looking Through the Glass. She received excellent reviews for her work in the relatively high-budget picture. Along with Afolayan and Okereke, New York Film Academy alum released Chineze Anyaene Ije this summer. The film is reputedly one of the best films ever to emerge from Nollywood.

Nollywood’s rapid growth is truly impressive. We are looking forward to hearing more about the work of New York Film Academy alums from our Del York International collaboration. We’re sure you guys are just getting started!

Film School Alum Tatsuhiro Kimijima’s ‘The Magic Rabbit’ Wins Awards Around the World

New York Film Academy Alum Tatsuhiro Kimijima started working on his film, The Magic Rabbit, since 2006, as part of NYFA’s 1 Year Filmmaking Program. Jump into 2010, and the short film he made during class has been nominated for 22 international film festivals and won 8 so far, listed below.

Awards:

- Director’s Choice Award @ Rincon IFF (USA)
- Golden Palm Award @ Mexico IFF (MEXICO)
- 2nd Place Experiment @ Skyfest 2009 (USA)
- Award of Merit @ The Indie Fest (USA)
- Award of Merit @ The 2009 Accolade Competition (USA)
- Special Jury Award @ 2009 Yosemite IFF (USA)
- Gold Kahuna Award @ 2010 Honolulu IFF (USA)
- Award of Excellence @ 2010 Canada International Film Festival

Screened and nominated:
- London independent Film Festival 2009 (UK)
- Polar Film Festival (Truku, FINLAND)
- Fast Forward Film Festival (London, UK)
- Portello River Film Festival (ITALY)
- CinemadaMare (ITALY)
- Action on Film Festival (USA)
- The BuSho Film Festival 9.3 (HUNGARY)
- Southern Appalachian International Film Festival (USA)
- Bogota Film Festival (COLOMBIA)
- International Film Festival of Patras City (GREECE)
- FESANCOR 2009 (CHILI)
- Nimbin Film Festival (Australia)
- 48th Malta International Film Festival (Malta)
- 2nd Sundial Film Festival (USA)

The film follows a blind woman walking through New York. Though in reality the woman travels alone, a rabbit doll is her imaginary guide as she travels the city. One day, the protagonist suddenly regains her vision and is greeted by another surprise as she retraces her steps through New York. Another member of the NYFA family, Clarissa Hagan of the Acting Program stars as the blind young woman

The next screening of The Magic Rabbit, (possibly its last screening, according to Kumijima), will be at the Burbank International Film Festival, starting September 10th. Support our alum and pick up a Magic Rabbit t-shirt or tote on the film’s website.

Miss Universe Bienvenida al New York Film Academy!

The New York Film Academy would like to congratulate the new Miss Universe and welcome her to the NYFA family!

Last night, Jimena Navarrete, Miss Mexico, was crowned Miss Universe 2010 at the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jimena out-shined 82 other contestants for the coveted title and prizes.

Amongst other awards, the new Miss Universe will receive a scholarship to the New York Film Academy. NYFA is proud to sponsor all the ambitious and beautiful young women who compete in the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants.

Jimena, we are looking forward to meeting you and wishing you good luck on your exciting year ahead!