Columbia Students’ Animated Short “Frankie” Selected for Oscar-Qualifying New York International Children’s Film Festival

A still from “Frankie,” the animated short created by Columbia College Chicago seniors and selected for the 2026 New York International Children’s Film Festival.A still from “Frankie,” the animated short created by Columbia College Chicago seniors and selected for the 2026 New York International Children’s Film Festival.
“Frankie,” a capstone animated short created by Columbia alums, has been selected for the 2026 New York International Children’s Film Festival.

What began as a classroom pitch will soon screen in New York City at one of the most respected festivals for young audiences. 

“Frankie,” a seven-minute animated short created by Columbia College Chicago School of Design students, has been selected for the 2026 New York International Children's Film Festival. The Oscar-qualifying festival runs February 28 through March 15 and is largest film festival for kids and teens in North America. The film has been shown at nine festivals to date.  

The film was produced through Animation Production Studio, a two-semester capstone course taught by associate professor Ron Fleischer. Structured to replicate a professional animation pipeline, the class operates like a working studio: students pitch concepts, vote on a direction, divide into production teams, and move methodically from story development to final render. 

Once the concept for “Frankie” was selected, the team entered an intensive nine-month production cycle. Madison Helland ’24 served as director, guiding a group of 24 students while coordinating with collaborators in the School of Film and Television and the School of Audio and Music. The cross-disciplinary approach reflects the way animated films are built in the industry — through layered creative collaboration. 

“Frankie” tells the story of Emmy, her beloved goldfish, and a father determined to protect his daughter’s happiness at any cost. The tone balances warmth and humor with emotional depth, resulting in a short that resonates with both children and adults. 

Beyond the creative work, students also learned the business of distribution — researching festivals, preparing submissions, and positioning their film for audiences outside the classroom. Selection into the New York International Children’s Film Festival represents a significant achievement, as qualifying festivals provide a pathway for Academy Award consideration in the Animated Short Film category. 

For Fleischer, that external recognition matters. 

“It’s important that the film has a life beyond its campus premiere,” he says. “Festival recognition validates the work and gives our graduates meaningful exposure as they enter the industry.” 

For the students who built “Frankie” frame by frame, the New York selection is more than a screening — it’s an early career milestone. An Oscar-qualifying festival places their work in conversation with filmmakers from around the world and signals that what began as a capstone project meets the standards of the global animation community. 

Watch “Frankie” on Vimeo 
Follow the film on Instagram.  

Recent News