FTVM Honors Program Cohorts

Juliet Bornholdt (they/them) was born and raised in Oakland, California, and is currently pursuing a BA in Film, Television, and Media at the University of Michigan. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area as a queer non-binary person, Juliet’s passions include uncovering historical queer narratives and learning how to represent multifaceted identities by blending cultural anthropology with documentary and narrative filmmaking. Their inspiration blossomed during a 2023 internship that they created with Frankly Speaking Films, a queer Indie film company. They researched and recommended film ideas based on Curve/Deneuve Lesbian historical magazine publications. Juliet enjoys directing, screenwriting, cinematography, and taking neighborhood photos with their 35mm film camera. They often find themself on adventures down the California coast or long hikes through the great redwoods. After graduating, Juliet plans to move to Los Angeles to immerse themself in the queer and indie filmmaking community.

Production Thesis -  "I am (Jo)Sephine"
Primary Advisor: Christopher McNamara; Secondary Advisor: Sarah Murray

“I Am (Jo)Sephine” is a 15-20 minute dramatic, coming-of-age short film that chronicles Jo's journey to self-discovery after being cut from an elite varsity soccer team in their senior year of high school. Transitioning to a co-ed soccer club, Jo faces a dilemma: choosing between maintaining their social status and securing a stable future, or embracing a team of so-called amateurs who encourage them to accept and celebrate their queer identity. The film delves into the nuances of gender queerness and the fluidity of non-binary experiences, set against the backdrop of the often binary and transphobic world of sports.

Claire de Vries is a senior Film, Television, and Film major from Ann Arbor, MI. Driven by her passion for film, Claire has produced, directed, written, edited, and starred in numerous works. Her films have been featured and received awards in festivals such as Top Shorts, Trinity Film Festival, Toronto International Women's Film Festival, and Chicago Indie Film Awards. Claire is currently working as a Drama Development Intern with MAX in Los Angeles. Prior to that, she worked as a Development Intern for Panoramic Media, founded by former MGM President Jonathan Glickman. There she assisted with development and research projects. Additionally, she served as a Production Assistant at Atlantic Pictures in New York, providing support onset and across the pre- and post-production process. She was also a Video and Content Development Assistant for film composer Christopher North, creating marketing and sales strategies and content. At the University of Michigan, she operates as President of M-agination FIlms, helping to oversee the pre-production to post-production of 16 student short films.

Production Thesis - "We're Not The Same"
Primary Advisor: David Marek; Secondary Advisor: Jim Burnstein

During her senior year of college, Mia discovers that the father who abandoned her has a new family, leading her down a dangerous path of obsession with her half-sister, Isabella—a girl living the life Mia believes she was meant to have.

Nick Lyskawa is a fifth-year senior majoring in Film, Television, and Media with a screenwriting sub-major. Nick grew up in the metro Detroit area, and despite committing himself to film in as many ways as he can think of, he didn’t plan on pursuing art until his Sophomore year of high school. Nick fell in love with the medium during his first film studies class, and hasn’t looked back since. Transferring from Michigan State University in his Junior year, Nick is involved with various on-campus organizations, such as being a Senior Opinion Editor for the Michigan Daily, and being an active member of filmmaking organizations like M-agination Films. Outside of academia and extracurriculars, Nick takes pride in his work as an elevated mentor for the Transfer Connections program, where he helps incoming transfer students acclimate to their new home. As a videographer for the Michigan Football team during their recent championship run and Director of Photography at his previous universities’ Senior thesis film, Nick has also developed a skill set and keen interest in video production. Beyond school, Nick likes to write, especially film reviews for his personal blog, and create art and content for his personal Youtube channel.

Integrated Thesis - Film Noir: A Language of Illegibility
Primary advisor: Matthew Solomon; Secondary Advisor: Chris McNamara

“Film Noir: A Language of Illegibility” is an integrated thesis examining the unique ways in which Classical American Film Noir performs a critique on modernity through a theorized “aesthetic of illegibility,” performed through a boundary pushing interactive presentational form. As one of the most ill-defined yet most recognizable collections of film in cinema history, film noir has long been generalized as being “style over substance.” However, “A Language of Illegibility” attempts to put these assumptions to rest in locating the ways film noir’s undeniable pessimism towards an America emerging from World War 2 is expressed through its distinct amorphous nature. From narrative construction to cinematography, femme fatales to quick quips, film noir seems like a collection of movies meant to confuse audiences by presenting an underworld version of America - “A Language of Illegibility” attempts to provide one interpretation for the substance behind film noir’s iconic style. Following film noir’s own ambiguous, non-linear narrative constructions, the project’s final iteration is an interactive mind map for viewers to parse through, with the majority of the map consisting of “terms,” or miniature audio-visual essays that each describe one unique way film noir develops a suspicion of post-war America. The final product will be an engaging, thought provoking means of presenting generative work around film noir in an experimental format that mimics the very art it is attempting to analyze.

Tianyi Zhai is a double major in Film, Television, and Media (FTVM) and Psychology at the University of Michigan, class of 2025. Formerly a theater playwright and director in Beijing, China, with three original productions, Tianyi transitioned to filmmaking upon arriving at the University of Michigan, driven by a desire to reach broader audiences through film. At Michigan, Tianyi has written, directed, and produced five short films, a TV pilot, and two TV programs. She also founded and led Cinnamon Cinema, the university’s first and largest cross-cultural film production club, and spearheaded the inaugural Ann Arbor Chinese Film Festival, sponsored by the FTVM Department and the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs. Currently, Tianyi serves as the 30th President and General Manager of WOLV TV, the student-run television station on campus. As a dedicated storyteller, she is passionate about transforming real-life experiences into heartwarming screen narratives. In her words: “True stories are way more enchanting than any fiction to me.” Tianyi has a way of capturing the emotional undercurrents of these stories, leaving something behind that lingers with her audience.

Production Thesis - "Swallows Under Eaves"
Primary advisor: Carleen Ling Hsu; Secondary advisor: Veerendra Prasad, Swapnil Rai

Swallows Under Eaves is a 20-minute historical fiction film that unfolds the self-discovery journey of Wu Yi-Fang, a distinguished Chinese female scholar who was recommended to study at the University of Michigan in the 1920s, later becoming the first female college president in China. The film follows how her experiences of family loss and camaraderie at Michigan led her from pursuing an academic career in the U.S. to committing herself to women's education back in China.