Director Daniel Minahan and Animator Alex Kupershmidt to be Honored with Dusty Outstanding Alumni Awards

NEW YORK, March 26, 2015 — (PRNewswire) —  Reeves Lehmann, chair of the BFA Film & Video and BFA Animation programs at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), announce the 26^th Dusty Film & Animation Festival will be held Saturday, May 9 through Tuesday, May 12, 2015 in New York City. The four-day event showcases more than 100 films and animations from students graduating this spring. Annie Flocco, independent producer/filmmaker and SVA faculty member, will produce the event. According to Flocco, the Headlining Sponsors are AbelCine, Adorama Rental Company, Animation Magazine, B&H Photo, Bryan Singer, Carlos Saldanha/BottleCap Productions, Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films, Feature Systems/Kits and Expendables, Foto Care, Gotham Sound, IFP, New York Women in Film & Television, Nice Shoes, Nickelodeon, Rota6, SCS Agency, SVA Campus Store, Technicolor PostWorks New York, and Toon Boom Animation. One hundred percent of sponsors' donations benefit future students in grants and in-kind gifts.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150325/194378LOGO

The 2015 Dusty Festival kicks off with three days of screenings, concluding with a May 12 awards ceremony. Fifteen awards—including Outstanding Film and Achievement in Directing, Outstanding Documentary, Outstanding Animated Film, and the New York Women in Film & Television Award—recognize outstanding thesis work. All screenings are FREE and open to the general public at the SVA Theatre, (333 West 23^rd Street) NYC. Final list of presenters/special guests are TBA.

"We are thrilled the Dusty Film & Animation Festival is celebrating its 26^th year," says Reeves Lehmann. "We invite everyone to come and discover the next generation of great filmmakers and animators, who we know will entertain and educate audiences near and far."  

This year, SVA presents Dusty Outstanding Alumni Awards to producer/director Daniel Minahan (Game of Thrones, True Blood, Marco Polo) and animator Alex Kupershmidt (The Lion King, Lilo & Stitch, Frozen), announced Reeves Lehmann and Annie Flocco. The awards take place Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 6:30pm at the SVA Theatre. "We're tremendously proud of the work that Dan and Alex have done since they got their start at SVA," says Lehmann. "They're role models for the artistic community in supporting young talent."

The Dusty Film & Animation Festival was established with the mission of introducing films made by students in the BFA Film & Video and BFA Animation programs to a wider audience, and was named after SVA Founder Silas "Dusty" H. Rhodes. "Our festival receives industry-wide recognition and is considered one of the top student film festivals in the country," states Annie Flocco.

School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for more than six decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprised of more than 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and 35,000 alumni in 100 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world.

Media Contact:
Mouth Public Relations
Patrick Paris
212-260-7576

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/school-of-visual-arts-launches-26th-dusty-film--animation-festival-300056034.html

SOURCE School of Visual Arts

Contact:

School of Visual Arts Web: http://dusty.sva.edu