SVA Launches 2013 Dusty Film and Animation Festival Today

Reeves Lehmann, chair of the BFA Film, Video and Animation Department at School of Visual Arts (SVA), presents the 4th Annual Dusty Film & Animation Festival, held in New York City today, May 4 through Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The four-day event will showcase more than 100 films and animations from thesis students graduating this spring.

Annie Flocco, independent producer/filmmaker and SVA faculty member, will produce the event; Meredith Engstrom will co-produce. This year's Headlining Sponsors are: AbelCine; Act Zero Films; Adorama Rental Company; AJA Video Systems; Animation Magazine; Avid Technology, Inc.; B&H Photo; Bryan Singer; CAVA - SVA Computer Store; Channel Frederator; Emmett/Furla Films; Feature Systems/Kits and Expendables; Foto Care; Gotham Sound & Communications, Inc.; Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP); Machinima, Inc.; National Board of Review; New York Women in Film & Television; Nice Shoes; Offhollywood; Rota6; Scheimpflug; and SCS Agency, Inc. One hundred percent of the sponsors' donations will benefit thesis students in the form of grants and in-kind gifts.

The 2013 festival kicks off with three days of film and animation screenings, and concludes with an awards ceremony on May 7. Fifteen awards-including Outstanding Film and Achievement in Directing, Outstanding Documentary, Outstanding Traditional and Stop Motion Animation, and the New York Women in Film and Television Award-are given to students in recognition for outstanding thesis work. All festival screenings are free and open to the general public and take place at the state-of-the-art SVA Theatre, located at 333 West 23rd Street, NYC. The final list of presenters and special guests will be made public at a later date.

"We are thrilled the Dusty Film & Animation Festival is celebrating its 24th year," says Reeves Lehmann. "We hope the public will enjoy another great year of work from SVA's filmmakers and animators, who we know will both entertain and educate a wide range of audiences, both near and far."

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

SVA is widely regarded as one of the leading art schools in the country for its innovative curriculum, its unparalleled faculty of more than 1,100 creative professionals and its participation in the larger arts community of New York City. BFA Film, Video and Animation Department 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; Women in Film; and the National Board of Review, among many renowned institutions and organizations.

SVA in New York City is an established leader and innovator in the education of artists. From its inception in 1947, the faculty has been comprised of professionals working in the arts and art-related fields. SVA provides an environment that nurtures creativity, inventiveness and experimentation, enabling students to develop a strong sense of identity and a clear direction for their artistic vision.

For more information, visit the Dusty Film & Animation Festival Website: dusty.sva.edu, or find the festival on Facebook: facebook.com/DustyFestival and Twitter: twitter.com/DustyFestival.