Film Faculty and Alumni Earn Sundance Awards and Oscar Nominations

This year's Oscar nominations were announced just as the annual Sundance Film Festival wrapped up its award presentations—with Columbia alumni and faculty members among the top honorees. School of the Arts graduate Kathryn Bigelow (SOA'81) was nominated for an Academy Award as best director for , which was also nominated for best picture, and faculty member Geoffrey Fletcher received an adapted screenplay nomination for Precious , which was also nominated for best picture. A Serious Man , another best picture nominee, was produced by Focus Features, which is led by School of the Arts professor James Schamus. Maggie Gyllenhal (CC'99) also received a supporting actress nomination for her work in Crazy Heart . This past weekend in Park City, Utah, School of the Arts professor Eric Mendelsohn 's film, 3 Backyards , won in the Sundance "U.S. Directing Award: Dramatic" category, and adjunct faculty member Brad Barnes' Homewrecker , co-directed with Barnes' brother Todd, won the new "Best of NEXT" category. The Oscar nods continue the winning streak for Bigelow, who on Jan.