It’s looking like an exciting fall for film in our FIU classrooms, around campus, and in Miami’s burgeoning film scene.

Last spring, our first ever Panther Film Festival brought our student body together, creating thirteen short films, twelve of which were up for awards selected by faculty, staff, and an audience vote. Over 100 students, alumni, judges, and faculty members were in attendance, and we are making this year’s Panther Film Festival bigger and better. Stay tuned for information on our free film workshops as well as the event itself!

We know our students are looking forward to the fantastic courses you’re enrolled in, from Professor Michael Gillespie’s new Film Noir course to Phillip Church’s ever popular Intro to Acting/Directing for TV/Film, and many others.

We’ll keep you posted about film happenings on campus and around town. Cult cinema, restored classics, and new international movies are playing at local art houses, such as the Coral Gables Art Cinema and Miami Beach Cinemateque.  Knowing that many of you are still coming down off this month’s Popcorn Frights film festival, we’re also looking forward to events sponsored by the Miami Jewish Film Festival and the Miami Film Festival’s GEMS four day mini-festival at the Tower Theater.

The new president of the Film Initiative: Underground, Jose Ramirez, has a line-up of film screenings as well as expectations from the club this year in an article you can read here.

Finally, we just want to give a shout out to our alumni and community partners. As always, feel free to email our director, Dr. Andy Strycharski, at strychar@fiu.edu to say Hi or let us know what’s going on with you. We love to hear from you all!