Emerson @ Sundance: Who’s Who in 2022

Update: Alumni are invited to attend From Script to Sundance, a virtual conversation with producer Kevin McKeon ’07 (Call Jane), moderated by VMA Chair Cristina Kotz Cornejo on Wednesday, February 2, 7:00-8:30 pm EST. Register on Eventbrite.

The Sundance Film Festival is back in virtual form, January 20-30, and Emerson will be all over it. Here’s a quick wrap up of alumni who have worked on this year’s films:

Emerson Los Angeles affiliated faculty member Julian Higgins ’08 wrote, directed, and produced God’s Country, his feature debut, starring Thandiwe Newton as a grieving college professor who confronts two hunters trespassing on her property.

Ric Schnupp ’09 was re-recording mixer/supervising sound editor on no fewer than three entries to this year’s festival: Resurrection, a psychological horror film starring Rebecca Hall and Tim Roth; Sharp Stick, written and directed by Lena Dunham, about a woman overcoming trauma through sex positivity; and F^¢k ‘€m R!ght B@¢k, a short comedy about a queer rapper who accidentally ingests an edible at work. Short Stick was produced by FilmNation Entertainment, owned by real estate developer and Emerson Trustee Co-Vice Chair Steve Samuels.

A half dozen alumni pepper the cast and crew of Call Jane, the story of a 1968 suburban housewife (Elizabeth Banks) who turns to a clandestine network of women to help her terminate a pregnancy. Kevin McKeon ’07 is a producer. Actor Kayla Foster ’13 plays Helen, and Rachel Rosenbloom ’10 plays Judith. Emilie Jackson ’09 was behind-the-scenes camera, and Ryan Farrell ’21 and current student Noah Matalon ’24 were production assistants.

Alex Disenhof ’09 was cinematographer on Alice, about an enslaved woman (Keke Palmer) who escapes the plantation and discovers it is 1973. Linda D. Gaines ’78 plays a library patron in that film, and is an extra in Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul, starring Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown.

Jordan T. Parrott ’08 was cinematographer on the short thriller Chaperone. Gaffer Luke Becker-Lowe ’18 and key grip Mike Kim ’15 also worked on the film.

Maggie Ambrose ’16 was co-producer on A Love Song, about childhood sweethearts now widowed.

Rachel S. Fox ’11 was first camera assistant on Am I OK?, about best friends’ self-discovery and personal awakening, and Patrick McDonald ’13 played a waiter.

Michelle Kwong ’15 was assistant camera on Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power, a documentary about the gendering of shot design in film.

Siobhan Dolan ’18 was production assistant on 892, the story of a desperate Marine who takes drastic measures.

Perry Levy, MA ’06 was ADR recordist on 2009’s Short Term 12, which is being screened at Sundance this year as an anniversary short.

Did we miss anyone? Let us know at alumni@emerson.edu.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this described Sundance as a hybrid event. The festival announced the day following publication that it would be moving all events online due to the omicron covid variant.