Columbia Filmmakers Win Big at Festivals
Producer Dan Rybicky, an associate professor in the School of Film and Television, with Director Colette Ghunim (center) and Editor and Producer Sara Maamouri (right) at DOC NYC. Their film “Traces of Home” took home the Grand Jury Prize. 
Cinematographer Michael NJ Wright (left), an adjunct faculty member at Columbia, worked on the film “The Game Camera” along with several other members of the Columbia community, including Director Emily Railsback MFA ’14 (middle). Wright won Best Cinematography for a Narrative Short for “The Game Camera” at the Queens World Film Festival. Also photographed: Bree Elrod (right). Columbia College Chicago celebrates three recent film festival wins, with films made by faculty, alumni, and staff earning top awards at DOC NYC, the Queens World Film Festival, the Canada Shorts Film Festival, and FilmLand.
“Traces of Home” Wins Grand Jury Prize
“Traces of Home” earned the Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Competition at DOC NYC, which ran from November 12 to November 30, 2025. Directed by Colette Ghunim, the film held its world premiere at the festival. Dan Rybicky, an associate professor in the School of Film and Television at Columbia College Chicago, served as one of the film’s producers.
And the good news doesn’t end there: Watermelon Pictures has acquired North American distribution rights to the documentary, with John Leguizamo (“The Menu”) and Melissa Barrera (“In the Heights”) joining as executive producers.
The documentary follows Ghunim as she travels with her parents to Mexico and Palestine to find the ancestral homes they fled decades earlier. DOC NYC is the nation’s largest documentary festival, annually highlighting new voices, innovative craft, and global storytelling.
“The Game Camera” Takes Home Multiple Festival Prizes
At the Queens World Film Festival, held November 6 to 9, 2025, adjunct professor Michael NJ Wright won Best Cinematography for a Narrative Short for “The Game Camera.” The film was directed by Columbia alum Emily Railsback MFA ’14 and produced by Caro (Carolina) Posse, associate director and associate professor in the School of Film and Television. Other Columbia talent involved with the film: Columbia Postproduction Coordinator, John Cavallino, colorist; Ace Wang ’20, editor; and Gabriel Dib MFA ’13, composer.
In December, “The Game Camera” also won an award of excellence from the Canada Shorts Film festival and took home the prestigious Panavision Award from FilmLand earlier in the year.
The short tells the story of a grieving woman who installs a night-vision camera in her mini horse’s corral, only to glimpse a possible intruder that forces her to question the circumstances of her husband’s death. Queens World, now in its 15th year, showcases independent filmmaking through screenings, talkbacks, and professional development for artists at all stages.
Festival Winners, Faculty Role Models
“We couldn’t be prouder of our faculty whose work continues to be recognized on major festival stages,” says Eric Scholl, interim co-director of the School of Film and Television.
“These awards reflect the impact of their work and the excellence they bring to Columbia every day.”
Wenhwa Tsao, interim co-director of the School of Film and Television, agrees, emphasizing the importance of practitioner-led teaching.
“Having working filmmakers on our faculty ensures that students learn directly from artists who are shaping the industry right now,” she says. “Our successful faculty serve as models for our students.”