The Student Academy Awards – the launching pad to Hollywood – celebrate 50 years

Spike Lee had already had several big moments with the Oscars by the time he finally won the competitive statue in 2019.

His first appearance was almost 40 years ago, in 1983, when he was a film student at New York University. Lee submitted his master’s thesis film “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads,” starring Monty Ross, to the Student Academy Awards. And he won.

The Student Academy Awards may not be as glitzy or high-profile as the Academy Awards, but over the past 50 years they have proven to be a vital launching ground for budding filmmakers. Inclusion and access may seem like modern buzzwords, but the film academy has been striving to break down barriers to entry for decades.

In 1973, then academy president Walter Mirisch said, prophetically, that they were celebrating young people who would “take our places.” Over the years, student winners have included Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Trey Parker, Patricia Riggen, Bob Saget, and Patricia Cardoso.

“The program’s legacy is rich,” said Kendra Carter, who oversees the Film Academy’s global talent development and influence programs. “As impact and inclusion continue to be a priority for us, the Student Academy Awards lead directly into our mission of striving to be a pillar of change in the industry and move the needle forward by providing access and opportunity, breaking down barriers to entry and creating a pipeline of diverse, skilled talent.” The high.

The Academy’s 640 members this year vote on awards that provide invaluable exposure to the young director. Many came out of the program enjoying acting, some got jobs, and all enjoyed a new network of peers.

“Once your name is associated with a Student Academy Award, it opens all these doors for you,” Carter said. “It’s a big transition for emerging filmmakers.”

One of the most notable benefits of winning is that those films are then eligible for competitive Oscar nomination in the short film categories, which is what happened to one of last year’s winners, Lachlan Pendragon. The Australian director has been nominated for the 11-minute animated film “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It,” for which he animated, directed and provided his voice.

“My film school put out films every year, and that was always something I aspired to,” Pendragon said. “And somehow I got the best possible outcome. It’s been a dream come true every step of the way and a really wild ride.”

The program has become more global over the years as well.

Giorgio Giotto, who won a gold medal this year for his film “Wings of Dust,” always wanted to make documentaries. But he said growing up in Italy seemed like an “impossible dream.”

“Everyone thinks it’s impossible to be a documentary filmmaker unless you’re rich or very lucky,” he said.

As Lee had done four decades earlier, he applied for Student Academy Awards while studying at New York University. The appreciation and confidence boost from Academy members at the ceremony earlier this fall was overwhelming, and even inspired him to move to Los Angeles.

“It was really amazing to see your dreams start to come true,” Giotto said. “And you go to Los Angeles, and you go to the Academy, not only to get the award and get the reward, but because there is a family waiting for you, and the Academy family supports you.”