The Alex. Leo Șerban Scholarship

The recipient of this scholarship must be under 35 years old, a promising professional in film criticism or journalism, and possessing high potential in becoming a festival programmer.

The Alex. Leo Șerban Scholarship will cover related expenses for a 3-month professional stay in New York. Training will start by the end of September 2012 at the semi-centennial edition of the New York Film Festival and will end in December, with the 7^th edition of the Romanian Film Festival organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York  (RCINY) and hosted by Lincoln Center. The awardee will also have access to film-related resources, participate in professional meetings with industry representatives, and receive entry to numerous film-related events through Lincoln Center and RCINY involvement.

The recipient of the scholarship will have to report on all events and meetings they participate in, the articles being published in a magazine, in print or on line. The recipient will further serve as an intern in the staff of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, helping to organize the Romanian Film Festival hosted by the Lincoln Center.

A jury of experts formed by film critic Magda Mihăilescu, professor Sorin Botoșeneanu, PhD (Dean of the Film Faculty of the “I.L.Caragiale” National University of Theater and Cinematographic Arts in Bucharest) and Andrei Gorzo, PhD (film critic, researcher at “I.L.Caragiale” National University of Theater and Cinematographic Arts in Bucharest) decided on the finalists. They are:

1. Florentina Ciuverca (cinema journalist, founder and editor of http://filmreporter.ro/)
2. Cristi Luca (film critic, contributing editor for for Dilema Veche, Observator Cultural, literNet.ro)
3. Lucian Maier (film critic, contributing editor for RevistaTribuna and literNet.ro)
4. Cătălin Olaru (film critic for Revista Cultura)
5. Andrei Rus (university assistant and PhD Fellow at the Film Faculty, “I.L.Caragiale” National University of Theater and Cinematographic Arts in Bucharest and coordinator for the Film Menu Magazine, programmer for the Timishort film festival)
6. Irina Trocan (editor for Film Menu, contributing editor for Decât o revistă, programmer for NexT International Film Festival)

A different jury composed of: Corina Șuteu (Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York), Bobby Păunescu (producer, Mandragora Movies, Romania), Tudor Giurgiu (General Manager of Transilvania International Film Festival) and Mihai Chirilov (Artistic Director of Transilvania International Film Festival) will designate the winner of the Scholarship, based on recent activities and a selection of printed materials each finalist provides to the jury.

The final decision will be made in Cluj, the host city of the Transilvania International Film Festival, and will be publicly announced on the evening of 8^th June 2012.