At the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Russell’s memory is alive and well.
The Russell J. Efros Memorial Award Fund was founded in 2018 to commemorate the legacy of Russell J. Efros, who studied Film and Video at SVA. The fund was established by The Russell J. Efros Foundation to nurture and support students who demonstrate outstanding talent and potential as emerging artists and filmmakers. A monetary grant of $1,000 is bestowed upon a fourth-year undergraduate film student to acknowledge their exceptional final project. The selection process for this prestigious award is carefully managed by the BFA Film Department, ensuring that it goes to a deserving recipient who embodies creativity and dedication.
The Russell J. Efros Memorial Award Fund has been instrumental in fostering the creativity and development of its recipients since 2018. The support from the Efros family and foundation backers has enabled students to bring their unique projects to life. In 2023, Arnav Mangla, a skilled director-editor with roots in India but based in York, was recognized as the deserving recipient of this prestigious award.
Arnav used the scholarship award funding to work on his short film Subah (Awakening) Subah is a beautiful coming-of-age story that explores the themes of grief, love, ambition, liberation and forgiveness.
On June 20th, Sprout Society HQ in Bushwick was fortunate enough to run a screening of the film, including an opening and Q&A from Arnav himself. The event was widely attended, both by people who are long supporters of Arnav and had seen the film before, and by those who were new to the viewing. The conversation about the film centered on the primary themes, particularly in how we process, work through and then share about grief.
Sprout Society is always looking to partner with more creators who would like to share their work in meaningful ways for the community. We find that the vulnerability and candor that comes in discussion after viewing any type of artwork together can do wonders in terms of building connection and community.
If you’re interested in sharing your work, or co-creating in community, reach out to hello@sproutsociety.org. And stayed tuned for our next local screening in late August.
