Columbia GS Student’s Short Film Selected for the Lower East Side Film Festival

A short film co-directed by Arielle Friedman ‘24GS and Lucy Blumenfield ‘23CC has been selected for the 13th annual Lower East Side Film Festival. Immutable Uncertainties follows Kristen, played by Friedman, as she experiences romantic milestones with her partner Mark while also confronting her mother’s Alzheimer’s. Prior to its inclusion in the Lower East Side Film Festival, Immutable Certainties had also been screened at the 2022 National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), where it won an audience choice award, and was featured on digital film platforms Beyond the Short and Director’s Notes.

Friedman, who was a professional dancer with BalletMet prior to coming to GS, noted that connections forged and inspirations found at Columbia were fundamental to Immutable Uncertainties creation. Friedman and Blumenfield met in an intro film course on the very first day of Friedman’s freshman year, and while taking a creative writing class taught by Professor Alan Ziegler, they discovered the source material for Immutable Uncertainties. 

“Professor Ziegler assigned us a short play titled ‘......’ written by Columbia playwriting MFA alumna Callan Stout,” recalled Friedman, “and I fell deeply in love with the play and instantly knew I wanted to adapt it for the screen. Professor Ziegler kindly connected me with Callan, and she was more than delighted to work with us in adapting this story into a screenplay. Though Immutable Uncertainties was written, produced, and directed independently from Columbia university, it would not exist if it hadn't been for Professor Ziegler and his course ‘Structure and Style.’”

Working on Immutable Uncertainties also deepened the already strong artistic partnership between Friedman and Blumenfield, and brought another critical voice into their creative circle. “Because of this film, I met our other filmmaking and producing partner Camila Grimaldi,” said Friedman, “and now the three of us have founded our own film production company, Fazed Films, to be able to support and produce works of film that we believe in.”

Asked to offer advice to other aspiring GS filmmakers, Friedman said “get on set as much as possible. The practical knowledge gained from being on set will bolster and deepen all of the theoretical knowledge learned within the Columbia Film program.” Perhaps unsurprisingly given the centrality of collaboration and Columbia-fostered connections to Friedman’s work, she also highlighted the importance of building a network of support. “Surround yourself with equally driven and creative people, create a community and grow together,” she shared. “The people I have met along the way, and the community of artists and filmmakers we have cultivated is something I am deeply grateful for.”

Learn more about Immutable Uncertainties, screening May 7 at the Lower East Side Film Festival.