Each year, Cinefest celebrates the creativity of Fairfield’s undergraduate filmmakers, offering them a platform to screen their work before a public audience. A panel of jurors — comprised of industry professionals and faculty members — selects the top student films based on elements like narrative strength, character development, and visual storytelling.
Prior to the public screenings, students had the opportunity to receive direct feedback during a private session with this year’s distinguished jury. The 2025 jury panel featured:
- Barbara Nance: A professional screenwriter with more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Nance has written for TV series such as Threshold (CBS), Blade (Spike), Flashforward (ABC), In Plain Sight (USA), House of Lies (Showtime), and The Lizzie Borden Chronicles (Lifetime). Her film I Was Lorena (Lifetime/Amazon) earned her a Canadian Screen Award in 2022 for Best Writing, TV Movie. She was also nominated for a Humanitas Award in 2023 for An Amish Sin.
- Christopher Neil: With more than 30 years in the film industry, Neil began his career as an acting coach and dialogue director, working with directors like Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas. He directed the feature film Goats, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and his short film Into Being won the Patagonia Film Festival. Neil has also directed award-winning commercials and developed content studios at GoFundMe and Apple.
- TJ Sullivan: An Emmy and Annie Award-nominated director and animator, Sullivan has more than 25 years of experience in TV and feature films. He has directed shows such as Dragons: Race to the Edge and Madagascar: A Little Wild, working with studios like DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, and Warner Bros. His animation work on Beware the Batman earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination.
The faculty jurors included faculty Patrick Brooks, Fiorela Canaj, Mac Cooney, Joann Cowley, Hadi Gharabaghi, Jay Rozgonyi, Meryl O’Connor, Adam Rugg, and Jiwei Xiao from various departments.
Fourteen student films were ultimately selected for screening, culminating in a celebratory awards ceremony recognizing the standout works. Genres ranged from horror to heartache, to comedy and experimental film. John Anthony Rivadeneira ’25 took home the top honor for We All Scream Murder, a chilling short about a couple whose shared addiction to murder, fueled by a demonic presence, is tested by forces that challenge their darkest desires.
“[It was] an amazing collection of unique storytelling voices and cinematic visions,” said Patrick Brooks, MFA, associate professor of visual and performing arts and director of the FTMA program and the Media Institute. “I can’t wait to see what is coming next for this supremely talented cohort of graduating students!”
Learn more about Cinefest and view this year’s films.
