School of Visual Arts Proudly Announces Winners of 25th Annual Dusty Film & Animation Festival

School of Visual Arts Proudly Announces Winners of 25th Annual Dusty Film & Animation Festival

Awards ceremony highlighted work of more than 100 graduates of BFA Film and Video and BFA Animation Departments and featured notable list of industry vets as presenters

NEW YORK, May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- School of Visual Arts (SVA) proudly announced the winners of its 2014 Dusty Film & Animation Festival and Awards, now in its 25th year, at an awards ceremony held May 13, 2014 at New York City's SVA Theatre (333 W. 23rd Street). Highlighting the work of more than 100 filmmakers and animators graduating from the BFA Film and Video and BFA Animation departments, the annual awards were bestowed at the invite-only event. This year's Dusty presenters included notables from the world of film, television and animation, including Ellen Barkin, Randall Emmett, Ralph Bakshi, Peter Berg, Thelma Schoonmaker, Peter LeDonne, Yvette Kaplan, Martin Abrahams, Howard Beckerman, Michael Cuesta, Frank Prinzi, Jose Rivera, Dan Schoenbrun, Chris Newman and Alexis Alexanian. The event was hosted by media personality Valerie Smaldone. More info: http://dusty.sva.edu

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This year's Headlining Sponsors include: AbelCine; Act Zero Films; Adorama Rental Company; Animation Magazine; B&H Photo; Bryan Singer; Carlos Saldanha/BottleCap Productions; Channel Frederator Network; Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films; Feature Systems/Kits and Expendables; Foto Care; Gotham Sound & Communications, Inc.; Independent Filmmaker Project; New York Women in Film & Television; Nice Shoes; Rota6; SCS Agency, Inc.; Squarespace; SVA Campus Store; and Technicolor-PostWorks New York. One hundred percent of the sponsors' donations will benefit thesis students in the form of grants and in-kind awards. For more information, visit: dusty.sva.edu.

The 2014 DUSTY Winners are:
Outstanding Film (Feature Film): Juan Paulo Laserna for Las Malas Lenguas
Outstanding Film (Short Film): Will Henry for Magic for Beginners
Outstanding Documentary: Kate Howley for River Men
Outstanding Achievement in Directing: Juan Paulo Laserna for Las Malas Lenguas and Will Henry for Magic for Beginners
Outstanding Achievement in Screenwriting: Helen O'Reilly for Surviving the Hen
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Wayland Bell for Stray and for Magic for Beginners
Outstanding Achievement in Editing: Juan Paulo Laserna for Las Malas Lenguas
Gotham Honorary Sound Grants: Renee Heitman and Jose Ramirez

Traditional Animation Awards:
Outstanding Animated Film: Luz Batista and Sarah Sloyer for Moonstruck
Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation: Vivienne Medrano for Timber
Outstanding Achievement in Animation Production Design: Meredith Nolan for Skeleton Key

Stop-Motion Animation Award:
Outstanding Achievement in Stop Motion Animation: Lindsey Schneeberger for The Adventures of Moonshine and the Dirt Children

New York Women in Film & Television Award: Helen O'Reilly
Independent Filmmaker Project Award: Mayid Guerrero
Human Spirit Award: Kate Howley

"We are pleased and honored on this, our 25th year of the Dustys, to recognize these wonderful filmmakers and animators," said Reeves Lehmann, chair of the BFA Film and Video and BFA Animation departments at SVA. "We are excited to celebrate the successes of our students with many guests from the worlds of film and animation." Festival producer, SVA faculty member and independent film producer Annie Flocco said, "We'd also like to express a big thank you to the many generous sponsors and supporters, some of whom have been with us for many years, and to the gracious SVA Theatre crew for collaborating on another year of outstanding events."

The 25th Annual Dusty Film & Animation Festival and Awards kicked off Saturday, May 10 and ran through Tuesday, May 13. The program included screenings of more than 100 films, documentaries and animations, culminating with the awards ceremony. Over its quarter-century history, the Dustys has launched the careers of many of the graduates, and many have gone on to earn international recognition on the film scene.

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. BFA Film and Video and BFA Animation alumni have received accolades from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Sundance Film Festival, New Directors/New Films, International Animated Film Festival in Annecy, France, American Film Institute, New York Women in Film & Television, Venice International Film Festival and the National Board of Review, among many renowned institutions and organizations. For information about the College's 32 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit: http://www.sva.edu

2014 DUSTYS Press Contact: Patrick Paris, 212-260-7576, Email

SOURCE School of Visual Arts

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School of Visual Arts

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