Overview and Mission

See your world differently.

Every semester, the Visiting Filmmakers Series brings to campus a diversity of films and artists. The Series is committed to building community and advancing social justice by supporting innovative, antiracist, and inclusive filmmaking.

VFS Linktree


Since 1995, our events include the following:

 

Fall 2023: Visiting Filmmakers Series: in-person. Events included filmmakers Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler, and Angel Ellis with Bad Press (2023) and a screening and discussion of Woman in Motion, presented by the College of Science and VFS. See full list of Fall 2023 events here.

Spring 2023: Visiting Filmmakers Series: online and in-person. Events included Boots Riley with I'm a Virgo, Rebeca Huntt with Beba, and Margaret Brown and Kern Jackson with Descendant. See full list of Spring 2023 events here

 

Unapologetic221013Fall 2022: Visiting Filmmakers Series: in-person. Events included Ashley O'Shay with Unapologetic. See full list of Fall 2022 events here. 

 

 

Spring 2022: Visiting Filmmakers Series: in-person and online. Events included Joseph Le, Action Designer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. See full list of Spring 2022 events here. 

 

 

Black PantherFall 2021: Visiting Filmmakers Series: in-person and online. Our first event was Shaolin Jazz: Can I Kick It? Black Panther, an outdoor screening of Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, with soundtrack remixed live by DJ 2-Tone Jones. See full list of  Fall 2021 events here. 

 

Spring 2021: Visiting Filmmakers Series Online. Screenings and conversations online throughout February, March, and April. See full list of Spring 2021 events here

 

 

Fall 2020: Visiting Filmmakers Series Online. Screenings and conversations online throughout September and October. See full list of Fall 2020 events here. 

 

 

April 2020: Visiting Filmmakers Series Online. We hosted 25 sessions and 34 guests. All Spring 2020 sessions are recorded and available to see here. 

 

 

April 2020: A Conversation with Sacha Jenkins, director of Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men. Sponsored by Film and Video StudiesAfrican and African American StudiesGlobal AffairsGlobal ProgramsHistory and Art History, CHSS, CVPA, University LifeSchool of ArtWomen and Gender Studies, Art and Visual Technology, CVPA's Kritikos Series: Arts in Context, and Film and Media Studies. 

April 2020: Hale County This Morning, This Evening: A conversation with RaMell Ross. Sponsored by Film and Video StudiesAfrican and African American StudiesGlobal AffairsGlobal ProgramsHistory and Art History, CHSS, CVPA, University LifeSchool of ArtWomen and Gender Studies, Art and Visual Technology, CVPA's Kritikos Series: Arts in Context, Film and Media Studies, and the American Studies Program at Georgetown University

Spring 2020: A conversation with Jennifer Baichwal: ONLINE. Sponsored by Visiting Filmmakers Series at Mason, Film and Video Studies, the English Department, the School of Art, Global Affairs and Global Programs, the Interdisciplinary Curriculum Committee, CHSS, CVPA, University Life, Women and Gender Studies, Art and Visual Technology, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, the Institute for a Sustainable Earth, the Office of Sustainability, and the Center for Climate Change Communication.

Spring 2020: Masterclass with writer, actor, and director Doug Spearman. ONLINE. Sponsored by Visiting Filmmakers Series and Film and Video Studies, CHSS, CVPA, and University Life. 

 

 

Fall 2019: Naila and the Uprising with Julia Bacha. Sponsored by Visiting Filmmakers Series at Mason, Film and Video Studies, Film and Media Studies, Middle East and Islamic Studies, Ali Vural Ak Center, Global Affairs and Global Programs, Cultural Studies, DKA at GMU, University Life, and Women and Gender Studies.

 

 

Fall 2019: Hail Satan? with Penny Lane. Sponsored by Visiting Filmmakers Series at Mason, Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, Women and Gender Studies, CVPA, CHSS, Delta Kappa Alpha, and English. 

 

 

 

Fall 2019: Patti Cake$ with producer Michael Gottwald. Sponsored by Visiting Filmmakers Series at Mason, Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, CVPA, CHSS, Delta Kappa Alpha. 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2019: A Discussion on Leftism, Morality, and Community Growth: Boots Riley, Richard Wolff, and Andrew Kliman. Sponsored by GMU Student Power, Young Democratic Socialists of America GMU (YDSA), Students for a Democratic Society GMU (SDS), Cultural Studies, GMU Visiting Filmmakers Series, Global Affairs and Global Programs, African and African American Studies, the Interdisciplinary Curriculum Committee, University Life, Film and Media Studies, and Film at Mason. 

Spring 2019: A Late Style of Fire with Michele Poulos and Gregory Donovan. Sponsored by New Leaves Festival, the Creative Writing Program, Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, the Undergraduate English Society, and Mason Libraries.

 

 

 

Spring 2019: Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland. With Kate Davis and David Heilbroner. Sponsored by Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, University Life, Women and Gender Studies, Global Programs, the Interdisciplinary Curriculum Committee, Criminology, Law, and Society, the School of Integrative Studies, Communication, English, African and African American Studies, History and Art History, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education and LGBTQ Resources, and DKA (Delta Kappa Alpha). 

Spring 2019: Mother Daughter Sister with Jeanne Hallacy. Sponsored by Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, Women and Gender Studies, Global Programs, and DKA (Delta Kappa Alpha). 

 

 

 

The UnafraidSpring 2019: The Unafraid with Heather Courtney. With special guest GMU President Ángel Cabrera. Sponsored by by University Life, Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, the LEAD Office, Honors College, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education + LGBTQ Resources, the School of Business, DKA (Delta Kappa Alpha),Global Affairs and Global Programs, University Life Programming Committee, Women and Gender Studies, and Mason DREAMers.

 

Fall 2018: Masterclass with Colette Burson on TV Showrunning and Writing. Moderated by FAVS Professor Lisa Thrasher. Sponsored by Film and Video Studies, Film and Media Studies, and DKA. 

 

 

 

Fall 2018: Dark Money with Kimberly Reed. Sponsored with Film and Video Studies, DKA (Delta Kappa Alpha), Global Affairs and Global Programs, History and Art History, GMU Student Power, English, AAUP (American Association of University Professors) @ Mason, Honors College, Transparent GMU, University Life, and Women and Gender Studies. 

InTheLastDaysFall 2018: In the Last Days of the City with Tamer El Said. Sponsored with by Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies, Middle East Studies, Modern and Classical Languages, Film and Video Studies, Global Affairs and Global Programs, and the English Department.

 

Fall 2018: Dan Mirvish Masterclass on Indie Filmmaking. Cosponsored by Film and Video Studies and Film and Media Studies. 

 

 

Spring 2018: In Lorton's Darkroom with filmmaker and photographer Karen Ruckman, producer Emma Pearce, and photographers Calvin Gorham and Michael Moses El. Sponsored with Film and Video Studies, Global Programs, Global Affairs, Delta Kappa Alpha, University Life, and Women and Gender Studies. 

 

Fall 2017: Whose Streets? with Sabaah Folayan. Sponsored with African and African American Studies, LGBTQ Resources, Global Programs, Global Affairs, Black Student Alliance, Delta Kappa Alpha, History and Art History, Film and Video Studies, Communication, ODIME, University Life, and Women and Gender Studies. 

Fall 2017: Road Through War with Louie Palu, with Global Programs, Global Affairs, Russian and Eurasian Studies, DKA, Communication. History and Art History, and Film and Video Studies. 

 

 

Fall 2017: Kara Herold Masterclass, with Film and Video Studies, Art Department. 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2017: Cameraperson with Kirsten Johnson, with Film and Video Studies, GLOA, Global Programs, History and Art History, ODIME, Communication, School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, University Life, DKA, and Women and Gender Studies.  

 

 

Fall 2017: Almost Sunrise with Michael Collins and Martin Syjuco, with Honors College, Film and Video Studies, Housing and Residence, GLOA, Global Programs, History and Art History, Psychology, School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, University Life, and Women and Gender Studies. 

 

 

FailStateFall 2017. Fail State with Alex Shebanow. With Student Power, Film and Media Studies, and Film and Video Studies. Special thanks to Caroline McCaig, moderator and organizer.  

 

 

 

VisitorsDaySpring 2017: Visitor's Day (Día de Visita) with Nicole Opper, with Film and Video Studies, Global Affairs, Global Programs, History and Art History, Latin American Studies, University Libraries, University Life, Women and Gender Studies, and Delta Kappa Alpha.

 

 

Spring 2017: Moonlight (no filmmakers visit). Discussion after the screening with Keith Clark (English Department) and Cynthia Fuchs. (Film and Media Studies) with LGBTQ Resources, Film and Video Studies, Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education, African and African American Studies, and University Libraries.

HooligansparrowSpring 2017: Hooligan Sparrow with Nanfu Wang, with Film and Video Studies, Chinese Studies in MCL, Global Affairs, Global Programs, History and Art History, Latin American Studies, University Libraries, University Life, Women and Gender Studies, and Delta Kappa Alpha.

 

 

 

Spring 2017: 13th with Hans Charles, with African and African American Studies, Film and Video Studies, Global Affairs, Global Programs, English, History and Art History, University Libraries, University Life, Women and Gender Studies, the Black Student Alliance, and Delta Kappa Alpha.

 

Fall 2016: City of Trees with Brandon and Lance Kramer, with Film and Video Studies, Mason Reads, GMU Libraries, Honors College, Center for Climate Change Communication, the English Department, and University Life.

 

 

Fall 2016: A Conversation with Christine Vachon, with Giovanna Chesler, with Film and Video Studies, Art, Women and Gender Studies, Photography, DKA, and University Life.

 

 

 

 

Spring 2016: Field Niggas, with Khalik Allah. Special guests: African and African American Studies Director Wendi Manuel-Scott and the Washington Post's Ann Hornaday. Cosponsored by African and African American Studies, Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, Black Student Alliance, Delta Kappa Alpha, the English Department, Cultural Studies, and University Life.

 

Spring 2016: Benjamin Steger, Stage Four: A Love Story, with Film and Video Studies.

 

 

 

Spring 2016: Kandahar Journals with Louie Palu, with Global Affairs, Global Programs, Film and Media Studies, and Film and Video Studies. 

 

 

 

Fall 2015: (T)Error (2015) with Lyric R. Cabral and Jason Osder, with African and African American Studies, English, Film and Video Studies, and University Life.

 

 

Fall 2015: Happy Those Who Cry with Marcelo Torcida. Cosponsored by Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies and Latin American Studies.

 

 

Fall 2015: Back on Board: Greg Louganis with Cheryl Furjanic and Ric Chollar, with Film and Video Studies, LGBTQ Resources, University Life, and Women and Gender Studies.

 

 

ApproachingTheElephantSpring 2015: Approaching the Elephant with Amanda Rose Wilder. Discussion moderated by Delta Kappa Alpha president Irem Dogencali. Cosponsored by Film and Video Studies, Film and Video Studies, Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA), English, University Life, and Women and Gender Studies.

 

Spring 2015: Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People with Thomas Allen Harris and Deborah Willis. Cosponsored by Film & Media Studies, African & African American Studies, Film & Video Studies, Cultural Studies, English, History & Art History, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education, the School of Art, Sociology and Anthropology, University Life, and Women & Gender Studies.

Spring 2015 (no filmmakers visit): Dear White People (2014)with post-screening discussion leaders Gayle Wald (George Washington University) and Mark Hopson (George Mason University). Cosponsored by African & African American Studies, Film & Media Studies, Film & Video Studies, SI Films, and Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education, supported by English and Women & Gender Studies.