'Out of the Past, Into the Future' is a bi-weekly series which aims to chronicle a limitless scope of work by Columbia filmmakers representative of the past, present, and future. This series investigates how Columbia film projects, and the bespoke stories therein, are enmeshed with tales of history and experience, and harbingers of what’s to come. This week we sat down with alumnus Simon Kinberg ’03 to discuss how his films—including the 'X-Men and Deadpool' franchises, 'Logan' and 'The Martian'—use past cinematic genres to convey ideas about the future.

Out of the Past, Into the Future: Simon Kinberg '03

"A Poet’s Life" is a series where we talk with Columbia University School of the Arts poets about everything from living as a poet to making a living as a poet.

Here, alumna and Assistant Professor Emily Skillings '17 reads her poem “The Duke’s Forest.”

See more of the series online: https://arts.columbia.edu/tags/poets-life

Courtesy Columbia University School of the Arts and Emily Skillings.

A Poet's Life: Emily Skillings reads “The Duke’s Forest”

A Poet’s Life" is a series where we talk with Columbia University School of the Arts poets about everything from living as a poet to making a living as a poet.

Here, alum and Assistant Professor Jay Deshpande '12 reads his poem "Before I Learned To Read."

See more of the series online: arts.columbia.edu/tags/poets-life

Courtesy Columbia University School of the Arts and Jay Deshpande.

A Poet's Life: Jay Deshpande reads "Before I Learned To Read"

November 27, 2023

Professors Anne Bogart and Brian Kulick answer questions about the Theatre MFA concentration -- Directing.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/theatre/directing
https://arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts.

2023 Theatre Directing Q & A

December 5, 2023

Professors Jack Lechner, Mynette Louie, Maureen Ryan, and Lance Weiler answer questions about the Film MFA concentration -- Creative Producing.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/film/degrees-concentrations/producing
https://arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts.

2023 Creative Producing Q&A Session

November 18, 2024

Professors Jack Lechner, Mynette Louie, Maureen Ryan, and Lance Weiler answer questions about the Film MFA concentration -- Creative Producing.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/film/degrees-con…ations/producing
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts.



2024 Creative Producing Q&A Session

November 25, 2025

Professors Eric Mendelsohn, Christina Lazaridi and David Klass answer questions about the Film MFA concentrations -- Screenwriting/Directing and Writing for Film & Television.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/film/degrees-concentrations/screenwriting-directing
arts.columbia.edu/film/degrees-concentrations/writing-film-television
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2024 Screenwriting, Directing, and Writing for Film and Television Q&A Session

December 3, 2024

Professor Leslie Ayvazian answers questions about the Theatre MFA concentration -- Playwriting.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/theatre/playwriting
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts.



2024 Playwriting Q&A Session

December 10, 2024

Professors Steven Chaikelson and Tory Bailey answer questions about the Theatre MFA concentration -- Theatre Management and Producing.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/theatre/management-producing
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2024 Theatre Management & Producing Q&A Session

December 17, 2024

Professor Chloé Cooper Jones answers questions about the Writing MFA concentration -- Nonfiction.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/writing/nonfiction
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts


2024 Nonfiction Q&A Session

December 17, 2024

Professor Sam Lipsyte answers questions about the Writing MFA concentration -- Fiction.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/writing/fiction
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2024 Fiction Q&A Session

December 18, 2024

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Julie Dobrow & the rest of the Financial Aid team answer questions about financial aid.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

Fall 2024 Financial Aid Information Session

Professor Dorothea Lasky answers questions about the Writing MFA concentration -- Poetry.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/writing/poetry
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

2024 Poetry Q&A Session

January 8, 2025

Professor David Antonio Cruz answers questions about the Visual Arts MFA Program

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/visual-arts-sound-art
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2025 Visual Arts Q&A Session

December 4, 2024

Much has been said about the concept of translators as artists, but far less has been said about translators as workers. What does it look like to organize from the understanding that translation is not only art but also labor? What have organizing translators been able to achieve thus far and what do they stand to achieve? This is a discussion between Mayada Ibrahim, Kira Josefsson, and Alex Zucker, three outstanding literary translators and members of the Translators Organizing Committee, a newly formed division of the National Writers Union (NWU) in the US. Moderated by Literary Translation at Columbia (LTAC) Director, Susan Bernofsky.

Presented by Literary Translation at Columbia (LTAC). 

Courtesy of Columbia University School of the Arts.

Translators as Artists and Labor Organizers

A conversation for incoming Writing MFA Poetry students with Professor Dorothea Lasky.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/writing/poetry
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

2025 Incoming Poetry Registration Conversation

November 25, 2025

Professors Eric Mendelsohn and David Klass answer questions about the MFA Film concentrations -- Screenwriting & Directing and Writing for Film & Television.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/film
https://arts.columbia.edu/film/degrees-concentrations/screenwriting-directing
https://arts.columbia.edu/film/degrees-concentrations/writing-film-television
https://arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2025 Screenwriting & Directing and Writing for Film & Television Q&A Session

December 2, 2025

Professor Christian Parker answers questions about the MFA Theatre  concentration -- Dramaturgy.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/theatre
arts.columbia.edu/theatre/dramaturgy
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts.

2025 Dramaturgy Q&A Session

December 2, 205

Professor Chloé Cooper Jones answers questions about the MFA Writing  concentration -- Nonfiction.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/writing
arts.columbia.edu/writing/nonfiction
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2025 Nonfiction Q&A Session

December 4, 2025

Professors Maureen A. Ryan, Jack Lechner, Mynette Louie, and Lance Weiler  answer questions about the MFA Film concentration -- Creative Producing.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/film
https://arts.columbia.edu/film/degrees-concentrations/producing
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

2025 Creative Producing Q&A Session

December 11, 2025

Professor Michael Passaro answers questions about the MFA Theatre  concentration -- Stage Management.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/theatre
arts.columbia.edu/theatre/stage-management
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2025 Stage Management Q&A Session

December 11, 2025

Professor Victor LaValle answers questions about the MFA Writing  concentration -- Fiction.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/writing
arts.columbia.edu/writing/fiction
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts

2025 Fiction Q&A Session

December 16, 2025

Manager of Academic Administration for the Theatre Program and Playwriting Alum Kanika Vaish  '22 answers questions about the MFA Theatre concentration -- Playwriting.

For more information, visit us online.
https://arts.columbia.edu/theatre
arts.columbia.edu/theatre/playwriting
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

Columbia University School of the Arts.

2025 Playwriting Q&A Session

December 19, 2025

Professor Dorothea Lasky, answers questions about the MFA Writing concentration -- Poetry.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/writing
arts.columbia.edu/writing/poetry
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid


2025 Poetry Q&A Session

January 7, 2026 

Professor David Antonio Cruz answers questions about the MFA Visual Arts Program.

For more information, visit us online.
arts.columbia.edu/writing
arts.columbia.edu/writing/poetry
arts.columbia.edu/admissions-financial-aid

2026 Visual Arts Q&A Session

Columbia University School of the Arts is a vibrant, intellectual, artistic laboratory where students work, experiment and learn under acclaimed professors. Here you can listen to content from the students, faculty and alumni of our Film, Theatre, Visual Arts and Writing programs, as well as lectures, performances, discussions and more from our Public Programs.

Columbia University School of the Arts

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