Academy Announces 2020 Student Awards Winners

On September 15, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the list of winners of their 47th Student Academy Awards. Out of the 1474 entries and 39 finalists, 15 won in categories of Experimental, Animation, Documentary, and Live Action, in both Domestic and International categories. 

For the uninitiated, Student Academy Awards, first held in 1972, is a competition hosted by the Academy to celebrate and highlight student films from all over the globe. The entries compete for awards and cash grants, and the winners of which are then eligible to compete in the Oscars. This year, submissions opened on March 16, and the finalists were announced on August 12. 

Of the winners, we had the pleasure of interviewing Unfinished Lives director Yucong Chen, from the University of South Carolina. You can find the interview here. To read the review, follow this link. 

The winners are (listed alphabetically by category):

Alternative/Experimental (Domestic and International Film Schools)
Curry Sicong Tian, “Simulacra,” University of Southern California

Animation (Domestic Film Schools)
Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma, “Ciervo,” Rhode Island School of Design
Daniela Dwek, Maya Mendonca and Chrisy Baek, “Hamsa,” School of Visual Arts
Kate Namowicz and Skyler Porras, “Mime Your Manners,” Ringling College of Art & Design

Animation (International Film Schools)
Pascal Schelbli, “The Beauty,” Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

Documentary (Domestic Film Schools)
Allison A. Waite, “The Dope Years: The Story of Latasha Harlins,” University of Southern California
Laura Zéphirin, “Making Waves,” New York University
Yucong Chen, “Unfinished Lives,” University of Southern California

Documentary (International Film Schools)
Maren Klakegg, “Dear Father…,” Westerdals Institute of Film and Media, Kristiania University College (Norway)

Narrative (Domestic Film Schools)
Karishma Dube, “Bittu,” New York University
Rommel Villa Barriga, “Sweet Potatoes,” University of Southern California
Talia Smith, “Umama,” New York University

Narrative (International Film Schools)
Percival Argüero Mendoza, “Crescendo,” Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (Mexico)
Marie Mc Court, “I Was Still There When You Left Me,” Institut des Arts de Diffusion (Belgium)
German Golub, “My Dear Corpses,” Baltic Film & Media School, Tallinn University (Estonia)

Medal placement is slated for October 21 as a completely virtual event. The 93rd Academy Awards are expected to be held on April 25 of next year, delayed in the wake of the pandemic.