SAVANNAH AND ATLANTA, GA – Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) alumni-created films were the toast of the town this year at the Sundance FIlm Festival in Park City, Utah.
Jett Steiger (B.F.A., film and television, 2006) produced the comedy Atropia, which won the Grand Jury Prize, the top prize in the festival’s U.S. dramatic competition on Friday.
“So much of what I do now as a producer, I learned during my time at SCAD — collaborating with talented friends, trying to elevate the work and champion exciting ideas. I try to bring that energy to every project I’m involved with, big or small. I’m still working with many of my SCAD classmates almost 20 years later,” said Steiger. “Sundance is such a special place where filmmakers and film lovers from all over the world brave the snow to celebrate this unique industry we’ve chosen. My career started here with a SCAD short film called The Execution of Solomon Harris — so it goes without saying that taking home the Grand Jury Prize for Atropia is enormously meaningful to me. It feels like a dream come true. The end result of so much hard work, alongside so many talented people. But … we’re just getting started!”
Alireza Khatami (M.F.A., film and television, 2013) won the Directing Award for World Cinema Dramatic for The Things You Kill. Khatami wrote and directed the psychological thriller.
The SCAD alumni-produced fictional feature Rains Over Babel received a standing ovation at its premiere at Sundance. Andrés Hermida (B.F.A, film and television, 2024) produced the film which was written and directed by his sister Gala del Sol. Hermida, alongside current SCAD senior Alessandra Hernández Dolan co-founded Fabrica Mundi, an LLC that serves as the co-production company for the film in the US. Hermida and del Sol are currently in talks with Hulu, Netflix and Magnolia Pictures.
“SCAD gave me the tools to create my world of creativity, but It also gave me the realistic knowledge to make things work. With courses like my Content, Platform and Distribution Revolution Class I became aware of the business craft that makes this job exciting,” Hermida said. “To have a film at Sundance right after graduating is wonderful, but to work with the people I love, my friends, my family is the ultimate gift.”
SCAD School of Film and Acting Dean Andra Reeve-Rabb attended the festival along with film and television Chair DW Moffett and acting chair Mark Tymchyshyn.
“We are all so proud to represent SCAD and support all of our students and alumni!” said Reeve-Rabb. “Walking up and down Main Street in Park City was like walking through our campus at SCAD. There were current students and alumni meeting and celebrating each other’s successes. Seeing the collaborations that start in our classrooms resulting in award winning films and life long partnerships is our mission every day and makes us beam with pride as mentors.”
SCAD School of Film and Acting
With resources that rival Hollywood studios, award-winning professors, stunning locations, a professionally run casting office, and stellar film and television festivals, the SCAD School of Film and Acting is the ideal place to launch into the film and television industry. The SCAD film and television, performing arts, production design, and sound design programs prepare students to command roles onstage and on screen through films, live performances, TV sitcoms, dramatic series, music videos, commercials, and more.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls more than 18,500 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 110 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university’s renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD has earned top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more.
Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. A 2024 study found that 99% of recent SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 12 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more. Visit scad.edu.
