The Chapman filmmaker accolades keep pouring in this summer. We recently learned that Amanda Renee Knox’s 2017 graduate thesis film Night Call is a semi-finalist for the 12th Annual NBCUniversal Short Film Festival! The film competed with more than 4,200 submissions to be one of 16 semi-finalists selected.

“The Night Call team is deeply honored to have our film selected as a Semi-Finalist in the NBC Universal Short Film Competition,” says Knox. “As the film’s director, it is remarkable to see how the teams collaboration and hard work have been received. This program and festival is a generous gift from NBC to new artists and we are so appreciative to have been included. I’m very proud of the film and am excited to have the opportunity to share the story on a larger platform!”

All 16 semi-finalists will screen in New York on August 15 and 16. The finale screening and awards ceremony will be held on October 18 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.

Congratulations to Amanda, and all the cast and crew!

Night Call: During a routine patrol, a Black female cop (Marlyne Barrett, Chicago Med) is called to a disturbance that leads to her making a life-altering decision.

The NBCUniversal Short Film Festival has announced 16 original short films and webisodes as semi-finalists for its 12th annual event. The festival, which includes notable alumni Randall Park (Fresh Off The Boat) and Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show), celebrates diverse stories while finding the next generation of storytellers.

This year, there were more than 4200 submissions, which doubled from 2016’s entries, making it the most in the festival’s history. The collection of shorts feature stories about people of ethnically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQ community, women and people with disabilities. Out of the 16 semi-finalists, 10 were written or directed by women, setting a new record for female representation at the festival. Additionally, half of the shorts selected feature Asian-American stories or writer-directors, which is also a first for the festival. Karen Horne, SVP of Programming Talent Development & Inclusion, NBC Entertainment and Universal Television said in a statement, “this is proof of the wealth of stories about underrepresented people.

“I’m proud that our Short Film Festival along with our other NBC Talent Infusion Programs will continue to serve as a home to highlight those stories and their creators,” adds Horne.

The webisodes and shorts, which include a mix of comedies and dramas, will be showcased at public screenings in New York on August 15 and 16 before the finalists are chosen. The finalists will be chosen by a panel of entertainment industry professionals and NBCUniversal executives. Winners will be chosen for Best Writer, Best Director and Best Actor, among others. The finale screening and awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on October 18 at the Directors Guild of America.

Head over to Deadline to view the complete list of semi-finalists