Arvind ‘Daman’ Singh (MFA 2009) has won an Honorable Mention in the short film category in The Accolade Awards competition. The award was for her recent production, Searching for Juan Carlos, that probes the emotional and sociological ill effects of abandonment of children by their biological parents. It is a very personal account of the life of an eleven year old who was abandoned by his parents at the very young age of ten months.

Scott Thurman  (MFA 2010) has received recognition for his documentary Smokey including screenings at the Austin Film Festival, NextFrame, Hot Springs, Indie Memphis, Reality Bytes, Rockport, in addition to the Dallas Video Festival and the AFI-Dallas International Film Festival.  Scott’s documentary follows a day in the life of Smokey Binion Jr., an optimistic man involved with his community as an employee of the city and Elvis tribute artist.

A Selective List of Awards, Screenings, Scholarships for UNT

MFA Students in the Department of Radio, Television and Film 2005-2008

Student Categories:
           
Awards of Excellence, Broadcast Education Assoc. Festival of the Arts (2008, 2007)
Finalist, Documentary, NextFrame International Student Film Festival (2008)
First Place, Student Documentary, Thin Line Film Festival (2008)
Student Visionary Award, New Strand Film Festival (2008)
Best Documentary, Scene First Student Film Festival (2007)
First Place, Student Documentary, Thin Line Film Festival (2007)
First Place, Reality Bytes Film Festival (2007)
Best Student Film, Women in Film-Dallas “Chick Flicks” Festival (2007)
Two Finalists, Documentary, NextFrame International Student Film Festival (2006)
Finalist, Angelus Awards Student Film Festival, Hollywood (2006)
First Place, Documentary, NextFrame International Student Film Festival (2005)

Professional Categories:

The Accolade Film Awards, Honorable Mention (2008)
Barbara Jordan Media Award (2007)
Washington DC Independent Film Festival, World Cinema Special Recognition Award (2007)
Audience Award, Women in Film-Dallas “Chick Flicks” Film Festival (2007)
Best Music Film, International Christian Film Festival (2007)
Audience Award, Foundation for the Advancement of Independent Film Festival, Los Angeles. (2006)
Family Award, USA Film Festival (2006)
Finalist, Montana CINE International Film Festival (2006)
Best Short Documentary, Austin Film Festival (2005)

Films also selected for screening in the following venues:

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (2008, 2006, 2005)
Austin Film Festival (2008)
Memphis Indie Film Festival (2008)
Miami Short Film Festival (2008)
AFI-Dallas International Film Festival (2008)
Women in Film-Dallas “Chick Flix” Film Festival (2008)
Big Muddy Film Festival (2008)
Dallas Video Festival (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005)
Thin Line Film Festival (2008)
Rockport Festival (2008)
Charlotte Film Festival (2007)
Global Visions International Film Festival, Canada (2007)
10th Mediterranean Film Festival, Lavrion, Greece (2007)
II International Documentary Film Festival, Mexico City (2007)
Daytona Beach Film Festival (2007)
University Film and Video Association Conference (2008, 2007, 2006,2005)
San Francisco Documentary Film Festival (2006)
International Documentary Film Festival, Istanbul
KERA (PBS) Dallas Frame of Mind Series
KUHT (PBS) Houston Public Television
Houston Black Film Festival
Santa Fe Film Festival
Texas Independent Filmmakers Festival
Annapolis Film Festival
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
Garden State Film Festival
South Padre Island Film Festival

Scholarships/Grants Won By Students While in the Program (All $1000 or more)

McNair Scholars Fellowship ($12,700)
Two UNT University Fellowships ($10,000 each)
SWAMP Emerging Filmmakers Fellowship Program ($5,000)
Pulaski Scholarship for Advanced Graduate Studies ($5000)
Three Women in Film - Dallas Production Completion Grants ($3500 each)
Five Center for Spanish Language Media Grants ($1000 - $2000 each)
Five Lone Star EMMY Scholarships ($1000 - $1500 each)
Six UNT Academic Achievement Scholarships
Women in Film - Dallas Scholarship
Two Texas Filmmaker’s Scholarships  
UNT Equity and Diversity Scholarship
Four Don Staples Graduate Scholarships      
Two Eastman Kodak Film Stock Grants