Hollywood Foreign Press Association Continues Support of Film Program with $50,000 Grant

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group behind the Golden Globe Awards, presented $1.5 million in grants to dozens of arts organizations, including the Department of Cinema and Television Arts Film Production Option, at a private luncheon Thursday, August 4th, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, Gerald Butler, Taylor Lautner, Elizabeth Moss,  and Lea Michele helped present and accept the gifts. Golden Globe and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg presented on behalf of Cal State Northridge’s film program. A $50,000 check was given to Professor Nate Thomas, Film Production Option Head and Dr. Maureen Rubin, Associate Dean of the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication. The $50,000 production grant is for support of the senior film projects for the 2011-2012 academic year. The director of each senior film project has the distinction of being a Hollywood Foreign Press Association Fellow. For the past 16 years HFPA grants and scholarships to the film production curriculum and students, have literally made the difference between mere artistic aspiration and the actual fulfillment of dreams. Recent Cal State Northridge HFPA Fellows and supported films have won College Television Awards, been region finalists in the Student Academy Awards, have won a prestigious Heritage Award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and received honors at the Cannes Film Festival. The senior film project students also have the pleasure of editing in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Senior Film Edit Suite and preparing their sound design in the state-of-the-art Hollywood Foreign Press Association Film Sound Mix Studio. The HFPA grants have an even deeper significance during these trying economic times.