FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — February 28, 2018, Los Angeles, CA — The American Film Institute (AFI) announces the first-ever AFI Conservatory EXPO, a one-day festival showcasing 30 thesis films from the Class of 2017. Taking place Saturday, April 14, 2018 from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. on the AFI Campus in Los Angeles, the event introduces the AFI Conservatory's most recent MFA graduates to leaders of the film and television community. The filmmaking teams behind each thesis film will be present at the EXPO along with additional AFI Conservatory alumni, faculty, Fellows and staff. The EXPO is sponsored by VIZIO — the official home theater sponsor of AFI.
"The AFI Conservatory EXPO is designed to build community — bringing the industry to our campus to meet our filmmakers and see their films," said Richard Gladstein, Dean, AFI Conservatory. "The EXPO also celebrates collaboration, shining a light on the collective achievements of AFI Conservatory filmmakers across the disciplines of Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting."
All of the shorts will screen twice throughout the day. To learn more about the films and RSVP to attend, visit the EXPO website.
AFI Conservatory Fellows make up to 10 films during their two-year training, which culminates in the production of a thesis film. Thirteen AFI Conservatory thesis films have been nominated for Academy Awards®.
The AFI Class of 2017 joins an elite group of 5,115 alumni who have received a total of 149 Academy Award® nominations and 30 wins. Throughout the 2017-2018 awards season, AFI alumni have been nominated for 174 awards by major guilds, academies and other professional associations — with 42 award wins.
Recently, AFI Conservatory alumni have had global impact including Rachel Morrison, the first woman ever nominated for a Best Cinematography Academy Award®; Patty Jenkins, director of the world-wide phenomenon WONDER WOMAN; Liz Hannah, who wrote the Best Picture Academy Award® nominee THE POST; and Scott Frank, the Academy Award®-nominated writer of LOGAN — the first superhero film ever to receive a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
