Nine promising film students have been chosen by the Museum of the Moving Image and the Sloan Foundation to craft science-themed screenplays. These lucky students, hailing from top film schools, will have access to expert mentors throughout the year. Two of them will win a $20, 000 prize.
The mentors include notable figures like author Graham Slack, screenwriter Gillian Weeks, and filmmaker Chadd Hatbold. They will guide the finalists as they work on their scripts. The program partners with six prestigious film institutions: American Film Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, New York University, University of Southern California, and UCLA.
The students will compete for two different prizes. One is the Sloan Grand Jury Prize, and the other is the Sloan Discovery Prize, which was added in 2019 to include public universities. Out of the nine finalists, five are in the running for the Grand Jury Prize, and four for the Discovery Prize. The winners will be celebrated at a special ceremony during the MoMI's First Look festival in March, where their work will be read aloud by professional actors.
Finalists from various schools present their diverse projects. From features like "It Revolves Around Tycho" to series like "Tamarack, " each script brings a unique perspective to science on screen. The awards ceremony is set to be an exciting event, showcasing the best of these students' talents.
