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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2025 | 2-5:30PM | UC SAN DIEGO MOSAIC HALL - #113
A special celebration of cinematic creativity at UC San Diego!
Fellowships are a cornerstone of The Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts, fostering engagement, exploration, and innovation in film. They support students, faculty, and staff from across the UC San Diego academic community, providing funding or access to professional production equipment, helping bring bold cinematic ideas to life.
The Fellowship Forum shines a spotlight on diverse artistic visions and contemplative research produced by student, faculty and staff fellows, offering audiences an inspiring look into the creative work shaping the future of cinematic arts.
The 2025 Fellowship Forum will feature a dynamic three-part program, blending film clips with lively panel discussions in 40-minute sessions, breaking for a brief intermission and concluding with a reception and light refreshments. EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL. View the agenda below.
FELLOWSHIP FORUM AGENDA
**Agenda subject to change without notice**
- 1:45 PM: ATTENDEE CHECK-IN STARTS
- 2:00 PM: INTRODUCTIONS
- 2:15 PM: PART 1: FILM SCREENINGS & DISCUSSION
- FILM: "Closure" by Blake Riesenfeld - Undergraduate Student: Visual Arts - Media
- FILM: "In Search of 'My Beloved Pauline'" by Hande Sever - Graduate Student: Visual Arts
- FILM: "The Month Between April and May" by Myles Ortiz-Green - Graduate Student: Music
- RESEARCH: "Towards A Theory of Media Care in East Asia" by Wentao Ma - Graduate Student: Literature
- MODERATOR: Alison O'Daniel - Faculty: Visual Arts, Suraj Israni Endowed Chair in Cinematic Arts
- 3:00 PM: PART 2: FILM SCREENINGS & DISCUSSION
- FILM: "Killjoy" by Lennon Lilienthal-Wynn ‘25 - Alumni: Visual Arts - Media
- FILM: "OWED" by Jamil Baldwin - Faculty: Visual Arts
- FILM: "R/V: Research Vessel" by Joe Riley - Graduate Student: Visual Arts, Environmental Research
- FILM: “Tender, Love, & Care” by Colby Vasquez ’25 - Alumni: Theatre
- RESEARCH: "The Queer Sonic in Teo Hernández" by Jorge Sánchez Cruz - Faculty: Literature
- MODERATOR: Mariah Garnett - Faculty: Visual Arts
- 3:45 PM: INTERMISSION
- 4:00 PM: PART 3: FILM SCREENINGS & DISCUSSION
- FILM: "Becoming BFFs: Developing Cinematic Autoethnography with a Robot Dog" by Robert Twomey - Faculty: Visual Arts, Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination
- FILM: "If It's Not Love" by Alexander Lowe ‘25 - Alumni: Visual Arts - Media
- FILM: "Lobsteropolis" by James DeLisio ‘25 - Alumni: Cognitive Science, Film Studies
- FILM: "A Doll's House" by Sophia Cleary - Graduate Student: Visual Arts
- MODERATOR: Michael Trigilio - Faculty: Visual Arts, Director: Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts
- 4:45 PM - RECEPTION
- 5:30 PM: EVENT CONCLUDES
2025 CINEMATIC WORK
Meet the featured fellows participating in the 2025 Fellowship Forum and learn about their work. Fellows are listed in alphabetical order.
EVENT DETAILS
- TICKETS:
- This event is free and open to the campus and community
- SPACE IS LIMITED - PLEASE RSVP VIA EVENTBRITE
- By registering for this event you agree to receive future e-mail correspondence from the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts, from which you can unsubscribe at any time.
- Attendees do not need to bring/print "tickets" to the event from Eventbrite - your name will be printed on a list at check-in.
- LOCATION:
- UC San Diego campus, in the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Nieghborhood/Sixth College
- VENUE: Mosaic Hall lobby and auditorium #113
- Located next to The Jeannie auditorium and below the Craft Center, the Mosaic Hall lobby entrance faces the grassy quad with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and signage above the entrance reading "Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts"
- PARKING/TRANSPORTATION:
- Scholars Parking Garage is the closest parking garage, located below the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood.
- PARKING GARAGE ADDRESS: 9500 Exploration Dr., La Jolla, 92093 (Google Maps)
- Please note that all parking at UC San Diego requires a purchased permit, which is $2.25/hr on the weekends.
- View more parking permit information >>
- Parking availability can be limited on campus - please plan accordingly.
- Additional transportation options include taking the trolley, a bus or rideshare. View campus transportation information >>
VENUE ENTRANCE:
EVENT AGENDA
*Agenda subject to change, as program details are finalized.
- 1:50 PM: EVENT CHECK-IN STARTS
- 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM: EVENT INTRODUCTION
- Center Director Michael Trigilio
- 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: PART 1: FILM SCREENINGS & DISCUSSION
- FILM: "Closure" by Blake Riesenfeld
- FILM: "In Search of 'My Beloved Pauline'" by Hande Sever
- FILM: "The Month Between April and May" by Myles Ortiz-Green
- RESEARCH: "Towards A Theory of Media Care in East Asia" by Wentao Ma
- 3:00 PM - 3:40 PM: PART 2: FILM SCREENINGS & DISCUSSION
- FILM: "Killjoy" by Lennon Lilienthal- Wynn
- FILM: "OWED" by Jamil Baldwin
- FILM: "R/V: Research Vessel" by Joe Riley
- RESEARCH: "The Queer Sonic in Teo Hernández" by Jorge Sánchez Cruz
- 3:40 PM - 4:00 PM: INTERMISSION
- 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM: PART 3: FILM SCREENINGS & DISCUSSION
- FILM: "Becoming BFFs: Developing Cinematic Autoethnography with a Robot Dog" by Robert Twomey
- FILM: "If It's Not Love" by Alexander Lowe
- FILM: "Lobsteropolis" by James DeLisio
- FILM: "A Doll's House" by Sophia Cleary (Discussion only - film not shown)
- 4:45 PM - 5:30 PM: CLOSING RECEPTION
- Light refreshments will be provided in the Mosaic Hall lobby.