By Maria Esteves - December 30, 2008

The 14th Annual 2008 Directors Guild of America (DGA) Eastern Student Film Awards was held at the Academy Theater, New York, Monday, December 15, 2008, 7:00 PM. The award honors the best minority and women student filmmakers in the East Coast, USA. Producer/director Ted Bogosian, DGA student film Awards chair committee, Eastern directors council, introduced award presenter DGA First VP/PAC leadership council co-chair Paris Barclay, executive producer IN TREATMENT (HBO series). A reception immediately followed the special Award winning film presentation screenings.

Since 1960, DGA president George Marshall began an Awards program to honor directors for their directorial achievement. DGA Awards were given on a quarterly basis and culminated in the Annual Award for Best Directorial Achievement at the General Membership Meeting. DGA Student Film Awards annually presents the outstanding achievements of African American, Asian American, Latino and women student filmmakers in the East and West Coast of the United States.

The 2008 DGA Eastern Student Film Award winners were judged by:

* Casey Childs – DGA director
* Daniel Cooper Bay – DGA director
* Gary Magatelli – DGA director
* Rolando Hudson – DGA director
* Vince Misiano – DGA director
* Sam Weisman – DGA director
* Gary Winick – DGA director
* Maggie Zackheim – DGA director

This year's ceremony included 4 awards within 4 categories. A combination of cash awards and honorable mention awards were presented to the following winners:

Asian American Student Award, presented to filmmaker Wei-Hsin Yang of Columbia University for PASSING FANCY.

Latino Student Award, presented to filmmaker Marco Garcia of North Carolina School of the Arts for 1915.

African American Student Award, presented to filmmaker William Sutphin of Columbia University for UNCLE KILLA.

Women Student Award, presented to filmmaker Elina Fessa of Columbia University for STILL WATER.

2008 DGA Eastern Student Awards: producer
/director Ted Bogosian, DGA student film
Awards chair committee, Eastern directors
council.

2008 DGA Eastern Student Awards presenter: DGA
First VP/PAC leadership council co-chair Paris
Barclay.

2008 DGA Eastern Asian American Student Award
winner filmmaker Wei-Hsin Yang, PASSING FANCY,
(center), with DGA First VP/PAC leadership council
co-chair Paris Barclay, (left), and DGA student film
Awards chair committee, Eastern directors
council Ted Bogosian.

2008 DGA Eastern Latino Student Award winner filmmaker Marco Garcia,
1915, (center), with DGA First VP/PAC leadership council co-chair
Paris Barclay, (left), and DGA student film Awards chair committee,
Eastern directors council Ted Bogosian.

2008 DGA Eastern African American Student Award
winner filmmaker William Sutphin, UNCLE KILLA,
(center), with DGA First VP/PAC leadership council
co-chair Paris Barclay, (left), and DGA student film
Awards chair committee, Eastern directors council
Ted Bogosian.

2008 DGA Eastern Women Student Award winner filmmaker Elina
Fessa, STILL WATER, (center), with DGA First VP/PAC leadership
council co-chair Paris Barclay, (left), and DGA student film Awards
chair committee, Eastern directors council Ted Bogosian.