Foundation Recognizes Outstanding
Student Films
Two student films were honored at the Caucus Awards Dinner on December 4, 2011. First Place Gold Circle Award for Outstanding Student Film was presented to writer-director Casey C. Johnson of American Film Institute for his film Unmanned. Second Place Gold Circle Award was presented to director-producer Matthew Hashiguchi of Emerson College, Boston for his film The Lower 9.

2011 Award Winners

Unmanned - 1st Place


The Lower 9 - 2nd Place
Caucus Presents $20,000 in Grants to Aid Four Student Filmmakers
The Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors Foundation has selected four student filmmakers from diverse backgrounds to receive $20,000 collectively in the Foundation's Fall 2009 Student Grant Program, it was announced by Foundation President Chuck Fries. Students receive assistance to complete their student thesis films. $805,000 has been presented to 88 students since the awards program was established in 2001.

Recipients of this year's grants are: Jacob Jaffke, Columbia University, for his film, "Off Season"; David J Kelly, UCLA, for his film, "Stay Still"; Jenna Lyng, Emerson College for "As They Fade"; Lauren Wolkstein, Columbia University, for "Cigarette Candy".

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"The grant from the Caucus Foundation has been absolutely invaluable.  When so much of student filmmaking is about just "getting it in the can", this grant has allowed me to not only finish The Foreigner, but to take the film to the next level with film festival submissions and marketing costs, and most importantly, sharing it with an audience which has already furthered my career post-graduation.  Winning the First Place Gold Circle Award was an incredible honor and a culmination of all the hard work myself and the crew put into this film. The Award has already jump started the making of The Foreigner into a feature film, and the continued support of the Foundation through their Mentoring program has provided incredible guidance."
- Alethea Avramis