San Francisco State University Among Top 25 Film Schools

SF WEEKLY -- The Hollywood Reporter, the renowned trade publication for all things showbiz, has selected San Francisco State University as one of the top 25 film schools in the nation. This marks the University’s first appearance in the list’s four-year history alongside the usual suspects like University of Southern California and the American Film Institute. Ranked at a respectable number 23, SF State earned major kudos for producing multiple Oscar nominees — 15 years straight — in various fields, including screenwriter Steve Zaillian (“Schindler’s List”) and producer Jonas Rivera (“Up”). While those accolades point to an enviable success in the mainstream, the Cinema Department at SF State primarily views itself as an innovative independent film school where students are taught to embrace the experimental and avant-garde and develop a keen knowledge of animation, documentaries and critical thought, says Daniel Bernardi, interim dean of the College of Liberal & Creative Arts.