Features

Every fall, New York City gets a little brighter when SVA Theatre transforms into a showcase of imagination, craft, and storytelling. This year’s After School Special festival brings back the magic of cinema with a lineup that spans award-winning documentaries, Emmy-nominated series, and visionary animation—all anchored by the creative spark of SVA alumni.

Running from Wednesday, September 17, through Sunday, September 21, After School Special will feature screenings and conversations with more than 35 alumni from 10 academic departments, all at SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street. The festival is free and open to the public, with doors opening 30 minutes before each screening. Guests are also invited to enjoy a curated selection of music videos by Amanda DiMartino (BFA 2017 Film) in the theater lobby throughout the week.

Festival Highlights

Opening Night | Wednesday, September 17, 7:30pm

Pay or Die (2023)

Directed by Scott Alexander Ruderman (MFA 2016 Social Documentary Film) and Rachael Dyer, this documentary examines the financial struggles facing insulin-dependent Americans. Following the screening, Ruderman and Dyer will join audiences to discuss their film and Ruderman’s lived experience with diabetes. The evening also features the New York City premiere of The Hemingway (2024), co-directed by Patrick O’Brien (BFA 1996 Film and Video).

Thursday, September 18, 7:30pm

7 Beats Per Minute (2024)

Presented by the National Film Board of Canada, this portrait of freediving champion Jessea Lu, directed by Yuqi Kang (MFA 2016 Social Documentary Film), makes its New York City debut. Kang, herself a freediver, will participate in a post-screening conversation. The program also includes premieres of shorts produced with generative AI by OHuo Studio’s Song Lu (MFA 2021 Photography, Video, and Related Media) and Fan Yu (MFA 2023 Photography, Video, and Related Media).

Friday, September 19, 8:00pm

SVA Premieres: Best of 2025

A celebration of 17 exceptional live-action, animated, and documentary shorts created by 22 graduates from nine departments. Many of the filmmakers will be present to introduce their work.

Saturday, September 20, 2:00pm

Common Side Effects (2025 –)

Catch multiple episodes from the first season of this Adult Swim animated series, co-created by Joe Bennett (BFA 2008 Fine Arts) and edited by Joie Lim (BFA 2021 Animation). The Emmy Award-nominated, critically acclaimed Common Side Effects skewers Big Pharma through the lens of high school friends caught in a conspiracy. Preceded by the world cinematic premiere of DB Edmunds’ “Can You Feel It?” (2025), a music video directed by Stephen Jablonsky (MFA 1995 Photography and Related Media; BFA 1993 Photography) that employs generative AI.

Saturday, September 20, 7:30pm

Raoul’s, A New York Story (2025)

Fresh from its sold-out Tribeca Film Festival run, Greg Olliver (BFA 1996 Film and Video) and Karim Raoul’s documentary chronicles the history of the legendary Soho restaurant. Both filmmakers will join audiences for a post-screening conversation.

Closing Day | Sunday, September 21, 2:00pm

The Wild Robot (2024)

DreamWorks’ Oscar-nominated feature will be followed by a panel discussion with five alumni who brought the film to life: Angela Arzumanyan (BFA 2018 Computer Art, Computer Animation, and Visual Effects), Charlotte Bae (MFA 2013 Computer Art), Nyoung Kim (BFA 2018 Computer Art, Computer Animation, and Visual Effects), Lisa Qingyi Liu (BFA 2022 Computer Art, Computer Animation, and Visual Effects), and Adam Rosette (BFA 2007 Animation), who is currently co-directing Sony’s upcoming animated feature GOAT (2026).

All screenings are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration via Eventbrite is encouraged, but does not guarantee entry. Please note: SVA Theatre does not offer concessions.

For details and updates, visit svatheatre.eventbrite.com.