Located at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Feirstein emphasizes learning by doing, giving students extensive opportunities to create film after film while applying classroom theory in real-world production environments. Students have access to four professional soundstages, a scene shop for set construction, and industry-standard equipment from leading manufacturers, including ARRI Alexa and Blackmagic Design.

MovieMaker highlighted Feirstein鈥檚 production-focused curriculum, accomplished faculty, and strong industry partnerships. Among the school’s faculty is Ed Decter, writer of There鈥檚 Something About Mary and creator of the television series Shadowhunters. Students also benefit from networking opportunities through collaborations with organizations such as the Brooklyn Film Festival.

鈥淭his recognition reflects Feirstein鈥檚 mission to provide aspiring filmmakers with an immersive, professional-level education that combines artistic vision, technical excellence, and practical experience,鈥� said Feirstein鈥檚 director, Charles Haine. 鈥淲e are proud to be recognized among the nation鈥檚 top film schools and to continue preparing the next generation of storytellers.鈥�

This recognition comes off the heels of Feirstein being named a top film school by The Hollywood Reporter for the sixth consecutive year.

The three-year graduate program offers an affordable pathway into the film industry, with tuition and fees totaling approximately $50,000 for New York State residents. Financial aid opportunities and a $2,000 creative fund for second-year film projects help support students as they develop their portfolios and careers.

The inclusion on MovieMaker鈥檚 2026 list further reinforces the 可乐视频 Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema鈥檚 reputation as a premier destination for emerging filmmakers seeking rigorous, hands-on training in one of the world鈥檚 leading filmmaking hubs.

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In its assessment, The Hollywood Reporter highlighted Feirstein鈥檚 rapid rise as a leading public graduate film program. Less than a decade after welcoming its first students, the school has established itself as a major force among New York鈥揳rea film programs, benefiting from strong industry support and its unique location at Steiner Studios鈥攐ne of the country鈥檚 premier production facilities鈥攎aking it the only school of its kind operating on a working film lot.

鈥淭his recognition reflects the extraordinary work of our students, faculty, alumni, and industry partners,鈥� said Charles Haine, who runs Feirstein. 鈥淏eing named among the nation鈥檚 best film schools for the sixth straight year underscores Feirstein鈥檚 commitment to providing an accessible, industry-connected education that prepares filmmakers to thrive in a rapidly evolving entertainment landscape.鈥�

The publication also noted the growing impact of Feirstein alumni. Although the school did not begin graduating students until 2017, graduates are already building successful careers and collaborating on notable projects. Among them is Lindsay Calleran 鈥�20 M.F.A., director of the feature film Caity, which was selected for the 2025 Tribeca Festival.

Further strengthening its industry ties, Feirstein will welcome acclaimed producer Richard Brown, known for his work on True Detective, to the faculty this fall. He will be joined by screenwriter Ed Decter, whose credits include There鈥檚 Something About Mary.

As a public graduate film school, Feirstein continues to offer an affordable path to a professional filmmaking education, with tuition set at $10,567 for New York State resident students and $15,282 for nonresident students.

Since opening in 2015, the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema has distinguished itself through hands-on training, access to industry professionals, and a curriculum designed to prepare students for careers across directing, producing, writing, cinematography, post-production, and emerging media.

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Written and directed by Calleran, Caity is an atmospheric coming-of-age drama set in upstate New York. The film follows 16-year-old Caity, who helps run her family鈥檚 haunted house attraction each Halloween while quietly carrying the emotional strain of her father鈥檚 fragile sobriety. When he relapses, Caity is forced to take on even greater responsibility, seeking escape through a new romance and increasingly risky choices. As the season unfolds, she confronts the consequences of growing up too quickly and the lasting shadows within her family.

Lindsay Calleran 鈥�20 M.F.A. studied directing at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.

The film is also a testament to the collaborative spirit of the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema with a crew that includes fellow alumni Joe Stankus 鈥�20 M.F.A., Directing; Jack Davis 鈥�20 M.F.A., Cinematography; Malcolm Thorndike Nicholson 鈥�21 M.F.A., Directing; and Alley Leinweber 鈥�20 M.F.A., Directing.

Calleran鈥檚 selection to Tribeca highlights the creative excellence fostered at Feirstein and underscores its mission to cultivate bold, resonant, and diverse storytelling voices.

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Desir has earned widespread recognition for her compelling work as a writer and director. Her accolades include the highly competitive Lynn Shelton 鈥淥f a Certain Age鈥� Grant, the Caucus Foundation Grant, and the New York Women in Film & Television Award. Her most recent short film, Jean & I, won the Directors Guild of America Grand Prize for the East Coast for 2024鈥�25. Additionally, her manuscript Saving Jude was selected for the Penguin Random House / We Need Diverse Books Revisions Workshop grant.

A passionate storyteller, Desir is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the human experience through both narrative and documentary work. Her projects often illuminate the nuanced emotional and psychological landscapes that define the human spirit. Desir joins an esteemed list of past fellowship recipients, including Tony Kushner (playwriting/screenwriting, 1987), Lynn Nottage (playwriting/screenwriting, 1994, 2000), and Spike Lee (film, 1985).

The NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship Program, administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts with leadership support from the New York State Council on the Arts, awards unrestricted $8,000 grants to artists working in 15 artistic disciplines. The program recognizes five disciplines each year on a rotating basis.

Earlier in 2025, Desir won the grand prize at the Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards for her film 鈥�Jean & I,鈥� which tells the story of Michelle, a 10-year-old survivor of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

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As the newest institution included in the magazine鈥檚 prestigious annual rankings, Feirstein stands out for its affordability, cutting-edge facilities, and unique location within Steiner Studios at the Brooklyn Navy Yard鈥攔ight in the heart of New York City, one of the world鈥檚 most competitive entertainment markets.

The Hollywood Reporter praised the program, noting: 鈥�Feirstein counts Ethan Hawke and Darren Aronofsky as members of its advisory council and is a top public offering in the most expensive entertainment hub in the country. The program, based in Steiner Studios at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, offers an MFA with specializations in live-action filmmaking, digital animation and VFX and new courses on casting, intimacy coordination and analogue cinematography.鈥�

Charles Haine, a longtime faculty member who took over leadership of the school in July, emphasized Feirstein鈥檚 commitment to accessibility and innovation in film education. 鈥淲e鈥檙e redefining what a world-class film education can look like and offering our talented and diverse students the opportunity to tell their unique stories at a fraction of the price of other top film programs.鈥�

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With a permanent dean now in place at SVMPA, the college is pleased to announce a transition in the administrative structure of the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema. The school鈥檚 chair, Charles Haine, a longtime faculty member with extensive experience leading the program, will assume the responsibilities of the executive director under the guidance of the dean after the departure of Richard N. Gladstein earlier this month.

This change to consolidate leadership responsibilities at Feirstein will streamline operations and strengthen alignment between our academics and administration.

“Charles Haine brings a rare combination of industry expertise, academic experience, and creative vision that makes him an ideal choice to lead Feirstein,鈥� said Provost April Bedford. 鈥淗is deep understanding of both traditional filmmaking and emerging technologies ensures that students are prepared for the evolving landscape of cinema, while his commitment to mentorship and innovation aligns perfectly with the mission of 可乐视频.”

鈥淚 am honored to step into this new role at Feirstein,鈥� Haine said. 鈥淥ur students are incredibly talented and passionate, and working alongside them has been deeply rewarding. I look forward to building on that experience and helping create an environment where their creativity and vision can truly thrive.鈥�

Assistant Professor Haine is a veteran filmmaker and entrepreneur who has been working in the motion picture industry since 1999. In 2008, he founded the Academy Award鈥搉ominated production company Dirty Robber, which he led until joining the faculty at 可乐视频 in 2015.

Throughout his career, Haine has directed a diverse range of projects, including feature films, music videos, and high-end fashion advertisements.

At Feirstein, Haine spearheaded a strategic partnership with industry leader Blackmagic Design. This long-standing collaboration has brought cutting-edge technology into the classroom, giving students hands-on experience with tools used throughout the production pipeline鈥攆rom on-set capture to final finishing. The initiative emphasizes training in large-format cinematography, HDR workflows, and immersive video production, helping students prepare for the evolving demands of the industry.

Haine is also developing a collaboration between Feirstein and the Museum of the Moving Image. This partnership will create internship opportunities, integrate cinema technology history into the curriculum and expand training programs in documentary filmmaking.

As a director, Haine helmed the narrative feature Angel鈥檚 Perch and recently completed production on the documentary Multiple Choice, which explores an innovative high school education model in Winchester, Virginia. The film, produced in collaboration with executive producer Ted Dintersmith (Most Likely to Succeed), is set to premiere at a major film festival this fall, with a nationwide screening series to follow.

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Taking first place in the African American category/East Region, Jean & I tells the story of Michelle, a 10-year-old survivor of the 2010 Haiti earthquake who attempts to escape both her past and her new home when she learns that her “new” family is not what they seem.

“The Feirstein community deserves a tip of the hat for helping bring this compelling story to life,鈥� Desir said. 鈥淔rom Professors Ricardo Hernandez Anzola and Jodi Gibson, who provided critique during the writing phase, to Professor Daniel Garcia, who provided thoughtful insight during post-production, their guidance, along with the work of a talented cast and skilled crew of mainly Feirstein students made Jean & I shine. This award recognizes the contributions of each person involved, including that of producers Clairesa Clay [鈥�23 M.F.A.] and Charles Pigott, cinematographer Kusi-Quyllur Del Castillo, and editor Giuseppe de Matteis.鈥�

Writer, producer and director Mirta Desir 鈥�23 M.F.A. (left) and cinematographer Kusi-Quyllur Del Castillo at the Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards.

The crew comprised other Feirstein students and graduates, including Imani Garner 鈥�23 M.F.A. (music supervisor and composer); Karen Chen and Taya Higgs (sound designers and composers); Kevin Fentress 鈥�24 M.F.A. (first assistant camera position); Arsalan Danish 鈥�22 M.F.A. (camera operator and gaffer); H.J. Kim (steadicam operator); Samuel Romero (first assistant camera position); Julia Zanin de Paula 鈥�22 M.F.A. and Rafael Alvarado 鈥�21 M.F.A. (second assistant camera position); Greg Fitton 鈥�22 M.F.A. (electrician); Jack Davis (key grip); Nelli Toth 鈥�23 M.F.A. (grip); Vicente De Paulo, Emeka Chukwurah, and Sasha Podolyanchuck (grip and electric swing); Julie Neira Campoverde (sound mixer); Lin Tzu Yu visual effects supervisor); Hrvoje Budimir Bek (production designer); and Wesley Jean-Pierre and Jor猫s Phillipe (COVID-19 compliance officers).

Jean & I tells the story of Michelle, a 10-year-old survivor of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Jean & I tells the story of Michelle, a 10-year-old survivor of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Desir is currently in development for her debut feature film, Voudou Child, whose screenplay was the recipient of the Lynn Shelton 鈥淥f a Certain Age鈥� Grant. She has earned other prestigious grants and awards for her writing and directing, including the Caucus Foundation Grant and the New York Women in Film & Television Award. Her manuscript, Saving Jude, recently won the Penguin Random House Publishing / WNDB Revisions Workshop grant.

The East Region screenings and ceremony took place at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theater in New York on Dec. 18. The awards were established by the DGA鈥檚 National Board 30 years ago to address the significant underrepresentation of directors of color and women directors in feature filmmaking.

Jean & I has been submitted to several film festivals. To see where you can see the film, follow on Instagram.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so exciting and inspiring to see the incredible work on display at the 30th Annual DGA Student Film Awards,鈥� said DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter. 鈥淭hese directors represent the very best of a new generation of filmmakers, and we are proud to showcase their projects. Over the past 30 years, the Student Film Awards has been a launchpad for many incredible directors, including Jon Chu, Rashaad Ernesto Green, Ryan Coogler, Nicole Kassell, and Sylvain White. Their success is a testament to the power of this program and the importance of highlighting the rising stars in our industry.鈥�

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In its review, The Hollywood Reporter wrote:

鈥淲ith two-time best picture nominee Richard Gladstein as the executive director, Feirstein has received a lot of institutional Hollywood support, including a recent donation of film cameras and lenses from Steven Soderbergh. Additions to faculty have included acclaimed producer Anne Carey (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) and editor Veronica Rutledge (Ramy, Emily in Paris). The newest film program on the list鈥攊t was established in 2015鈥攐ffers students a New York鈥揵ased education without the price tag of other universities in the area (see: NYU and Columbia).鈥�

In July, the school made magazine鈥檚 list of 鈥淭he 30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada in 2024.鈥�

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An Oscar- and Tony-winning and Emmy-nominated producer of film, television, theater, and live events, Cohen won an Academy Award for Best Picture for American Beauty and earned additional Best Picture nominations for Milk and Silver Linings Playbook. He is currently serving, along with Lady Gaga, as co-chair of the

Cohen recently brought his latest film, Rustin, to the Graduate School of Cinema and engaged in a master class with students and alumni.

鈥淏ruce is a wonderful creative producer,鈥� said the school鈥檚 executive director, Richard N. Gladstein, 鈥渁nd for him to bring his vast and unique experiences to our students is a great gift. It enhances our students鈥� education in many ways.鈥�

Cohen will lead students in a variety of formats, including:

• 鈥淢ake Your Day鈥� workshop: Cohen will meet with a group of students and use a call sheet from one of his recent films to walk through why scenes were scheduled the way they were, and the difficulties, considerations, and priorities of the day for all concerned, including the lighting /camera, VFX, cast, script content, location, coverage, time of day shooting challenges, and more. He will also discuss the role of the creative producer in helping make sure each day gets made in the best possible way for both creative and budget/schedule considerations.听He will share the script pages for the day, the call sheet, the schedule, etc. A good event for producers, directors, and cinematographers, it will include two hours on a big stage and is open to all students and alumni.
• 听Set Visits:听Cohen will visit and observe several thesis film shoots, and then meet with producers, directors, and assistant directors to discuss recommendations and observations.听About five films will be selected, and Cohen will spend one to听two听hours听on their sets, meeting with students听for an hour for each film.
• One-on-One Mentoring:听Cohen will meet with students who sign up for one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Other filmmakers-in-residence who have worked with students at the Graduate School of Cinema include Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh (The Piano, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), producer Ross Katz (In the Bedroom, Lost In Translation), and the filmmakers behind the award-winning HBO series Random Acts of Flyness鈥擳erence Nance Kelly Rowland, and Jamal Washington鈥攁mong others. This unique program is made possible through a generous grant provided by the NYC Mayor鈥檚 Office of Media and Entertainment.

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So, when addressing digital copyright piracy in the entertainment industry, Gladstein has had a front-row seat to its debilitating effects.

On Dec. 13, Gladstein brought his expertise to Washington, D.C., and testified before Congress regarding Internet piracy. Speaking before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, the hearing, “,” examined digital copyright piracy today, with an emphasis on solutions for online piracy of audiovisual works such as movies, television, live sports, and entertainment on illegal download and streaming sites.

Gladstein explained how piracy affects the crews, as well as the communities where films are made, all across the country.

鈥淲hat you may not know is that each film contributes on average $250,000 to the local economy each day it shoots. Smaller-budget films may shoot for 24 days, and larger-budgeted films shoot more than 70 days,鈥� Gladstein said. 鈥淚n the U.S., the film and television industry employs 2.4 million Americans. Those numbers bear out what I have always known in my heart to be true鈥攖hat creativity is not just an important part of American life, it is the backbone of our nation’s cultural and economic strength, both here and around the world.鈥�

Gladstein explained that despite these numbers, as well as the fact that the Internet has helped grow audiences, these industries have been besieged by widespread digital piracy from the inception of the Internet, and there has been little recourse or consequences.

Pointing to a recent study, Gladstein said that as many as 30 million consumers across nine million American homes use illegal streaming services, often without even realizing it. Another report found digital video piracy causes domestic losses of at least $29 billion and as much as $71 billion every year, resulting in losses between $47 billion and $115 billion to the gross domestic product. The same study found that this costs the U.S. economy between 230,000 and 560,000 jobs each year鈥攖he majority of which are taken from the workers behind the cameras who put in long hours each day.

While there are laws in place around the world that have proven to be effective tools against this kind of piracy, Gladstein pointed to the fact they are not yet available to copyright owners in the United States, and he urged the committee to implement similar measures.

鈥淥ne such tool, broadly available in developed countries around the world, allows courts to issue no-fault injunctive relief, or 鈥榮ite blocking,鈥� orders, directing Internet service providers after a full judicial process to block local access to offshore websites that are found to be dedicated to piracy,鈥� Gladstein testified. 鈥淭his tool has proven to be an effective remedy against piracy in the more than 40 countries that have implemented it, including Western democracies like Canada, the UK, and most of the countries in the EU.鈥�

When speaking as the executive director of the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, Gladstein added it is critical to protect the cinematic storytellers of the future.

鈥淭hese stolen revenues affect the number of films made every year,鈥� Gladstein said. 鈥淲e want our students and graduates to have the most opportunities available to them as possible, so Internet piracy is something that needs to be taken seriously to ensure their future success.鈥�

Gladstein testified along with Karyn Temple, senior executive vice president and global general counsel, Motion Picture Association, and former register of copyrights and director, U.S. Copyright Office; Matthew Schruers, president, Computer & Communications Industry Association, and co-founder and board chair, Digital Trust & Safety Partnership; and Rich茅 McKnight, executive vice president and general counsel, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and deputy general counsel, and co-head of litigation, Endeavor.

Gladstein鈥檚 full testimony is available on at the 29:00 mark.

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