NYC Public School Film Festival Adds New Feature: Student Filmmakers Interview Industry Pros On-Camera

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and NYC Department of Education announced today that DOE student filmmakers will conduct on-camera interviews with leading film industry professionals. These interviews, designed to inspire young people across the city to consider careers in media and entertainment, will be available online following the 3rd Annual New York City Public School Film Festival taking place May 6, 2021.

Representing five distinct leadership roles in the filmmaking process, the professionals to be interviewed by student filmmakers include: Kristan Sprague, Award-winning Editor, "Judas and the Black Messiah;" Tamar-kali, Composer, "John Lewis: Good Trouble" and "Mudbound;" Nina Yang Bongiovi, Executive Producer, "The Godfather of Harlem," "Fruitvale Station," "Sorry to Bother You," "Roxanne Roxanne" and "A Kid from Coney Island;" Kemp Powers, Award-winning Writer, "Soul" and "One Night in Miami;" and Liesl Tommy, Director, "Jessica Jones," "The Walking Dead," "Insecure," "Queen Sugar" and the new Aretha Franklin film "Respect."

DOE teachers will choose student filmmakers to produce 20-minute, edited videos comprised of interviews and behind-the-scenes footage highlighting each professional's work.

The New York City Public School Film Festival is an opportunity for students to submit their work and perhaps see it screened. Twenty student films from public schools citywide will be selected in the categories of Feature/Narrative, Animation, Experimental, PSA Advocacy and Documentary by a panel of NYC Public School Film Festival teachers and media professionals. The student filmmakers chosen will represent the diversity of public school student voices across the five boroughs.

NYC DOEstudents can submit their work through March 16, 2021. For rules and regulations please go to filmfreeway.com/NYCPublicSchoolFilmFestival.

NYC Public School Film Festival's 2020 virtual screening received 15,000+ views of the selected student films, as highlighted in the 2019-20 Annual Arts in Schools Report.