We are proud to present NYU@SFF, our inaugural program presented in association with NYU Tisch School of the Arts.  Working with student filmmakers, producers, curators, professors and alumni to create a program of films and events at this year’s festival, The SFF is thrilled to provide a showcase for NYU Tisch filmmakers to share their work, ideas and vision in our community.  The 14th Annual Sarasota Film Festival runs from April 13, 2012 through April 22, 2012.

The partnership between The SFF and NYU Tisch School of the Arts presents a unique opportunity for NYU Tisch School of the Arts students to work with the SFF in multiple disciplines, from filmmaking and film curation to non-profit arts management.  In return, the Festival provides an important interdisciplinary platform for members of our community and the film industry to engage with outstanding films from NYU Tisch School of The Arts students and alumni.

“We are aware of the global reach of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and we are proud that they have chosen our festival as a home for their filmmakers,” says Sarasota Film Festival Board President Mark Famiglio.  “Over the past several years, we have developed a vibrant relationship with NYU Tisch School of the Arts and we are excited to announce this formal partnership," Famiglio continued.

"I am very proud of the MFA and combination MBA/MFA students who have taken on this project with such enthusiasm," says SFF Board Member and Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Film Adjunct Professor Robert Warren.  "Their passion for programming such a thoughtful series of films will be reflected in the success of the partnership."

When responding to the question of how the festival partnership benefits the Tisch School, Dean Mary Schmidt Campbell responded, “Our collaboration with Sarasota has been an unparalleled experience for our students. It has given them the opportunity to curate a festival, as well as showcase their own stories to a new audience. We look forward to this inaugural program and many to come.”

NYU@SFF FILMS:

BELLA FLEACE GAVE A PARTY

BLEACHED

DARK HORSE

DEATH

DORIS AND THE INTERN

FAITH, LOVE AND WHISKEY

HER SEAT IS VACANT

LITTLE HORSES

NASCEU MARIA

PLAY YOUR PART

SHERMAN

TWO LADIES AND GENTLEMAN

Coordinating NYU Tisch School of the Arts Student and Faculty:

Tati Barrantes, MFA in Directing/Producing at Tisch

Maria Dyer, MFA in Directing at Tisch

Shruti Ganguly, MBA/MFA in Producing at Stern/Tisch

Claire Harlam, MBA/MFA in Producing at Stern/Tisch

Shripriya Mahesh, MFA in Directing at Tisch

Kiandra Parks, MFA in Directing at Tisch

Ryan Silbert, MFA in Producing/Directing at Tisch

Robert Warren, Faculty and Tisch Dean's Council

Joyce Wu, MFA in Directing at Tisch

To demonstrate the breadth of the talent of Tisch filmmakers, the previously announced SFF Opening Film, Centerpiece Film and Closing Night Film each have a Tisch alumnus instrumental in its making. The Opening Night Film, ROBOT & FRANK, is written by alumnus Chris Ford; the Centerpiece Film, DARK HORSE, is written and directed by alumnus Todd Solondz and the Closing Night film, UNDER AFRICAN SKIES, is produced by alumnus Justin Wilkes.

About Tisch School of the Arts
For more than 40 years, Tisch School of the Arts has drawn on the vast resources of New York City and New York University to create an extraordinary training ground for the individual artist and scholar of the arts. Students learn their craft in a spirited, risk-taking environment that combines the professional training of a conservatory with the liberal arts education of a major research university. As one of the nation’s leading centers of undergraduate and graduate study in the performing and cinematic arts, Tisch offers programs of study that incorporate state-of-the-art facilities; a collaboratively oriented community of award-winning faculty members; internship opportunities with established professionals; and the incomparable artistic and cultural resources of New York City. Learn more at www.tisch.nyu.edu