New Movie Spotlights Teens in Harlem Arts Program

Nov. 20, 2007

Harlem's IMPACT Repertory Theatre, a tuition-free not-for-profit arts and leadership program for young people, is making Hollywood take notice. The teenagers in IMPACT, under the artistic direction of Columbia School of the Arts film division chair Jamal Joseph, appear in the new movie August Rush, performing an original musical number that is already garnering best-song Oscar nomination buzz. August Rush premieres nationwide on November 21.

This video showcases the roles that Columbia's film division and the IMPACT performers have been playing in each others' artistic development. With Professor Joseph's leadership, Columbia MFA film students and IMPACT members have together created other recent projects that have gone all the way to the Sundance Film Festival. (2:01)