School of Visual Arts 27th Dusty Awards Red Carpet Event Set for 5/10

The School of Visual Arts (SVA), celebrates its 27th Dusty Awards on May 10 at the SVA Theatre (333 West 23rd Street)-beginning with a red carpet event from 5:30-6:30pm and culminating with a private awards ceremony, which begins at 6:30pm.

The Dusty Awards, named after SVA founder, Silas "Dusty" H. Rhodes, is one of the top student film award ceremonies in the country-headed up by Reeves Lehmann, chair of the SVA BFA Film and BFA Animation programs, and Annie Flocco, producer/director of the event. Awarded films and animations are selected from over 100 student projects shown during the 27th Dusty Film & Animation Festival-a free screening open to the public from Saturday May 7 - Monday, May 9. The Outstanding Achievement awards will recognize excellence in directing, screenwriting, editing, cinematography, documentary, animated film, character animation, and animation production design. Other honors to be bestowed include the Human Spirit Award, the Gotham Sound Honorary Grants, the IFP Award and the New York Women in Film & Television Award. Media personality Valerie Smaldone returns to emcee the ceremony.

In addition to awarding the top student projects of 2016, Academy Award-winning production sound mixer Mark Ulano (1975 Film and Video) The Hateful Eight, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Iron Man 1&2, Titanic and Inglourious Basterds, and winner of the June Foray Award Tom Sito (BFA 1977 Animation) Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King) will receive the 'Dusty Outstanding Alumni Award.'

This year's presenters who are scheduled to attend include Academy Award-winning screenwriter Josh Singer (Spotlight, The Fifth Estate, The West Wing), will lead a wealth of bold-faced names from the world of film and animation who will serve as award presenters for the ceremony; other presenters include actress/producer/director Trudie Styler (American Honey - Official Selection - Festival de Cannes 2016, Freak Show, The Seagull), director/writer/producer Mark Osborne (The Little Prince, Kung Fu Panda, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie), Academy Award-winning production sound mixer Chris Newman (The Godfather, The Exorcist, Amadeus), Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Laurens Grant (The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Freedom Riders), writer/director Ti West (The House of the Devil, Wayward Pines, VHS), editor Aaron Yanes (Tyson, You Don't Know Jack, Europa Report), director of photography Michael Simmonds (Nerve, White Girl, Vice Principals), animator Howard Beckerman (Boop-Beep), producer and New York Women in Film & Television president Alexis Alexanian, producer and IFP Program Manager Zach Mandinach and filmmaker Neil Burger (Limitless, The Illusionist, Divergent, Billions).

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. For information about the College's 32 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu.

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