UNCSA Drama, D&P, and Film Alums Head to Park City for Premier Film Festivals

By Staff

The streets of Park City, Utah, are crowded this month with the work of students and alumni of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Students and alumni of the schools of Filmmaking, Drama, and Design & Production worked on or appear in eight films screening at the Sundance Film Festival and four films at the alternative Slamdance Film Festival. In addition, a second-year student film will screen at the Windrider International Student Film Festival. All take place in Park City.

Sundance, founded by actor/director/producer Robert Redford, opens Thursday and runs through Jan. 31 and remains Americas’s largest festival for independent films. UNCSA connections to Sundance available at press time include:

Lucas Hedges, a freshman Drama student from New York City, appears in  “Manchester by the Sea”, in the Premieres category. He is the son of Drama alumnus Peter Hedges.

Jennifer Ehle, daughter of UNCSA founder John Ehle and actress Rosemary Harris, appears in two films in the Premieres category: “Fundementals of Caring” and “Little Men”.

David Gordon Green, is one of the writers for “Gost”, based on the controversial novel by Brad Land about fraternity hazing. The James Franco produced film is screening in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category.

“Morris for America”, screening in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category, was written and directed by Chad Hartigan, and the crew includes Sean McElwee, as cinematographer and Nana Kolbinger, as costume designer.

“Dogwalker” will screen in the Shorts 4 category, with 2015 Film graduates Jack Caswell as cinematographer, Isaac Banks as first assistant cameraman, and Josh Ruffner as gaffer. Film senior Scott Siracusano was second assistant cameraman.

Kevin Tadge, was associate editor for “White Girl”, screening in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category.

Kevin Smith’s “Yoga Hosers” (Starring his daughter Harley and Johhny Depp’s progeny Lily-Rose Depp) featuring Depp repeating his “Tusk” role of Guy Lapointe, will screen in the Midnight category. The film includes INCSA’s Clint Buckner, as second assistant director.

Several students and alumni of the School of Filmmaking will attend Sundance, along with Film Dean Susan Ruskin, who will host a panel discussion and luncheon for alumni. The UNCSA School of Filmmaking is a Sundance Film Festival sponsor and an official partner of the Sundance Institute.

Slamdance, billed as “a showcase for raw and innovative filmmaking self-governed by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” takes place Friday through Jan. 28. UNCSA connections available as of press time, include:

“Ceiling Finger”, a 2014 second-year student film by current seniors in the School of Filmmaking, including Sean Kelley as director; Dalton Price, writer, producer and editor; Neil Soffer, co-producer; and Jin Kim, cinematographer. Forest Van Hoose, a 2015 film graduate, is production designer.

“Rotatio”, directed by Ian McClerin and Zach Strum, with Micah Vassau, editor; Jacob Highland, sound designer; John Navarro, production designer; Jack Caswell, cinematographer; and Betsey Brown, in the cast.

“Panty Symphonic”, with Strum as writer, director and animator and Vassau as writer and editor, and a crew that includes Film alumni Ian J. Vogler, Zelda Vyssotskey and Jeffrey Barrett, Austin Taylor, Dylan Zola, current junior Paul Pedziwiater, nd with Sydney Shepherd, a 2013 graduate of the School of Drama, in the cast.

“Hunky Dory”, with Hartigan in the cast.

The Windrider Festival honors emerging student filmmakers whose independent voices reflect the human condition with creativity and respect. Formerly named the Angelus Student Film Festival (which MovieMaker magazine called “best bet for student moviemakers,”) Windrider boasts world-class alumni that have gone on to win multiple Oscar, Emmy, Peabody and Sundance nominations, awards and recognition.

Another Everest a 2015 second-year student film, will screen at the festival, which takes place Jan. 25-29. It involved current juniors in the Film School, including Gavin Lankford and Zing Grem, writers, animators and storyboard designers; Alek Kosinski and Isaac Phillips-London, writers and animators; Edward Loupe, writer and sound designer; Justin Dunkle, writer; and Dak Van Vranken, composer.