2018 FILM STUDIES PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS A very special thank you to Bruce Heavin & Lynda Weinman for making this program possible.

Adrianna Fujii is currently finishing up her second year of college at Amer- ican River College, a community college in Sacramento, California. In the fall of 2018, she will be transferring to a UC to study Communications and Film. She has always loved film as a form of storytelling and is interested in pursuing many avenues of filmmaking including screenwriting, directing, and producing. It’s impossible for her to choose her favorite film but among them are The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Nightcrawler, and La La Land. She also has an affinity for children’s films, and a few of her favorites are Fantastic Mr. Fox, Zootopia, and The Incredibles. Aside from film, Adrianna is also passion- ate about music and cooking.

Alex Brown is a Senior at the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He is majoring in Motion Picture Production with a minor in Business. He is interested, primarily, in writing and directing dramedy films. Alex believes dramedy is a unique genre that best represents life’s highs and lows and has the potential to have the most personal impact on its viewers. Outside of film, Alex enjoys traveling, pho- tography, watching Hulu, hiking and kayaking. His ultimate goal is to own a social good film production company that helps those impacted by home- lessness.

Alex Foo is a student at Columbia University in the City of New York studying Art History. He was previously part of the Singapore International Film Festi- val’s Youth Jury and Critics Program. Apart from film, Alex enjoys the theater, art, admiring Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett’s faces, and watching cook- ing shows but not actually cooking. Alex’s favorite films include All About My Mother, Happy Together, and as of late, Lady Bird. Alex Wilson is a sophomore at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savan- nah, Georgia. He is studying Advertising and Branding with a concentration in Copywriting. Ideally, he would like to be a writer for commercials after col- lege. Alex is interested in most aspects of film but especially cinematography and screenwriting. In his free time, Alex enjoys photography and drawing. A couple of Alex’s favorite films are Forrest Gump and La La Land.

Andrew Luftcurrently studies screenwriting at University of Alaska Fair- banks, where he also acts as Managing Editor for Permafrost Magazine. He is originally from Columbus, Ohio—an underdog midwestern city that inspires much of his writing. Andrew has published poetry and nonfiction in the past, but is now working on various film and screenwriting projects. He has recently indulged in Twin Peaks: The Return, The Squid and the Whale, and Some Like It Hot, amongst other features. He hopes to someday write for television and eventually be the showrunner for an original miniseries.

Andrew Nuño is a senior at DePaul University in Chicago studying Commu- nication and Media. Andrew recently completed filming on a short film he co-directed and produced that addresses depression and suicide entitled Little Things that was made in association with the National Alliance on Mental Illness. He has a passion for creating content that addresses mental illness and has had his work featured by various mental health organizations. Earlier this year, he was also selected to pitch his idea for a television show to industry experts from LA. Outside of filmmaking, his interests include pho- tography, being outside, and traveling. He hopes to one day make a living as a content creator. His favorite film is Inception.

Angelica “Angie” Baldelomar is a senior at the University of Kansas studying Film and Media Studies and Journalism. She is originally from Bolivia and came to the United States to pursue her undergraduate degree. As a film- maker, she wants to explore the complexity of human nature through the making of documentaries and the production of narrative films that deal with human resilience. She is particularly interested in screenwriting and the post-production side of filmmaking, especially focusing on the editing pro- cess. Brianna Fisher is a Senior at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina majoring in Electronic Media/Broadcasting with a minor in Manda- rin Chinese. Brianna was adopted from Wuhan, China. She enjoys film and audio production and hopes to one day own her own production house. Along with film, Brianna is an avid reader and musician. Her current favorite film is CoCo.

Charles de Agustin is a filmmaker and artist from Princeton, NJ whose work currently explores contemporary masculinity, boundaries between docu- mentary and performance, and the usage of live video. Recent recognition of his short films includes official selections by the NJ Film Festival and Blow-Up Arthouse Film Festival Chicago, though he has enjoyed making corporate videos since high school. Charles is a co-founder and curator of the Bumblin’ Youngins Undergrad Video Show and this past summer he completed an internship with the Rutgers Film Lab in Mexico City. Most of his time is spent 30 minutes up the Turnpike at the Honors College of Rutgers University–New Brunswick, where he is a sophomore Presidential Scholar double-majoring in philosophy and filmmaking… Oh, and he loves buffalo wings.

Crispin Jay (CJ) Salapare III is a sophomore at Williams College who plans on being an Art History major and Film and Media Studies concentrator. He is interested in the visual arts at large, with focuses on 1980s-era photography and film analysis. CJ would ultimately like to work as a museum curator or as a university professor. His favorite films are Magnolia, Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Ghost Story, and The 400 Blows.

Dominic Dotson is currently a second-year student at Moorpark College. He is beginning the transition to a 4-year university, and hopefully by the fall of 2018 he will be studying media and communications with a focus in film at New York University. Dominic has vast interests in both producing and direct- ing – he most recently won “best short film” at his school, Moorpark College. In addition, he loves to write scripts and stories in his free time. Dominic’s -fa vorites films include: Inception, Gone Girl, Interstellar, Requiem for a Dream, and Nocturnal Animals. It should not be a surprise that his favorite directors are Christopher Nolan and Darren Aronofsky. Outside of film, his passions include writing, cooking, traveling, and modeling. Elijah Solt is a sophomore at the University of Northern Colorado, studying English and Film. Elijah is most interested in writing and directing and as- pires to someday direct his own independent feature films. So far, he has made several award-winning shorts and is hoping to work on more films that focus on issues relating to social justice and equality. You can usually find him jamming to Tame Impala in the car or contemplating the vastness of the universe over a steaming espresso. Beyond filmmaking, his interests include photography, writing, and traveling. His current to do list includes kayaking down the Aldeyjarfoss in Iceland and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. His favorite films at the moment are Synecdoche, New York (dir. Charlie Kaufman) and 8 1/2 (dir. Federico Fellini).

Emma France is a sophomore at Western Michigan University, pursuing a degree in Film, Video, and Media Studies with minors in Sociology and Mar- keting. She is intrigued by all aspects of filmmaking, but is primarily inter- ested in the production and post production processes. Emma aims to work on action & adventure films, with focuses on directing stunt sequences and special effects. Her dream is direct a Marvel film. Aside from film, Emma en- joys rollerblading, geeking out over Star Wars and comic books, and jamming to 80s.

Jennifer Garcia is a junior at The University of Texas at Dallas majoring in Global Business and Marketing. She is a first-generation college student and studied abroad in China this past semester. Her parents are from Mexico and she hopes to help young students in underrepresented communities to achieve a higher education and their dreams. She is currently working on growing her YouTube Channel.

Jessica Johnson is a senior at Chapman University in Orange, California, majoring in Film Studies and Theatre Studies. She is also pursuing her Master of Arts in Film Studies and is interested in all aspects of the industry, par- ticularly journalism and archival. Though she is passionate about all forms of cinema, her primary focus is the history and evolution of the Hollywood blockbuster. Her favorite film is In Bruges. Jordan Crabbe is a Senior at Western Kentucky University, majoring in Film and minoring in Broadcasting and Creative Writing. She is particularly inter- ested in editing and sound design, but also aspires to be a screenwriter and director. Jordan works as a student crew member at WKU-PBS and enjoys camera operating at university sporting events as well as working on the nationally-aired music show, Lost River Sessions. Jordan is also passionate about music and writing, and loves to ride horses in her free time. Some of her favorites movies are Score: A Film Music Documentary, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Brick.

Katie Romanovichis a sophomore at California Lutheran University studying Communication with an emphasis in film and T.V. production. While serv- ing as the Vice-President of the CLU TV & Cinema Production Club, she also works as a production assistant on T.V. shows and specials such as The CW’s “Masters of Illusion” and “The 86th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade.” Katie’s favorite films include Lost in Translation, The Social Network, and Her, with her favorite director being Sofia Coppola. Outside of film, Katie enjoys going to concerts, hiking, binging “Seinfeld,” and going to museums. Katie’s passion for film as a compelling and beautiful medium of storytelling inspires her career goal of bringing creativity to life as a producer or development executive.

KC Schomas is a Junior at the University of Minnesota, pursuing a degree in Studies in Cinema and Media Culture. She is interested in producing and directing, although she loves to learn about all aspects of the filmmaking process. KC wants to create films that challenge the movie status quo, yet are still realistic and genuine. Two directors that KC looks up to are Edgar Wright and Andrea Arnold.

Lisa Stemmons is a senior at Bradley University in Peoria, IL studying public relations, journalism and creative writing. While at school, she keeps busy with her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, and as the entertainment editor for her school paper, the Bradley Scout. Next year, she plans on attending grad school at either USC, Northwestern or Syracuse. After spending a semester in LA, she is eager to join the entertainment industry, although she is unsure in what regard. Currently, Lisa has it “narrowed” down to critiquing films, writing screenplays, post-production editing, comedy and entertainment PR. While she does not have a singular favorite movie, she has seen The Note- book more times than can be counted on both her hands and feet. Maddie Kane is in her final year at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee double majoring in Film Studies and English- Media Studies. In film, she is most interested in pre-production elements such as casting, makeup, hair & costume design, and screenplays. Maddie hopes to be in casting, and she has found experience there in the production of her own plays and her friends’ extracirricular film projects. Other than film, Maddie is interested in theater, poetry, and reality television. Her favorite director is Baz Luhrmann and she cannot choose a favorite among his films.

Mira Saccoccio Winick is a sophomore at UCLA, majoring in Theatre with an emphasis in Directing. She is an aspiring film director and plans to draw upon her passions for social justice activism, to create films that are socially rele- vant and challenge oppressive ideologies. She is particularly interested in the power that storytelling has to create change. Her favorite film is Whale Rider (2002), directed by Niki Caro.

Navarre Megali is a student filmmaker in the Directing program at UNC School of the Arts’ School of Filmmaking. Originally from the west coast, he moved out to North Carolina to discover—and eventually fall in the love with—the singular culture and rich history of the American South. As a deep- ly humanist storyteller with tendencies toward aesthetics of realism and American naturalism, he finds himself focusing on the nexus where identity, culture, and social politics intersect. He homebrews beer instead of meditat- ing, and he writes instead of talking. His favorite film at the moment is Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho.

Railey Zantop-Zimlinghaus is a junior at Bowdoin College, where she ma- jors in Earth and Oceanographic Science and minors in Cinema Studies. She intends to pursue filmmaking, though she is unsure in what capacity. Her interests beyond film include climate change, consent, true crime podcasts, and performing standup comedy for her dog. Airplane! is her favorite movie. Reagan Wells is a junior studying film at the University of Alabama. He is an aspiring film cinematographer who loves collaborating with a range of direc- tors to tell a wide variety of stories. Reagan hopes to work in the camera de- partment of professional film and television sets. He also is a huge Star Wars fan, loves Dungeons and Dragons, and enjoys making experimental film. His favorite film is currently The Truman Show.

Sanah Jivani is a junior at the University of Texas at San Antonio, majoring in Communication and Sociology. She is passionate about creating a world where people feel comfortable being who they are. In particular, Sanah hopes to expand societies definition of beautiful, and create spaces,- es pecially in media and film, where each individual feels represented. She does all of this as the CEO of a non-profit called The Love Your Natural Self Foundation, which she started after losing her hair in the seventh grade and struggling with her own self-image. Currently, her favorite film is Lion.

Sarah Barnett is a sophomore Digital Cinema student at John Brown Univer- sity in Northwest Arkansas. She was born and raised in DFW, TX, but plans to live as many places around the world as possible in her adult life. She loves to listen to, watch, and tell stories. Cinematography and directing are her two favorite elements of filmmaking. Her favorite movies are based in real life with relatable characters. Some of her current top films are Ginger and Rosa, Lady Bird, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, The Big Sick, and Calvary. However, she also loves science fiction and fantasy movies like Arrival and Interstellar, as well as animated films like Song of the Sea and The Emperor’s New Groove. Basically, movies.

Satya Hariharan is a sophomore at Clark College who plans to major in Film and Literature after finishing up his Associates of Arts and transferring to a LA or NYC college. He is especially passionate about cinematography and sound design, and eventually wants direct a television adaptation of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time. His favorite directors include PT Anderson, Wim Wenders, and David Lynch, and the best thing he’s recently seen is between Don’t Shoot the Piano Player and Lady Bird. Outside of film, Satya spends his time reading the works of Raymond Carver, Marcel Proust, and James Joyce, listening to the music of Frank Ocean, and looking through the photograph- ic works of Wolfgang Tillmans. His favorite part about film: it allows him to bring all of his interests together into a singular, disjointed creation. Stefanie Corum is a senior at Middle Tennessee State University and is studying Video and Film Production with a minor in Writing. She is also a board member of the club Women in Film and Television on campus. She is interested in many aspects of filmmaking but is particularly interested in producing, writing, and cinematography. She would like to someday write and produce her own feature film or television show. After film, Stefanie’s other interests include photography, archery, and kayaking. She also enjoys traveling and has studied abroad in both Scotland and the US Virgin Islands. She has many favorite films such as, Stand by Me, How to Train Your Dragon, and Room.

Tori Gellman is a sophomore at The University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, major- ing in English and Creative Writing with a Film Studies minor. She is originally from League City, TX. She is extremely passionate about screenwriting and looks for influence in some of her favorite films, like Juno, Little Miss Sun- shine, and Infinitely Polar Bear. Equal to her love of film is her love of books, her favorite being The Catcher in the Rye. Tori is also a writer for her school newspaper and plays the trombone in the marching band.

Zain Hashmat is a sophomore student at Meridian Community College ma- joring in Film & Philosophy. As an avid lover of movies, Zain’s favorite past time activities revolve around watching films and chatting about them with whoever will listen to his ramblings. As a Christmas movie obsessive, Zain will gladly start a debate with anyone about why The Polar Express is a great movie. Interested in the writing and directing process, Zain hopes to craft stories about minorities and under represented communities where he can hopefully shed light on unique perspectives. Zain is also passionate about photography, theater and piano. His current favorite film is Beasts of the Southern Wild.