From left, actress Marisa Berenson, film student John McAllister and School of the Arts alumna Kate Hearst, MFA 93, in the projection booth of the Lifetime Screening Room at the School of the Arts on the 5th floor of Dodge Hall. (Photo By Michael Dames)

In recognition of the School of the Arts' outstanding track record of training women filmmakers, Lifetime Television and its sister service, Lifetime Movie Network, have joined with the school to create the Lifetime Student Filmmaker Award. The award will be given to a female student to assist with the completion of her MFA thesis film. In addition, Lifetime has made a substantial contribution toward the refurbishment of the film division's screening room.

Women account for approximately half of all graduate film students at Columbia, and are consistently among the most accomplished and celebrated graduates. They include directors Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry), Lisa Cholodenko (High Art), Joan Stein (One Day Crossing), Kathryn Bigelow (The Weight of Water), Mo Ogrodnik (Ripe) and Alex Sichel (All Over Me).

A group of Columbia alumnae, faculty and friends gathered on Nov. 1 to honor the School of the Arts' ongoing commitment to the training of women filmmakers, and to celebrate the establishment of the award and the upgrade of the film division screening room in 511 Dodge.

Among the guests at a dinner at the 21 Club hosted by writer and School of the Arts writing division alumna Kate Hearst, MFA '93, were Peirce, MFA '96, director and co-writer of the critically acclaimed Boys Don't Cry (awarded both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best actress this year); Andy Bienen, MFA '96, Peirce's co-writer and adjunct professor of film; Twyla Tharp, choreographer; Marisa Berenson, actress; Rick Haskins, executive vice president for Lifetime Television; Yvette Vega, executive producer of the Charlie Rose Show; Bette Gordon, director, Luminous Motion and vice chair, film division; Michael Hausman, producer of Ragtime, Amadeus, The People Vs. Larry Flynt and professor of film; Annette Insdorf, professor of film, and Bruce Ferguson, dean of the School of the Arts.

"We are delighted to form this relationship with Columbia's School of the Arts as part of our overall effort to support women filmmakers," said Carole Black, President and CEO, Lifetime. "Columbia's program has produced some of the nation's most exciting new filmmakers, and we hope this award will help continue and expand that strong tradition."

Dean Ferguson said: "We very much appreciate this vote of confidence and solidarity from Lifetime. The association is particularly fitting in light of Columbia's history as a training ground for independent-minded filmmakers, a large proportion of whom are women. Our graduate program in film prides itself on creating an environment where filmmakers of all backgrounds can develop their talents. Women are a strong presence on our faculty, where filmmaker Bette Gordon serves the division as vice chair. We are proud to be associated with Lifetime, a corporation working to elevate the roles of women through popular culture."

To be considered for the Lifetime Student Filmmaker Award, female students must submit treatments or screenplays to a selection committee composed of Columbia film faculty and Lifetime programming executives. The project selected will be announced at the annual Polo Ralph Lauren Columbia University Film Festival each spring. Once completed, the film will be considered for a television premiere on Lifetime Movie Network or Lifetime Television.

The newly refurbished School of the Arts screening room has been named the Lifetime Screening Room in recognition of Lifetime's generous contribution to its improvement. With seating for 72, a projection capacity for 35-mm and 16-mm films as well as video, digital video and laser-disc, it is central to the program's history, theory and culture classes, weekly guest speaker series and special screenings of student work.

Lifetime is the leading cable television network for women and ranks second in overall day ratings among all basic cable networks. Lifetime is committed to offering high quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families.