Each Spring, the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television presents the First Run Festival to showcase over 120 intermediate and advanced projects in film, video, and animation.
The selection runs a gamut of undergraduate and grad films ranging between narratives, documentaries and animation produced during the filmmakers' time in the program. The work is evaluated by a trio of juries: a three-judge Undergraduate Intermediate panel looks at submissions from junior level courses; Graduate and Undergraduate Industry each have six-judge panels. The selections are then sent toward the respective faculty panels to announce the final top three winners.
This annual week-long festival begins with the Craft Awards Ceremony and Wasserman Finalists Announcement and culminates with the Wasserman Awards Ceremony featuring the Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation Awards. The students' films and videos compete annually for over $50,000 in cash awards. Following First Run each year, the Wasserman Award finalist films and videos are screened in Hollywood for industry professionals and the public. Past years' showcases had been held at the Directors Guild of America.
The 2008 festival took place April 10–13, 2008. All festival screenings were held at the Cantor Film Center located at 36 East 8th Street.