News Articles
News Articles
UGA MFA Alumni Bring Short Film to Austin Film Festival
October 21, 2025When Tricia Horvath’s short film premieres at the prestigious Austin Film Festival this fall, it won’t just mark her directorial debut: it will also shine a light on the growing strength of the University of Georgia’s MFA programs in Screenwriting and Film. Four UGA-connected films are screening at Austin this year, including Stripper Moms, created by Horvath, a recent graduate of the Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting, with cinematographer Elias (Eli) Saliba, a 2022 graduate of UGA’s MFA in Film, and produced by Taylor Potter (MFA Screenwriting 2023). For a relatively new set of programs, having multiple alumni in such a reputable festival is a marked achievement. “When you’re looking at this program as being only 10 years old,” Horvath said, “I feel like it’s pretty remarkable that it’s standing strong and holding its own against others that are considered the top-tier MFAs for screenwriting.”
Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting student recognized for script in Atlanta Film Festival
May 14, 2025For Shonté Hodnett, a Master of Fine Arts Narrative Media student, “Hidden Lines” is more than just a script she wrote for an assignment. It’s important cultural history that has a personal family connection. Hodnett was recently recognized as a quarterfinalist in the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay competition, an impressive showing for a first-time scriptwriter.
Tricia Horvath (MFA ‘24) wins “Pitch Competition” at The Austin Film Festival
December 9, 2024A story about family, friends, understanding of self-worth and finding passion in life that started during Tricia Horvath’s (MFA ’24) time as a student in the Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting program is the overall winner of the Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition.
Low-Residency Screenwriting Student’s Film Premieres at Atlanta Film Festival
April 29, 2024Win Marks still has a year left as a student in the Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Media Writing program, but his work is already receiving recognition beyond the university. "Do You Say What You Mean?", a feature-length film written by Marks, is set to premiere at the 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival.
The Peabody Awards Are Moving to Sunny California
March 4, 2024This year, the famous Peabody Awards ceremony will be hosted in Los Angeles for the first time in its 84-year history. Previously hosted in New York City, this year's ceremony will take place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on June 9th in LA.
Short-form Journalists Turns Author
February 1, 2024What is your X factor? Explore what makes you exceptional and develop it. Grady Alum Polina Marinova Pompliano shares how she uncovers news-worthy subjects' X factors.
The Peabody Awards – An Honor Like No Other
May 16, 2023The Peabody Awards is an honor like no other with a history like no other. Housed at University of Georgia’s Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Peabody Awards celebrate excellence in entertainment in documentary, news, podcast/radio, arts, youth, and public service programming. The awards are presented…
Planned movie studio near Athens to donate space to Grady College
December 14, 2021Since passing tax credits in 2008, film and television has become a $4 billion industry in Georgia, with the number of productions annually surpassing even California. Athens has seen film and TV crews shoot a scene or two here and there, but rarely is an entire production based…
MFA Screenwriting Graduate Finds Success With Original Web Series
May 20, 2020Rebecca Jackson-Artis, a screenwriting graduate of UGA’s Low-Residency MFA Program in Narrative Media Writing, has found success in her original web series, Totally Becky. The comedic web series has been selected to screen at nine film festivals including the Charlotte Film Festival, the Shreveport Urban Film Festival, the…
MFA Screenwriting Mentor Directs Lifetime Movie
May 11, 2020Christine Swanson, award-winning filmmaker and screenwriting faculty mentor in UGA’s Online Low-Residency MFA program, can now add “director of a major Lifetime motion picture” to her long list of accomplishments. Swanson directed the new motion picture, The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel, while also assisting with screenwriting…