In 1983, Howard University’s Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the first—and still the only—graduate-level film degree offered at an HBCU with the creation of the MFA Film Program.
For over forty years, Howard University’s MFA Film Program has played a vital role in training the next generation of independent filmmakers and promoting diverse storytelling.
The Department of Media, Journalism, and Film prepares students for today’s evolving media landscape through a combination of core and specialized courses. Co-founded by acclaimed Ethiopian-born filmmaker Haile Gerima, the MFA Film Program offers advanced instruction in screenwriting, film production, editing, sound design, cinematography, producing, and directing, culminating in a Master of Fine Arts degree in film.
Each spring semester, our first-year MFA students experience all stages of production as they create original short films. Significant crew positions are filled by students from the first-year cohort, while undergraduate students and fellow MFAs collaborate across different sets.
Recently, the MFA Film Program was ranked among the top 25 American film schools by The Hollywood Reporter.
BECOME AN MFA FILM STUDENT AT HOWARD!
Photo: Yani McRae (left); Kamel Worgs (center); and Zion Murphy (right) on set
Chair: Ingrid Sturgis, M.A., associate professor
MFA Film Sequence Coordinator: Shahriar Shafiani, Ph.D., assistant professor
Montre Missouri, Ph.D., associate professor & founder, Parallel Film Collective
Jami Ramberan, M.F.A., associate professor, assistant chair & co-chair, Paul Robeson Student Awards
Idit Dvir, M.F.A., associate professor
Tina Morton, M.F.A., associate professor
Vasilios Papaioannu, M.F.A., assistant professor & co-chair, Paul Robeson Student Awards
Srikanth Nandigama, M.F.A., assistant professor & sequence coordinator, Film and Television Production
Akosua Adoma Owusu, M.F.A., assistant professor & MJF content editor
Maha Haddad, M.F.A., M.A., master lecturer
Shom Shamapande, M.P.A., lecturer
This application is called Master of Fine Arts (MFA Film) Fall on GradCAS.
Visual Portfolio demonstrating the applicant's experience with film/image making.
A 500-word Statement of Purpose outlining the applicant's reasons for choosing our program and what they can contribute to it.
A one-to-three-page original screenplay, formatted correctly, centered around the theme of "peace."
Submission Deadline: February 15, 2025
Wednesday, November 20th | Starting at 6:00PM | The Gathering Spot DC | 1720 I Street NW WDC 20006
Free RSVP: https://bit.ly/HairInTheGate-TheCosmicFeminine
The Gathering Spot DC is proud to partner with the Parallel Film Collective for The Rebirth of the Cosmic Feminine, a powerful event celebrating women and nonbinary filmmakers who explore identity, transformation, and social change through film. Parallel Film Collective, founded by Howard University alumni and students, is a nonprofit championing global stories that defy mainstream limitations on race, gender, and culture. Join us for an inspiring evening featuring three short films, a Q&A with the talented directors, and a DJ mix by Diva. Enjoy passed appetizers and engage with these extraordinary perspectives on the feminine journey.
Our current M.F.A. Film student and international Fulbright scholar, Diva Muanza, won first place in Fiction at the 2023 National Student Production Award - The Emmys® for her narrative short Addis, My Father. This film was produced during her first-year M.F.A. courses in Directing and Cinematography III.
Addis, My Father thoughtfully examines the relationship between a father and daughter against the backdrop of one of life’s starkest realities: aging. The film was also recently selected as an Official Selection of the 2024 New York African Film Festival.
Watch the announcement here
Parallel Film Collective, founded in 2012 by Howard University film faculty, alumni, and students, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the philosophy that ‘Local Equals Global’ in film culture. Inspired by India’s ‘Parallel Cinema’, the Collective is committed to promoting, producing, and distributing independent films that blend artistic expression with themes of social justice and social change, highlighting the importance of everyday stories.
"Our aim is to connect diverse people and communities through film and creative media." - Dr. Missouri, Founder
Read moreThe Department of Media, Journalism and Film in the Howard University Cathy Hughes School of Communications in Washington, DC, initiated the Paul Robeson Student Awards during the 1980s.
Through the awards, the Department pays tribute to Paul Robeson (April 9, 1898 - January 23, 1976), a gifted scholar, athlete, and one of the most celebrated artists of his day on the silver screen, theatrical and concert stages and in the recording studio. Robeson's artistry and his commitment to advocating for freedom and positive social change worldwide inspired generations.
In his honor, the Department’s Paul Robeson Student Awards recognizes some of the best work by our journalism, audio production, film and television production students.
Learn more
The Howard University Film Organization (HUFO), founded in 1989, is open to all undergraduate and MFA Film majors. As a safe and creative, student-led organization, HUFO is dedicated to educating, enlightening, entertaining, and empowering audiences through cinema. Its mission is to support students interested in gaining hands-on experience in various aspects of filmmaking, including acting, directing, cinematography, wardrobe, screenwriting, and producing.
Beyond the classroom, HUFO fosters the development of young Black filmmakers through workshops, lectures, mentorship programs, film productions, and screenings, creating an environment for students to explore and deepen their passion for film.
Past Events“My Asian” Won Three Emmy Awards and 6 Nominations
"My Asian" (2022) directed and co-executive produced by Associate Professor Jami Ramberan (MFA Film, Class 2014) was the recipient of three Emmy Awards and six nominations at the 66th Annual New York Emmy® Awards. The awards were presented at the Creative Arts Ceremony in New York City and won in the Categories of: Best Public Service Announcement, Best Editing and Best Music Composition. HU Faculty Shom Shamapande also was a producer in the film.
Watch: "My Asian is American” (2021) directed by Jami Ramberan, starring poet and performer Suzen Baraka
Photo: Associate Professor Jami Ramberan and HU Lecturer Shom Shamapande at New York Emmy Awards
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is a Nigerian-British artist and director. She is known for directing the music video for Beyoncé's ‘Brown Skin Girl’ (2019) and ‘Black to Techno’ (2019), which was shot by fellow HU alum Bradford Young (BA, Class of 1999). She was selected to participate in the 2019 Whitney Biennial.
was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for the movie '13TH' directed by Ava DuVernay - Academy Award Nominated and Best Documentary BAFTA / Independent Spirit Awards.
worked on films with Julie Dash (Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl) and Stanley Nelson (Boss: The Black Experience in Business). He currently runs Vibration Cinema, a collage of video essays that challenge common sense notions of film.
Watch: 'Orchid Boys' (2018) directed by Rory Padgett
