Undergraduate Research Symposium – School of Theatre, Film & Television

The School of Theatre, Film & Television’s 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium is a showcase of outstanding essays on Film & Television presented by TFTV students.

The symposium will be hosted at the Silver & Sage room in Old Main on April 25th from 10:30 am- 3:30 pm where we have scheduled seven amazing student presentations as well as a keynote by Dr. Mónica García-Blizzard (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign).

Presentations by:

Jo Canterbury – The Oscar Nominations of Barbie: Limitations of Corporate Feminist Stories
Julia Franco – Women Domestic Workers in Latin America Through Film
Austin Kendrick – Isolation in Sofia Coppola’s Filmography
Lola Martinez – The Love Witch and All the Colours of the Dark: Reclaiming Feminine Power
Carlos Montes – Survival and Symbology: Exploring Empathy and Storyworlds in The Warriors
Annie Morrill – Female Authorship and the Coming of Age Genre
Darwyn Stygian – The Real World in Rashomon

There will be a $500 for first place & $250 for the runner up!

IDIWS Sneak Peek: NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU FOR MILES by Allie Cincera. In the aftermath of a paranormal event, two sisters must battle madness, fervor, and isolation in a post-apocalyptic world.

“My dad passed down his love of horror films to me, and I knew that my last film at the U of A would be a love letter to my favorite atmospheric horror films," says writer/director Cincera. "As someone with a twin and two older sisters, writing and directing a relationship between two characters who are sisters within this isolated, post-apocalyptic world felt deeply personal and challenging but also new and exciting at the same time."

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

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FOUR PERFORMANCES LEFT of our production of LITTLE WOMEN ✨📚🎶

Based on Louisa May Alcott’s own life, this musicalized version of LITTLE WOMEN follows sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March and their experiences growing up in Civil War America.

LITTLE WOMEN will have four more performances through May 4 in the Marroney Theatre. Visit theatre.arizona.edu for tickets.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS to this production are available for all college and high school students. For details, visit azart.fyi/freetftvtix.

Archival images by @catsphotoshoot. Scenic Design by Joe Klug. Costume Design by Patrick Holt. Lighting Design by Christopher Mason. Sound Design by Matt Marcus. Technical Direction by Daniel Staggs. Stage Managed by Kathryn Kulaga. Intimacy Choreography and Choreography by Christie Kerr. Dialect Coaching by David Morden. Music Direction by Jamie Reed. Directed by Brent Gibbs. ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

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We loved every minute! So well done and such amazing talent!

Has the fall 2025, semester shows been selected yet? I loved the Laramie project, and Little women was fabulous!

The cast was fabulous! Such talented students!

Can’t wait!

Absolutely fantastic production. A MUST see

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IDIWS Sneak Peek: EVEN NOW by Cosmo Brusa Zappellini. A group of artists with chronic pain come together in discussion and co-creation with the hope of using art as a way to process and heal wounds that seemingly cannot be healed.

“The film bounces between fictional sequences and the documentary footage that inspired it. The creation of this film was a collaborative process, as the director, I was there to guide conversations, focus on ideas, and help craft the reenactment sequences. I wanted to use co-creation as a method for the participants to maintain ownership over personal narrative ... There are too many influences to mention but for this film specifically, my mother’s process for living with chronic pain and my own affinity for magical realism were undoubtedly influential,” says writer/director Cosmo Brusa Zappellini.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

IDIWS Sneak Peek: UNIVERSE ACADEMY by Daniel Cadena. A universe-building student must get his project approved before it kills him.

“I’ve always loved fantasy media and its ability to represent real world issues through an other-worldly lens. Capturing an emotion so that someone can watch and feel seen has always been my goal in writing ... When I first got to college, I was fearful of the very idea of someone reading what I wrote. This program gave me confidence that the words I put on the page can grow beyond what I originally thought possible, and that everyone has an audience to create for,” says writer/director Daniel Cadena.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

Five films by TFTV students and an alum will be screening as part of the Nogales International Film Festival this week. Produced by @soazfilm, the festival aims at uniting Nogales in both countries through film, celebration, and network. This festival is unlike any other as they project films simultaneously on both sides of the border wall.

The TFTV films selected to screen include:

• QUÉDATE UN RATO by Alek Mendez
• THE VEIL by Cosmo Brusa Zappellini and Allie Cincera
• IN THE MARKET by Preston Kersting
• DEATH MASK by David J Aberle
• PARALLEL LINES by Neylani Castro

Congratulations, filmmakers! ... See MoreSee Less

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Ta orgullosa de mi Hijo Alek Mendez que con su dedicación y empeño está llegando lejos Felicidades a todos ❤️❤️❤️

Dr. Frances Gateward has been appointed as the next director of the School of Theatre, Film & Television!

We are thrilled to welcome her to the University of Arizona!

Gateward currently serves as professor and chair of the Department of Communication, Culture, and Media Studies at Howard University. Previously, she was professor of cinema and television arts at California State University, Northridge (CTVA), where she also served as associate chair and director of the Media Theory and Criticism option. With more than 1,700 majors, CTVA has been listed among the top 25 film schools in the U.S. by Variety and the Hollywood Reporter.

“Frances is a proven leader who has compiled an impressive range of accomplishments, experiences, and credentials across several institutions,” said Dr. Andy Schulz, vice president for the arts and dean of the College of Fine Arts.

“Equally important, she possesses very strong interpersonal skills, a collaborative spirit, and a deep sense of empathy, all of which will be vital in effectively leading TFTV. From my conversations with her, I know that Frances has a deep commitment to faculty, and that she shares our Arizona Arts and U of A belief that student success is our ‘prime directive.’”

She will begin her appointment this summer.

Read the complete announcement here.
🔗 azart.fyi/TFTVGateward ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago

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