MFA in Film Student Eugina Gelbelman Receives New York Women in Film & Television HP Scholarship
July 10, 2018 — Stony Brook Killer Films MFA in Film student Eugina Gelbelman has been selected to receive the 2018 New York Women in Film & Television Ha Phuong (NYWIFT-HP) Scholarship.
Gelbelman’s scholarship is part of NYWIFT-HP’s offer to provide financial assistance to second-year women graduate film students based in the New York area. The $5,000 scholarship awards Eugina financial assistance for her film projects while also providing her access to networks and professional development opportunities of New York’s preeminent entertainment industry association for women in the industry.
"We're delighted that New York Women in Film & Television has chosen Stony Brook’s MFA thesis student Eugina Gelbelman as the recipient of its annual scholarship," said MFA in Film Director Magdalene Brandeis. "Eugina is a serious filmmaker who has committed her career to fostering stories featuring strong female characters, often reversing traditional narratives. Her thesis work aligns perfectly with NYWIFT-HP’s mission and the mission set forth by our MFA Program’s Artistic Director, Christine Vachon."
“Our dedication is to teaching students not only how to make films, but how to get films made. Eugina has a number of worthy projects, Daddy’s Girl, her coming-of-age story about one young woman's complicated and formative relationship with her immigrant Russian father; Night Witches, an account of the bravery and the incredible experience of Soviet women who flew bomber planes in WWII, a narrative that has been overlooked and misrepresented by the hegemonic culture; and Swim Practice.”
"This is a very exciting endeavor," Eugina Gelbelman said upon being notified of her receipt of the award. "Out of all my short films, Swim Practice is the most personal and ambitious one, it captures a small but transformative moment and experience in one young woman’s larger coming of age story. It’s told through the eyes of a teenage girl, fourteen year-old Sarah, who joins a swim club and quickly becomes infatuated with the seventeen year-old star swimmer on the team, Anthony. It is about the pleasures and dangers of being a young woman. The film takes place in and around the pool and it has to be visually beautiful so out of my short projects it is the most expensive. The support and funding of NYWIFT-HP would mean so much for achieving this vision. I see it as my calling card film, and producing it would be a key step in helping me further my goals and profile as a filmmaker.”
About Stony Brook Killer Films MFA
The Stony Brook MFA in Film is the only graduate program in the SUNY system fiercely dedicated to independent filmmaking. Our approach is simple — roll up your sleeves and dive in. With today's technology, all you need is a well-crafted story, a realistic plan, and the drive to make it happen. At Stony Brook, you will learn how to hew a tightly woven script or TV pilot, operate state-of-the art camera equipment, develop a realistic budget and production plan, become skilled at working with actors and crew members, and navigate legal, marketing, financing, and distribution. Get it made, make it right, get it seen, live to tell about it… that is our mantra.
The curriculum requires 45-48 credits and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
We are located in both Manhattan and Southampton. Our facilties operate as indie production offices and film studios. We have an array of industry standard camera, lighting, sound and grip equipment. Some highlights include the RED Epic-W Helium, Canon C100, Canon XC10, Canon Cinema Prime lenses, ARRI and Kino lighting systems, Tascam, Rode and AT audio equipment and four 1-Ton grip packages. When it comes to post-production, the program has a top of the line edit suite containing iMacs equipped with Adobe Creative Cloud, Avid Media Composer and Pro Tools.
For more information, please contact MFAManhattan@Stonybrook.edu