About the Mason Film Festival
The annual Mason Film Festival at George Mason University features the work of our Film and Video Studies students, from beginning video students, intermediate fiction directing students and documentary filmmakers to senior thesis films. This year, the festival spans four days, Wednesday, May 4, to Saturday, May 7, 2022.
Special to this year, we've invited alumni who were unable to screen their films in-person due to the pandemic. This event will take place on Friday, May 6th. Our inverted career fair, Meet the Graduates – featuring alumni and graduating seniors -- will also be on Friday, May 6th, and our Senior Showcase is on the last day of the Festival, Saturday, May 7th.
Celebrating Jason Cortez
Also on May 7th, we will host a special event in memory of 2015 FAVS alum Jason Cortez. Our celebration of his work and legacy includes a screening of Jason's film, Northern Star in addition to two other short films, stories shared by Film at Mason alumni and faculty, and a photo and memory wall. If you knew Jason, please bring a photo, past festival program, note, or card that reminds you of him.
About Meet the Graduates
Meet the Graduates of Film at Mason connects the best and most innovative companies in the regional media industry with top Film at Mason graduates. The graduates include cinematographers, producers, video editors, and specialists in motion graphics / VFX, and sound. Participating companies who attend Meet the Graduates of Film at Mason will also be able to connect with other professionals in the region, potential clients, and future collaborators.
Held on Friday, May 6th, this inverted Job Fair provides companies with a directory of our graduates that includes their reels and resumes, as well as information about other participating companies and representatives. At the event, companies introduce their work and team members, then circulate to stations where Film at Mason graduates show their reels and share their experience.
Following the Fair, we invite companies to stay for our Alumni Showcase in the Mason Film Festival, featuring films made by members of the classes of 2020 and 2021.
If you would like to attend the Meet the Graduates of Film at Mason event as a participating company, please RSVP by emailing Exhibitions and Office Coordinator Anjuli Singh at asingh80@gmu.edu or calling 703-993-6599.
Schedule
All events are free and open to the public
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 | Johnson Center Cinema
4:00pm – 4:45pm FAVS 300 Global Horror
5:00pm – 5:30pm FAVS 366 Video Production for Social Change
5:45pm – 6:45pm FAVS 399 Music Video Production
7:00pm – 7:45pm FAVS 375 Fiction Film Directing
Thursday, May 5, 2022 | Johnson Center Cinema
11:00am – 1:00pm FAVS 255 Video Production
1:15pm – 3:45pm FAVS 496 Staged Reading
4:00pm – 8:00pm FAVS 365 Documentary Filmmaking
Friday, May 6, 2022 | Horizon Hall
2:00pm – 3:00pm Meet the Graduates
3:00pm – 4:00pm Meet the Graduates Reception
4:30pm – 6:30pm Alumni Showcase in Johnson Center Cinema
Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Johnson Center Cinema
12:00pm – 1:30pm FAVS 475 Advanced Fiction Film Directing
1:45pm – 2:30pm FAVS 497 Senior Film Practicum Q&A
2:45pm – 3:45pm Remembering Jason Cortez
4:00pm – 8:00pm FAVS 499 Senior Film Showcase
8:00pm – 10:00pm Awards Ceremony and Reception (in JC Bistro)
Poster design by Sonja Phillips-Thomas
Support Scholarships
We invite you to make a gift to the Film at Mason Scholarship Fund to support 2022-2023 academic year scholarships. Make your gift today and create a difference in a student's life.
Watch this video as Film at Mason senior Taj Kokayi discusses the impact of scholarships:
Sponsorship Opportunities
$100: Supporting Role
- Logo and sponsorship credit in Mason Film Festival printed program
$250: Leading Role
- The above plus:
- Signage at Meet the Graduates and all Mason Film Festival screenings and receptions
$500: Screenwriter
- All of the above plus:
- On screen logos at Mason Film Festival screenings
- Logo and sponsorship credit in Mason Film Festival email marketing
- Social media post acknowledging sponsorship
- Invitation to VIP sponsor reception
$1,000: Director
- All of the above plus:
- Invitation to Mason President’s Circle events for donors of $1,000 or more
$2,500: Producer
- All of the above plus:
- Acknowledgement in Mason Film Festival welcome remarks
Meet Past Scholarship Recipients
Aaliyah-Janay Williams ’21 – As a senior, Lia won two awards for her film MEMENT, “Best Pitch Lookbook” and “Best Short Screenplay.” She also won a special award for “Boldness in Filmmaking” for her web series “Let’s Talk.” After graduation, she received a grant from The Create Fund for Supporting Invisible Illness, an award promoting artists who create visual stories and representations that challenge the stigma around mental health. In addition, she wrote the screenplay for Tale of Tarot, a romantic short film following two sisters who try to change their prophesied future. The film is available to watch on Amazon.
Jada Salter ‘20 – Jada Salter recently won a Non-Fiction Short Form Capital Emmy for her documentary, Behind the Notes. Made as part of her capstone project, the film presents the life and legacy of Jada’s grandfather Bill Salter, a three-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter, composer, and musician for songs including "Just the Two of Us." Jada’s project went viral on social media when she shared a video of her grandfather’s story. Currently, she’s making a feature documentary inspired by her short. To support this work, Jada won funding from George Mason University's College of Visual and Performing Arts Young Alumni Commissioning Project.
Mohammed Saffouri ‘20 – Mohammed Saffouri’s documentary film, The First, won a Capital Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Saffouri’s film follows 24-year-old Libyan American Abrar Omeish as she campaigns for a seat on the Fairfax County School Board. Omeish was elected to the school board in November 2019, becoming one of Virginia’s youngest elected officials and the first Muslim woman to win a seat on the board.
Highlights from Past Mason Film Festivals and Meet the Graduates
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Clara Kelly, Class of 2012
Paul and Ginger Singh
Jack Kehoe