School of Visual Arts Launches '23 on 23' Today, 5/6

Department at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), announce the 23^rd Annual Dusty Film and Animation Festival, or "23 on 23," will be held in New York City today, May 6 through Wednesday, May 9, 2012. The four-day event will showcase more than 100 films and animations from students graduating this spring, as well as celebrate 23^rd Street as a home for the college and the theater. 

Annie Flocco, 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.; Blue Sky Studios; Bryan Singer; CAVA – SVA Computer Store; Eastman Kodak Company; Emmett/Furla Films; Feature Systems/Kits and Expendables; Foto Care; Future Media Concepts; Gotham Sound & Communications, Inc.; Machinima, Inc.; National Board of Review; New York Women in Film & Television; Nice Shoes; 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 festival kicks off with three days of film and animation screenings, and concludes with an awards ceremony on May 9. Thirteen 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 and the awards ceremony are free to the general public and will take place at SVA's state-of-the-art theater, located at 333 West 23^rd Street, NYC. The final list of presenters and special guests will be made public at a later date, and an outdoor screening in June, which will highlight many of the winning films, is in the works.

 "We are proud the Dusty Film and Animation Festival is celebrating its 23^rd year, and pleased to have the College and the theater on bustling 23^rd street," says Reeves Lehmann. "What better way to meet our neighbors than to host '23 on 23'! We hope the public will enjoy another great year of work from SVA's filmmakers and animators, who we know will entertain and provide food for thought for diverse audiences."

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

            SVA is widely regarded as one of the leading art schools in the country for its innovative curriculum, unparalleled faculty of more than 1100 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; 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.