Fresh Out Of Film School — New Directors To Watch From the AFI Conservatory EXPO 2019

We explore six short films that might just help their filmmakers join the other legendary AFI alum.

Now that the summer season has officially begun, it’s a perfect time to highlight the work of filmmakers who are making the transition from film school student to professional. Many of the best film schools in the country hold their own student showcase or film festival at the end of the school year, to celebrate student work and even dish out awards and prizes.

When it comes MFA filmmaking programs, no other has prepared more A-listers and legendary talent than the American Film Institute Conservatory program. Every year incredible new filmmakers, writers, cinematographers and more become known to the wider film world. Besides its incredible history and running list of alumni, AFI is known for an incredible faculty and perhaps most famously known for their industry awards and Top 100 lists in several key American genres, such as the thriller, romance, musical and more.

Only in its second year, the AFI Expo is an all-day festival showcasing thesis work from the graduating fellows. While no awards are given out per se, everyone screening their film ends up being a winner. Film and television industry people all come to the event, along with many of AFI’s celebrated alumni and current faculty. Each film screens twice a day and allows the opportunity for filmmakers to network with talent and potential producers of future work.

Here are just six of the twenty-nine incredible films on display at this year’s expo.

AFI Expo 2019

“The Chef” — Dir. Hao Zheng

Logline: An old Chinese chef teaches a robot to cook, which places him in a dilemma between artificial intelligence and the human race. This film supported by The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.