UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television

We're honored to see UCLA Theater, Film and Television recognized in this year's Variety Education Impact Report! Inclusion in this list points to TFT's high quality instructors, multifaceted curricula, legendary alumni and more.

As the industry grows and changes, we are proud to remain a guiding light that prepares passionate students to shape the future of storytelling in theater, film and beyond.

See the full list: https://ow.ly/7Y9w50VHtta

PAIN INTO POWERFUL PERFORMANCE: Megan Timpane (BA, 2013) channels her experience with stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma into LYMPHOMANIAC, a raw, funny and fearless one-woman show. Written just two months after completing chemotherapy, it offers an unflinching look at illness, anxiety and life after trauma.

As LYMPHOMANIAC prepares for its international debut at Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this year, Megan sat down with TFT to reflect on the origins of the show, the role humor plays in healing and how her time as a UCLA Theater student laid the groundwork for storytelling that doesn’t flinch from the truth. Read the full alumni Q&A: https://ow.ly/yXQJ50VFWs0

🎟️ Catch Megan's Los Angeles performance of LYMPHOMANIAC this Friday, April 25 at the Broadwater Theater. Tickets and more information are available online at https://ow.ly/6a3C50VFWrZ

Something BIG is Bruin at UCLA! The countdown to the very first has officially begun! Save the date - April 29-30, 2025. 💛💙

OUTSTANDING: UCLA Theater, Film and Television professor Suk-Young Kim and UCLA Theater alumnus Rubén Polendo (MFA, 1998) have both been awarded a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship.

This prestigious honor celebrates both Kim and Polendo's impactful contributions to the field of drama, theater arts and performance studies. Out of nearly 3,500 applicants, Kim and Polendo were among the 198 awarded artists in the 100th Guggenheim class.

Kim currently serves as TFT's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs & External Engagement and as Head of Theater and Performance Studies. She is the fourth TFT faculty member to receive this honor, joining Juan Pablo González (2024), Chon Noriega (2021), and Sylvan Oswald (2019). Polendo is currently the associate dean of the Institute of Performing Arts at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Congratulations from all of us at UCLA TFT! 🎉 See the full list of fellows: https://ow.ly/FGhe50VBjS8

YOU DID IT! Finals week is over, and we've made it to Spring Break! Have a safe and relaxing week away. We'll see you in Spring Quarter! 🌸🌷🌼

Today is first-year decision day at UCLA and we're so excited to welcome our next class of creators and game-changers. Let's change the world of film, theater and television together. Congratulations to the newly-accepted Class of 2029! 🌟

This weekend: Join TFT and the UCLA Film & Television Archive to pay tribute to Robert “Bob” Rosen. Rosen, who passed away in late 2024, was the founding director of the UCLA Film & Television Archive and former dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

The event will showcase one of Rosen's favorite films, “Kiss Me Deadly” (1955) along with remarks from friends and family, including TFT Distinguished Professor Deborah Nadoolman Landis.

Event details:
📅 Saturday, March 22 | 7:30 p.m.
📍 Billy Wilder Theater
🎟️ Free admission

Learn more: https://ow.ly/l2QW50VjAsK

Finals are HERE! TFT students, we're cheering for you. Take a deep breath, rest when you can and remember that you can do this.

Drop your best study tip in the comments to help a fellow TFT'r in need! 💬

ICYMI: A new era is Bruin for UCLA Theater, Film and Television. Read all about incoming Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu in Deadline Hollywood:

Celine Parreñas Shimizu Named Dean Of UCLA School Of Theater, Film & Television Celine Parreñas Shimizu has been named the new dean of UCLA School Of Theater, Film & Television. She moves to Westwood from UC Santa Cruz.

JUST ANNOUNCED: The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television is welcoming home alumna Celine Parreñas Shimizu, esteemed filmmaker and scholar, as our new dean beginning July 1!

Currently serving as the Dean of the Division of Arts and Distinguished Professor of Film and Digital Media at UC Santa Cruz, Dean Shimizu has spent her career advancing the power of storytelling, representation and education. As she takes the helm at TFT, she brings with her an unshakable belief in the power of film and theater to transform, unite and inspire.

“As the new dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, I bring a deep love for my alma mater and a commitment to ensuring that every encounter with our institution is transformative — that is what happened to me here. I remember learning to give value to my ideas and to read the work of those who came before so I could truly know how film and theater provide us the language to understand ourselves and change how we treat each other," Dean Shimizu said. "UCLA TFT shaped me, and I possess a passionate desire to help the institution achieve even greater eminence under my leadership."

Learn more about her on our website: https://ow.ly/pG9850Vc2fm

The countdown to the 97th annual Academy Awards is ON! TFT is proud to root for the 12 alumni and board members among the nominees. Our community had a hand in a variety of works, from producing impactful documentary short films to creating the next generation of animated classics and everything in between.

Who are you rooting for this Oscars season? Tell us in the comments! 💬

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