Stony Brook's MFA in Film Program Featured at
Sixth Annual SUNYwide Film Festival

New York and Southampton, NY, April 28, 2015 - Stony Brook University announced today that its new MFA in Film Program, an innovative three-year graduate program in narrative film, led by Graduate Director Christine Vachon, Co-Founder of legendary indie production company, Killer Films was featured at the sixth annual SUNYwide Film Festival (SWFF6) in Oswego, New York, held April 24-26.

Stony Brook faculty members Associate Director Magdalene Brandeis and Producer/Screenwriter Annette Handley Chandler attended SWFF6 and participated in the festival panels. M. Brandeis moderated a panel on "Getting the MFA" and Ms. Chandler and Ms. Brandeis both participated in the "Breaking into the Business" panel. Signed posters of Julianne Moore's academy Award winning film Still Alice, produced by Killer Films co-founders and MFA in Film program director Christine Vachon and faculty Pamela Koffler were auctioned off on the final evening of the festival. 

View a slideshow from the festival

The festival celebrates film and video as a thriving field of study and provides a platform to highlight the work that best exemplifies the dedication and skill found across the SUNY system. From the traditional Hollywood narrative to animation, experimental film and video to documentary work, students and faculty are exploring personal visions through time-based image making. The festival is a result of the vision and dedication of Phil Hastings, Associate Professor of Film and Video Arts at SUNY Fredonia, who founded the festival and grew it to become one of the top student film festivals in the Northeast before passing it along to SUNY Oswego. Over the first five festivals, more than 400 students have submitted films and videos to the competition. Selected films and videos have gone on to garner awards at other regional and national film festivals.

Ms. Brandeis said, "We were delighted to be part of this amazing festival and we congratulate SWFF6 organizers Amy Shore and Juliet Giglio for a successful event. We also want to thank them for their warm welcome. We were greeted with enthusiasm and excitement among the filmmakers at the festival for our new MFA in Film program at Stony Brook Southampton + Manhattan in association with Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler of Killer Films. It's clear that an MFA in Film will elevate the standing of all undergrad filmmakers in the SUNY system and we believe SWFF6 will be instrumental in providing the added support for all aspiring filmmakers. We look forward to a long-last relationship with the festival."

About Southampton Graduate Arts 

Southampton Graduate Arts is a vibrant gathering of MFA programs in creative writing, theatre and film. Film classes are offered on campuses in Southampton and Manhattan. The programs attract a faculty of world renowned authors, playwrights, directors and filmmakers. The film program, added in 2012 and launched as an MFA in 2015, features the latest Canon cameras, state of the art lighting equipment, and is supported by the prestigious Sklar Collection on the history of American cinema. For more info, visit www.stonybrook.edu/film, call (631-632-5010) or email southamptonarts@stonybrook.edu.