The National Undergraduate Film Festival of Columbia University endeavors to discover and realize the talents of fellow student filmmakers as well as to support and exhibit outstanding independent films created by students across the country. The festival gives students a means to appreciate filmmaking created by their peers nationwide, hoping to inspire them with the art of creating independent film. This event will be held on the Columbia University campus, featuring ten to twelve short student films selected for their distinction and excellence among a pool of submissions from across the country.

A selected group of professionals already well established in the filmmaking industry will judge the films to win awards in nine of the following ten categories:

• The Opus Award for best use of music & sound
• Best Acting
• Best Screenplay
• Best Editing
• Best Cinematography
• The Frontiers Award for most original film
• The Gateway Award for an outstanding film of a humanitarian nature or a film dedicated to community service
• Best Directed
• Best Picture
• The Concord Award will be given separately to the film voted by the audience as their choice for best film.

Films are submitted by students nationally and a select number will be chosen to be shown at the festival. The event will take place in New York City at Columbia University, where the finalists’ films will be screened at Columbia’s prestigious Roone Arledge Cinema of Lerner Hall. Films of all genres are accepted.

We hope this festival will encourage student filmmakers across the country to demonstrate their filmmaking abilities as well as acknowledge the outstanding projects created by their peers.