Q&A with NYFA Alum Andres Garcia, Cine Gear Audience Award Winner

NYFA alum Andres Garcia is a filmmaker and producer whose passion for storytelling began at an early age, inspired by his love of film and science fiction. Since graduating, Garcia has worked on short films, music videos, and commercials, while earning recognition for his film Are You a Friend of Dorothy?, including the Audience Award for Best Student Film at the 2026 Cine Gear Film Series. 

NYFA Alumni Network: Tell us a little about yourself and your journey into filmmaking. What brought you to the New York Film Academy?

Andres Garcia (A.G.): Well, throughout my entire life, film has always been around me, and ever since I was 5, my family and I would go rent out films every weekend from our nearest BlockBuster before it closed down a couple of years later. Then as time grew, I started to get fascinated with SciFi, mind bending and thought provoking films. When I watched Inception back in 2011 with the DVD release, it impacted me in levels that were extraordinary, I started to recreate scenes with legos and then eventually within the next few years I would start making stop motion LEGO films and upload them on YouTube. It wasn't until senior year came in high school that i decided to come to LA to study filmmaking and pursue that art ever since.

NYFA Alumni Network: What projects have you worked on since graduating? Have you won any awards or been showcased in any festivals or competitions?

A.G.: I've been producing other short films, music videos, and commercials after graduating and I have been focused with the marketing and festival distribution of Are You a Friend of Dorothy?. I got selected on the Student Competition in EnergyCAMERIMAGE in 2025 and just recently won the Audience Award in Cine Gear Expo in 2026.NYFA Alumni Network: Congratulations on winning the  Audience Award for Best Student Film at the Cine Gear Film Series! Can you tell us more about that experience? 

A.G.: It was surreal to step up the podium and receive the prize in front of hundreds of industry professionals, which makes it very wild and extraordinary to feel, the day was euphoric and cathartic and genuinely made me feel very proud of the work that I've created alongside with my crew.

NYFA Alumni Network:  What inspired the story behind your film Are You a Friend of Dorthy?

A.G.: After taking a semester-long Film Noir class and having done extensive research about queer violence in the 1950s, I realized I wanted to create a cautionary tale that resembled a PSA Infomercial of the 1950s. And I also wanted to shine a light to the reality and the sadness of a beautiful couple that fell in love at the wrong time.

NYFA Alumni Network: When you step onto a set, what’s most important to you as a director? How do you guide your team to bring your vision to life?

A.G.: Communication, trust, devotion, and respect have always been my core pillars as a director and as a producer every time I arrive on set. Without these pillars, in my opinion, a set could crumble and generate chaos between crew members, wasting time and resources, and any credibility is out.

NYFA Alumni Network: What skills did you learn at NYFA that you applied to your film and other projects?

A.G.: I learned the basic idea of set, producing short films, and genuinely a good base of communication that I can apply in any project from her to the future.NYFA Alumni Network: What are you working on next, and what are your long-term goals as a filmmaker?

A.G.: Currently working in a couple of short films as a producer, and one as a director, and the long term goal is to join a production company in the production aspect, to evolve as a producer and as a filmmaker.

NYFA Alumni Network congradulates Andreas on all his success!