UNCSA student film named finalist for Student Academy Award
A student documentary film from the UNCSA School of Filmmaking was named as a finalist in the 52nd annual Student Academy Awards, which is organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
“Against a Sharp White Background” was one of seven documentary films nominated in the category, alongside projects from graduate programs and other film schools. The film is the first UNCSA student film to reach finalist status since 2014, when “What Remains” was recognized in the narrative category. More recently, “Sammy Without Strings” was a semifinalist in 2022. Filmmaking alumnus Randolph Benson earned a gold medal at the 1999 Student Academy Awards for the documentary “Man and Dog.”
Directed by Asahni Williams, “Against a Sharp White Background” explores the effects of integration in education through the eyes of American writer Zora Neale Hurston, looking at the good, the bad and the difficult impacts on the education and experiences of Black students.
“Against a Sharp White Background” artwork
The project was produced as part of the fourth-year thesis program in the School of Filmmaking, a culminating experience designed to mirror professional industry standards. These projects give students hands-on experience managing all aspects of production, from concept development through post-production.
The film was created by a team of students from the School of Filmmaking, including writers Asahni Williams and Roy Ford, director Williams, producer Maya Mills, cinematographer Busola Adeboyejo, production designers Olivia Stallworth and Nathaniel Roberts, and editor and visual effects supervisor Ford. The score was composed by Lee Martinez Cruz from the School of Design and Production.
“Being named a finalist for the Student Academy Awards is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the creativity, collaboration and discipline of our students,” said Deborah LaVine, dean of the School of Filmmaking. “This recognition places the School of Filmmaking among the world’s leading film schools and affirms the power of our conservatory model, where students are challenged and supported to create work of the highest caliber. We are especially proud that this film engages with history and explores a challenging topic, demonstrating how our students use their craft to spark thought and conversation.”
Williams reflected on the significance of the recognition.
“It’s always amazing seeing Black stories navigating and succeeding in high places,” said Williams. “When it came time to work on this film, I leaned into what my educational environment taught me: to be bold, intentional, and unapologetically visible to establish my existence in a space.”
Ford reflected on the choices that shaped the film’s visual storytelling.
“Using the collage aesthetic and the idea of having Asahni be an active narrator, we were able to show off a multitude of images and videos at once, spanning different eras and locations, and tap into imagery that’s familiar within the Black American ethos— in a way that’s visually fresh,” said Ford.
“Against a Sharp White Background” artwork
About the Student Academy Awards
The Student Academy Awards (SAA) is an international student film competition. Each year, college and university film students from all over the world compete for awards and cash grants, with films being judged in multiple categories including Animation, Documentary, Live Action Narrative and Alternative/Experimental.
Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 69 Oscar nominations and have won or shared 15 awards. Past SAA winners include Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Patricia Riggen, Patricia Cardoso and Spike Lee.
The 52nd annual Student Academy Awards ceremony will be held in New York City during the New York Film Festival in October.
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February 25, 2026