FFF 2016

2016 WOMAN OF THE YEAR

CHRISTINE VACHON

In the end there’s only one thing that matters to her, and that’s a passion for movies that are worthwhile. Movies that stick to your ribs, or in one infamous case at the outset of her career spit in your face. If you’ve got that passion, she’s your fellow traveler.

-John Pierson from the Forward to “A Killer Life” by Christine Vachon

Fusion Film Festival is thrilled to honor Christine Vachon as our 2016 Woman of the Year. A fearless producer who has changed the landscape of indie film, Vachon has brought us an astonishing body of work that always challenges, excites, and entertains. She is an Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award winner who co-founded indie powerhouse Killer Films with partner Pamela Koffler in 1995. Over the past decade and a half, the two have produced some of the most celebrated American indie features including “Far From Heaven” (nominated for four Academy Awards), “Still Alice” (Academy Award winner), “Boys Don’t Cry” (Academy Award winner), “One Hour Photo,” “Kids,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Happiness,” “Velvet Goldmine,” “Safe,” “I Shot Andy Warhol,” “Camp,” “Swoon,” and “I’m Not There” (Academy Award nominated). In television, Vachon recently executive-produced the Emmy and Golden Globe winning miniseries “Mildred Pierce” for HBO and an upcoming series on Amazon based on the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. Other recent work includes: “Kill Your Darlings,” “Magic Magic,” “Carol” directed by Todd Haynes and “Weiner-Dog” written and directed by Todd Solondz.

You are the visionary warrior we dream of becoming

MISSION STATEMENT

Celebrating Women in Film, TV, and New Media

Women have always wanted to share their stories, yet they have not always had the opportunity. Film, television, and new media have consistently been dominated by male voices with limited access for stories driven, told, and created by women. It’s time to change the rules, and Fusion constantly strives to be part of the solution.

The Fusion Film Festival is New York University’s premiere film and television festival dedicated to celebrating women in film, television, and new media from student to icon. Fusion was founded in 2003 at NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts with the mission of encouraging, promoting, and inspiring women filmmakers and the collaboration between the sexes. Every Spring, Fusion hosts a multi-day festival with screenings, industry panels, pitch meetings, master-classes, retrospectives, and student showcases all focused on changing the face of the industry for the better.

In the fourteen years since its launch, Fusion has been proud to attract accomplished artists and entertainment visionaries such as Reed Morano (Director of Photography and Director of Meadowlands), Lena Dunham (HBO’s Girls), Maria Zuckerman (VP of HBO Films), Lucy Alibar (writer of Beasts of the Southern Wild), Lauren Zalaznick (Chairman of NBC Universal Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media), the writer and producers for Sex & The City, the writers of Orange is the New Black, and film and stage director Julie Taymor. All of these artists have many things in common: their amazing careers, their stellar craft, and most importantly, their desire to see more women behind and in front of the camera.

Fusion’s goals are to celebrate rule changers in the industry and in our own NYU community, feature incredible work, and leave you feeling inspired by the art of great storytelling.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORS

Dear film, television, and new media lovers,

Welcome to the 2016 Fusion Film Festival! We are honored and excited to be celebrating some of the most inspiring filmmakers, producers, gamers, comedians, and activists in the industry. We’re going to start with our Woman of the Year: Christine Vachon. We’ve never met anyone like her. In the last year and a half, she’s produced over seven films including the Oscar-nominated film Carol and has another six films lined up for 2016. Throughout her awe-inspiring career, Christine Vachon has produced over 90 films. We couldn’t have a better person to be our Woman of the Year. We will be celebrating Christine with a screening of her work on Thursday and having an intimate brunch with her on Saturday!

Some of our other festival highlights include: our first-ever Video Games event, an inspiring International Filmmakers panel, and a Comedy Writing panel with writers from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Inside Amy Schumer

The Fusion Film Festival would not be possible without our dedicated, talented, and creative staff of 157 NYU undergraduate and graduate students. It has been a privilege working with such an inspiring group of young rule-changers who come together to celebrate our mission and work towards a brighter future. Leading this incredible team is our one-of-a-kind Faculty Advisor Susan Sandler. Her vision and support has lead Fusion through fourteen incredible festivals. A huge thank you to Susan for her constant support, enthusiasm, and love.

Thank you for joining us for another year of Fusion! We hope you are inspired to change the rules with us.

With love, Gabriela Alcalde, Film & TV 2017

Natalia Bougadellis, Film & TV 2016 Callahan Zacks, Dramatic Writing 2017 Nicole Quintero Ochoa, Film & TV 2016

LETTER FROM THE FACULTY ADVISOR

Fusion is a magnet for gifted students to find their voice, their direction, and their power. As guide and mentor for this festival over the past fourteen years, I continue to be thrilled to be a part of this adventure.

Fusion’s team members gather from all across Tisch, even reaching out to other schools within NYU, to form an unstoppable team of artists, executives, and visionaries. As we work together to create this astonishing festival, we dream into the future and bring the future to our doorstep.

Our students carry their Fusion experience into life after Tisch and come to understand that Fusion is more than an impressive line on their resume. It is a passage into the real life experience of running a complex organization that is a film festival with all the challenges that come with helping something you love soar and grow.

I salute every member of our team, and admire you all for your taste, kindness , wit, appreciation for each other’s work, and deep loyalties that I know will carry you into dazzling careers.

With love and joy, Susan Sandler Fusion Faculty Advisor

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

Congratulations FUSION 2016! We are so proud of this film festival. It’s an outstanding example of how Tisch student ideas can create important new initiatives.

Fourteen years ago, two women in the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television noticed that female filmmakers were not fully being celebrated. But rather than complain, Emma Heald and Gina Abatemarco came up with a great idea. They sought support from the faculty, suggested programming, and the Fusion Film Festival was launched. Impressively, Emma and Gina were undergraduate students; even without their degrees in hand, they collectively built this festival around collaboration. The industry’s leading female filmmakers quickly took note of the Fusion Film Festival over the years, and many have attended the festival to share their work and to inspire our students.

This year, we are so fortunate to have Christine Vachon, the acclaimed producer, at the festival. Her “Do Whatever It Takes” attitude is sure to offer all of us a lesson on resourcefulness and resilience. I’m also so happy to see important panels on Comedy Writing, Video Game Development, and Experimental/New Media.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Susan Sandler, a member of the Kanbar Institute faculty, who from the beginning has been Fusion’s guiding force, advisor and mentor to so many. Thank you, Susan! To every additional person who’s volunteered your talent, your time, and your energy to get us to the 14th anniversary of Fusion, my deepest thanks. You are expanding the conversation and changing the rules, and I am so grateful.

Allyson Green Dean

LETTER FROM THE ASSOCIATE DEAN

It is with a great deal of pride that I once again express my most sincere and heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the Fusion Film Festival, running for the 14th consecutive year! It remains awe-inspiring that this event has thrived for so many years while continuing to grow and has become such an important part of our Tisch community throughout its existence. I am incredibly proud of and encouraged by the growing community of artists who work tirelessly on this endeavor. Congratulations to everyone who has participated to make the events so successful! I must first extend my sincere thanks and admiration to the countless students, alumni, faculty, and staff who have dedicated limitless hours to planning, organizing, judging, and hosting the festival each year, but especially to their number one supporter and mentor Prof. Susan Sandler from the Undergraduate Department of Film & TV.

It’s hard to believe that it was over a decade ago when then undergraduate students Gina Abatemarco and Emma Heald created Fusion. Having almost completed their undergraduate degrees, they felt that celebrations of female filmmakers and their work were sorely lacking in the industry; something about which they felt so strongly that it was imperative for them to act so they established Fusion with that specific mission. What started in the Film & TV Department has since become an inclusive and collaborative effort throughout all of NYU/Tisch, involving people from most departments, making it an essential part of our school as well as the professional community.

This year, Gabriela Alcalde, Natalia Bougadellis, Callahan Zacks, and Nicole Quintero are helming Fusion. I remain impressed and grateful for their initiative, drive, and dedication, but especially for the amount of time and work that goes into this monumental task. Although the event was created to celebrate and inspire female filmmakers, it has become a necessity and a labor of love on behalf of our entire NYU/Tisch community.

It is with a great sense of joy that I celebrate the Fusion Film Festival. My most sincere thanks to all who have gotten on the bandwagon!

Sincerely, Sheril Antonio, Associate Dean Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Susan Sandler, Faculty Advisor

Nicole Quintero Ochoa, Co-Director

Gabriela Alcade, Co-Director & Programming Co-Head

Natalia Bougadellis, Co-Director & Photo/Video Co-Head

Callahan Zacks, Co-Director & Programming Co-Head

Kara Lawson, Alumni Relations Co-Head

Piera Van de Weil, Alumni Relations Co-Head

Melanie Cuccioli, Design Co-Head Katelyn Rebelo, Design Co-Head

Rachel Lambert, Editorial Co-Head

Siena Richardson, Editorial Co-Head

Celeste Erlander, Events Co-Head

Caroline Rugo, Events Co-Head Sara Taylor, Events Co-Head

Devansh Agarwal, Finance Head

Olivia Carrion, Marketing Co-Head Emory Parker, Marketing Co-Head

Leticia Bianco, Photo/Video Co-Head Shaye Davis, Photo/Video Co-Head

AlHanouf Al Tamimi, Public Relations Co-Head

Dejarelle Gaines, Public Relations Co-Head

Amanda Saiewitz, Public Relations Co-Head Nicole Tavares, Public Relations Co-Head

Caitlin Chan, Sponsorship Co-Head Ellen Willis, Sponsorship Co-Head

Mia Vinciguerra, Sponsorship Supervisor

Natalie Cordero, Submissions Co-Head

Connor McVay, Submissions Co-Head

Adriana Rios, Submissions Supervisor

Cidney Hue, Web Designer

Madi Tower, Communications Director

2016 FUSION TEAM

Alumni Relations

Rachel Brown MacKenna Connor Alexandra Kary Yasmin Gorenberg Alisa Traskunov Jisoo Shin

Lily Newton Amy Tiong Design Morgan Kofeldt Amara Mesnik Elena Brosseau Audrey Leach

Yuting Wu Editorial Kimberly Chng Paige McCall Tair Shachar

Events

Riana Gideon McKenna McFadden Nicole Meyer

Kate Lemberg Annalee Walton Becky Blackstone Hannah Starke Jane Riegler Gabi Christensen Olivia Craighead Seohee Bok (July) Allison Loretta Colin Burke Elizabeth Groth Ellie Forman Finance Sonia Tagare

Industry Research Renae Jarrett Serena Ferrari Susan Moon Marketing Danielle Juhl

Donnally Tullis Bailey Oliver Maddy Oliver Nikki Foreman

Jiwon Uhm

Photo/Video Olivia Peters Viren Mohindra Clara Hughes Martin Blanco Linda Wu

Ecegul Bayram Christina Vislocky Julien Delvin

Claudia Fanaro Programming Jane Cripe Rayna Tyson Story Chen Grace Gao Rebecca Shapass Anna Fredrikke Bjerke Zoey Pressey

Tamar Guttmann Baylee Brown-Proffitt

Sigridur R Sigurthorsdottir Rosalyn Broddie Pooja Desai

Public Relations Hayley Karis Mia Chavez Jot Sahi

Sponsorship Sarah Wu Dircelene Torres Caroline Broughton Nora Rigney Ryan Brideau Luke Graglia Rannie McCants Submissions Chang Liu Katie Jung Alessandra Veliz Elizabeth Valdes Alexis Sharp Morgan Gardiner

VOLUNTEERS

Rose Katz

Isabella Tan Andy Schumann Samantha Abramovitz

Talia Smith Jessica Rahmoune Reda Fayad Isabella Uzcategui Matos Liv Senghor Amani Jordan Dan Nguyen Phan Chang Liu Leonardo Nussenzveig Denise Zhou

Artemiy Repin Emma Taubner Christian Adam Timmy Beckmann Ray Dweck Nikta Mansouri Sonya Saepoff Jade Small

DOCS-IN-THE-WORKS

MODERATOR PROFESSOR SAM POLLARD

JUDGES

Wendy Ettinger, Producer and Co-Founder Chicken & Egg Pictures

Jackie Glover, Vice President, Documentary Films, HBO

Jenny Raskin, Head of Development, Impact Partners

Milton Tabbot, Senior Director of Programming, Independent Filmmaker Project

Gianna Toboni, Producer and Correspondent, VICE

Chris White, Executive Producer of American Documentary at POV, PBS

DULCE

Dir. Giselle Bonilla

A glimpse into how one of Latin America’s most influential photographers, Dulce Pinzón, provides the world with a new lens in viewing immigration in the United States of America.

FACULTY JUDGES

We are deeply grateful for the support and dedication from the faculty, administration and staff of Kanbar Institute of FIlm & Television.

Alice Elliot

Andy Goldman Brane Zivkovic

Birgit Rathsmann

Bruce Shackelford

Chat Guntner

LEX Dir. Erin Sayder

Sixty-nine year old Filipino artist, Lex, sleeps each night sitting upright on the New York City subway, surviving on his love for painting and the money he makes from selling his work in Soho.

Chris Goutman

Christen Smith

Daniel Therrialt

David Bagnall

DB Gilles

Erika Houle

NANA Dir. Serena Dykman

The filmmaker retraces her grandmother’s Auschwitz survival story, and investigates how her life-long fight against intolerance can be passed on to new generations in the 21st century.

Evan Anthony

Jeff Scher

Jennifer McCabe

Jennifer Rodewald

Joan Horvath

Jonathan Weinstein

Katherine Hurbis Cherrier

Michael Schanzer

Oren Soffer

Paul Owen

Phil McNagny

Rae C. Wright

Ray Kosarin

Rosanne Limoncelli

Kevin Scott

Lauren Fritz Lynn Boyarsky

Lynne Sachs

Mary Grace O’Shea

Sameh Zohabi

Shira Lee Shalit

Susan Sandler

Tzipi Trope

Zoya Baker

UNDERGRADUATE FILM

FISHBONE

Dir. Sandra (Min Wan) Tan

DP. Daisy Zhou

When seven-year-old Jade catches her divorced father with another woman, she is forced to choose between telling the truth and staying in his good graces.

GRADUATE FILM

LERATO

Dir. Thati Peele

DP. Chananun Chotrungroj

Happy,short tempered farm labourer, battles fate in order to get his young daughter, Lerato, to a prestigious piano addition on time.

MUTT

Dir. Chloe Aktas

DP. Mary Perino

In a fit of anger Becky (8) and Joe’s (10) father shoots and kills a stray dog and then demand that the children burn the body of the dog.

THE RAIN COLLECTOR

Dir. Isabella Wing-Davey

DP. Neus Olle

Inspired by true events, The Rain Collector is about the women who confounded ideas of what was appropriate or expected, and got involved in science in Victorian England.

ZAYAR

Dir. Chriz Naing

A story of a traumatized Burmese refugee finding his place in America.

SOPHIE

Dir. Alexandra Hsu

DP. Thomas Wood

Sophie is abandoned by her mother and forced to come to terms with both her new life and her grandmother in this poignant tale of a crucial moment in a young girl’s life.

HONORABLE MENTION: SEMELE Dir. Myrsini Aristidou

DP. Arina Bleiman

THE ALL AMERICAN COOKING SHOW WITH MITSY CROWE

I’M A MAN

Dir. Marie Constantinesco

Fed up by the New York dating scene, Jeanne starts falling in love with Fluffy, her sourdough starter.

Dir. Corinne Stein

A little girl takes a bath and is transported to the deep ocean.

MR. RIGHT Dir. Joyce Wu

The runner-up on a reality TV dating show tries to navigate his life and look for love after the show is over and the last rose has been given away.

OTTER OF THE UNDERGROUND

Dir. Christina Jean Benenati

When their gold mine experiences a mysterious power outage, Otter and Mole’s journey to restore the mine spirals into a wild adventure.

MY LIFE AS MORGAN

Dir. Katherine Banos

What happens when Morgan O’Brien, a sarcastic, aspiring music producer in her twenties, is forced to become bold and unapologetically herself in one of the toughest cities in the world: New York City?

Dir. Isabelle Ghaffari DEEP TROUBLE

BLACKHEART

FEATURE SCREENPLAY

FAT KAT

Written by: Mia Volta

Fat Kat is a film about two teens in suburban New Jersey the summer before college. Kat and Mikey hit it off at the first meeting of their town’s weight loss support group.

THE FIREBIRD

Written by: Suzanne Egan

A ballerina tries to escape Bolshevik Russia by joining a touring production of The Firebird, but a scheming government worker jeopardizes her plan when he threatens to expose her ties to the deposed monarchy.

PAPER

THE QUEEN BEE

Written by: Elizaveta Rakhilkina

After getting to know that her husband has an affair with his student, the wife suggests they all should start living together.

THE PEDDLER

ANTOUNI (HOMELESS)

Written by: Alik Barsoumian

Antouni (Homeless) is the story of Amaris, an orphaned teenager who is torn between remaining in the rural Armenian village where she was raised and exploring the outside world she has always dreamed of.

A GLIMPSE OF SUN

Written by: Chloe Hung

When young Amira, a Nigerian refugee, becomes the victim of an international human trafficking scheme, taking her to London, she discovers her strength and endeavors to escape.

THE SOUND OF SETTLING

Written by: Stephanie Donnelly

In 2004, seventeen-year-old drug dealer Devon decides to join a band composed of three Straight Edge teenagers, who do not drink, smoke, or do drugs, for a battle of the bands contest.

GRAD

Dir. Razieme Iborra

A co-dependent young woman must learn to cope with her innately abnormal emotional responses.

Dir. Danielle Kampf

A young girl encounters a playground bully.

Dir. Annalee Walton

What if a little girl on Christmas Eve thought a homeless man was Santa Claus?

PILOT

UNDERGRAD

HOUSE OF WORSHIP

Written by: Lauren Nicole Flippo

When a gambling-addict Baptist preacher bankrupts his church, his ex-body builder brother who uses a wheelchair buys the building and turns it into a gym.

REGRETTABLE BEHAVIOR

Written by: Lyndsey Bournet

Rea leaves New York to return to her hometown and hideout in her grand mother’s house, but the surprise of her grandma’s new illness proves to Rae that she can’t run away from responsibility or, her past.

RIGHT WING WOMAN

Written by: Madelyn Miller

After politics tear her family apart, 17-year-old Georgina Peachtree has to move from her hometown in conservative Alabama to liberal Berkeley, California.

GRAD

IVY LEAGUE A-HOLES

Written by: Siobhan Gilbert

Four Columbia University graduate students living in a three bedroom apart ment struggle to balance friendship, higher education, and avoiding life in the real world.

PINNED DOWN

Written by: Alyssa Haddad

Chloe, a recent college graduate, struggles with independence and responsibili ty in the real world, and the expectations set on her to be a successful adult.

STARRING CHLOE FISHER

Written by: Jennifer Rudin

A professional teen actress starring on Broadway battles onstage and off-stage drama when she’s suddenly faced with an understudy who will stop at nothing to steal her role.

HOUR PILOT

A.C.T.

Written by: Danielle Kampf

This single camera dramedy follows a social anxiety-ridden girl who is forced to join her high school’s drama club.

CHOSEN NO MORE

Written by: Anna Rich

They are the Cursed, dead but hungry. Cyneric is destined to defeat them, but the question isn’t how to fight them; it’s who cursed the world in the first place?

WASTELAND

Written by: JENNIFER HELEN COATES

When a brash scientist exposes the political underpinnings of California’s smothering drought, the revelations lead to unforeseen bloodshed.

RISING STAR

BONEDIGGER

Dir. Rose Loprinzo

The Devil is struck with sudden guilt upon seeing a small puppy waiting next in line for Hell.

JUDGES HONORARY BOARD

We wish to offer our deepest thanks to our faculty and industry judges for their dedication and support.

Alexandra Pennebaker

Amazon Studios

Caitlin Parrish

CBS, Exec Story Editor

Diana Snyder

ABC Family Young & Hungry

Doris Casap

SVP Film Programming HBO Writer/Produer

Elizabeth Cuthrell Writer/Producer Evenstar

Wendy Ettinger

Producer and Co-Founder Chicken & Egg Productions

Jackie Glover

VP Documentary Films, HBO

Ellen Doherty Executive Producer, PBS, Cyberspace

Gabrielle Lewis Feature Literary, Paradigm Agency

Janet Tamaro Showrunner, Hurdler Productions

Jenny Halper VP Development Maven Pictures

Joe Mann Agent, CAA

Lawrence Mattis Partner, Circle of Confusion

Nic Marshall Development, Maven Pictures

Robin Epstein Writer/Producer

Shauna McGarry

Head Writer Comedy Bang Bang “Take My Wife”

Debra Solomon Animator and Producer Creator of Lizzie McGuire Movie

Jenny Raskin

Head of Development, Impact Partners

Milton Tabbot

Senior Director of Programming Independent Filmmakers Project

Giana Toboni Producer, Correspondent, VICE

Brittany Turner VP, Digital, Adaptive Studios

Chris White VP Programming and Production at POV, PBS

Gina Abatemarco Fusion Co-Founder

Dean Sheril Antonio

Associate Dean of Film, TV, and New Media, NYU

Maryse Alberti Cinematographer

Elizabeth Avellan Producer and Partner, Troublemaker Studios

Mystelle Brabbée Executive Director, Nantucket Film Festival

Dean Allyson Green Dean of the Tisch School of the Arts

Jane Campion Director

Denise Di Novi Producer, Di Novi Pictures

Emma Heald

Fusion Co-Founder

Amy Heckerling Writer, Director

Jerusha Hess Writer, Director, and Producer

Agnieszka Holland Writer, Director

Miranda July Writer, Director, and Actress

Han Ken Producer & Manager, Hairun Media Corp, China

Barbara Kopple

Filmmaker and Founder of Cabin Creek Films

Penny Marshall Director, Producer, and Actress

Yvonne McCormack-Lyons Executive Director, Women’s International Film Festival

Nancy Meyers Writer, Director, and Producer

Susan Montford Writer, Director, and Producer

Lynda Obst Producer, Rosen-Obst Productions

Patti Pearson

Assistant to the Associate Dean, Assistant Director of Special Projects, Kanbar Institute of Film and TV, NYU

Joe Pichirallo

Chair of Undergraduate Film Program, Kanbar Institute of Film and TV, NYU Celine Rattray Producer, Maven Pictures

Susan Sandler

Fusion Faculty Advisor and Professor, Kanbar Institute of Film and TV, NYU

Paula Silver Founder & CEO, Beyond the Box Productions

Julie Taymor Director Lauren Zalaznick

Media Executive Founder & Curator, The LZSundayPaper

9:30AM Brunch with Woman of the Year

Join us for breakfast and a thrilling conversation with producing icon and our Woman of the Year Christine Vachon and TIME Magazine film critic Stephanie Zacharek. With almost 100 producing credits to date, Christine is a powerhouse producer who leads the way for filmmakers.

Limited Seating. RSVP only at fusionfilmfestival.com. NYU students must apply for seat at this event and receive notification to attend.

12PM No Limits: Women in Experimental Media

Innovators pushing the limits of their medium share their work and personal stories.

TISCH THEATER 006, 721 BROADWAY

1:30PM The Independent Approach

Some of the most daring women in indie producing talk frankly about what it takes to get their ideas to the big screen.

TISCH THEATER 006, 721 BROADWAY

3PM Going Global: Her Vision, Her Story

Filmmakers working across borders and cultures share their bold stories.

TISCH THEATER 006, 721 BROADWAY

4:30PM Queens of Comedy Writing

Top comedy creators share their insider experiences.

TISCH THEATER 006, 721 BROADWAY

6:30PM Competition Screenings and Awards Ceremony

Join us for a stunning showcase screening of the finalists in the Fusion Film Festival 2016 Competition as we reveal the next generation of storytelling greats with award presentation and reception to follow.

CANTOR FILM CENTER, 36 E 8th STREET

Dear Susan,

Thank you for being the driving force behind Fusion for so many years. You have developed a movement that has and will continue to inspire women filmmakers throughout.

Thank you for helping us open the conversation and for your continued guidance, mentorship and support.

Much love, Nicole, Gabriela, Callahan and Natalia

Congratulations to Fusion on another great festival celebrating women in television, film, and new media!

Amsterdam Light Festival is proud to support the Fusion Film Festival!

Congratulations Fusion on another wonderful festival!

-Art House Records-

-The Blackstone Family