Independent Films Showcase MICA Talent

In the past few years, Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) has been working with two MICA-affiliated films through its Independent Filmmaker Labs program–the only program in the world currently supporting first-time feature directors in post-production to complete, market, and distribute their films.

IFP is no stranger to MICA-related films. The nonprofit organization supported the production of and facilitated industry connections for Music By Prudence, a film produced with support from MICA’s faculty, alumni, students, and Office of Research that went on to win an Oscar in 2010 in the documentary short subject category.

Both of the current MICA-related, IFP-supported films took root at the College itself. As director and producer Lotfy Nathan ’09 explained about his project, The Twelve O’Clock Boyz, “MICA is where the film was born. The College allowed me to cross disciplines quite easily. I had access to the equipment I needed, and of course, the talents of other MICA students to utilize. Now, working closely with [Video and Film Arts Chair] Patrick Wright on the film is a great privilege and perhaps the best example of MICA’s resources being available beyond the life of the institution. I’m very grateful for that.”

Though he was a painting major, Nathan embraced MICA’s interdisciplinary culture and decided to pursue filmmaking. He took his efforts further after faculty member Kirsten D’Andrea Hollander and Wright showed enthusiasm about The Twelve O’Clock Boyz in Hollander’s documentary class. This year the film received an additional accolade through the Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant.

Hollander has her own film, Us Naked: Trixie and Monkey, in the IFP program. She shared that her position at MICA connected her with the community of video students, faculty, and alumni necessary for her support system, as well as a pool of talent to make up her crew. And now Hollander’s role in the classroom has reversed as she feels like a graduate student again while “learning the ropes of how to release a feature film into the world” through festival-based premieres, national and international television broadcasts, and digital platforms.

Through IFP connections, the films have gotten the attention of HBO, CBC News Network of Canada, and Tribeca Enterprises. Both Nathan and Hollander are in IFP-brokered meetings with high profile film festivals and television networks to discuss exciting negotiations for their documentaries. Learn more about the IFP-supported projects at www.ifp.org.

Original content posted in MICA’s Juxtapostions.

Read NPR’s movie review here.