A faculty panel for the 2004 CSU Media Arts Festival has selected Sharyn Blumenthal, professor of film and electronic arts at CSULB, as this year's recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Rosebud Award.

The ceremony to present the Rosebud Award to Blumenthal will take place during the Media Arts Festival at CSU Channel Islands on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. Following the award ceremony, the festival will screen clips from two of Blumenthal's films: "The Phoenix Effect" and "Take Two." This event is free and open to the public.

Nominees were submitted from throughout the CSU system, and were judged by a faculty panel on the following criteria:

• Service to Students - Nominees should have demonstrated commitment to his/her students through teaching and extra-curricular activities.
• Professional Standing - Nominees should be active professionals in the media arts (TV, film, animation, new media).
• Media Connections - Nominees should be successful in arranging public exhibition of student work on local media (broadcast, cable, internet, etc.).
• Innovative Projects - Nominees should have demonstrated ability to design interesting and innovative projects that stretch students' abilities and professionalism.
• Other Professional Recognition - The nominations committee will consider awards and honors received by the nominee in the media arts.

Blumenthal recently completed an independent feature titled "Take Two," which premiered in June at The American Film Institute. She co-directed and wrote with Richard Hochberg the awarding-winning short "Walking to Waldheim," which was selected as a finalist at the Hollywood Film Festival, Palm Springs Short Film Festival and stars Emmy Award-winner Doris Roberts and Tony Award-winner John Randolph.

Her other credits include the Cine Eagle Award-winning film, "The Poet's Wife," which was selected to represent the United States in foreign film festivals.

Blumenthal's documentary film about second- and third-generation holocaust survivors, "The Phoenix Effect," was done in creative-collaboration with Edith Hirshtal, an emeriti professor from CSULB. The film was partially funded by a grant from The Leonard Nimoy Foundation. Currently, the film is being screened in various U.S. cities.

In addition, Blumenthal has written and directed three films for a Showtime Anthology Series, and this spring, she is slated to once again direct a feature she's written called "One Girl Straight/One Girl Gay."

CSU Summer Arts established the Media Arts Festival in 1991 to give talented students studying film, video, and new media within the 23-campus California State University system an opportunity to present their work for critical review. In 2000, the Media Arts Festival expanded its mission to include helping students of the CSU bridge the gap between student and working professional.