Congratulations to Chris Galletta, the winner of the 2026 CUFF
Andrew Sarris Award!

Chris Galletta ’10 began his career as a monologue writer for The Late Show with David Letterman. He is the screenwriter of the Sundance coming-of-age comedy The Kings of Summer, and Warner Bros/Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Danielle Brooks, and directed by Jared Hess. Also a frequent contributor to The American Bystander humor magazine, Chris lives in a small beach town in New Jersey.

About the Andrew Sarris Award

Named for the world-renowned critic, theorist and film program professor, the Andrew Sarris Award was created by film students to honor outstanding artistic achievement of distinguished alumni. In addition to teaching at Columbia, Andrew Sarris worked extensively as a film critic and is the author of numerous books, including the landmark, American Cinema: Directors and Directions, 1929-1968 and many other influential works.

Past Andrew Sarris Award Winners

2025 – Jonathan Van Tulleken (Film ’10)

2024 – Ashley Lyle (Film ’07)

2023 – Saim Sadiq (Film ’19)

2022 – Deborah Chow (Film ’04)

2021 – Cherien Dabis (Film ’04)

2019 – Phil Johnston (Film ’04)

2018 – Laura Ricciardi (Film ’07) and Moira Demos (Film ’08)

2017 – Ben Odell (Film ’04)

2016 – Annemarie Jacir (Film ’02)

2015 – James Ponsoldt (Film ’05)

2014 – Jennifer Lee (Film ’05)

2013 – Adam Davidson (Film ’91)

2012 – Malia Scotch Marmo (Film ’88)

2011 – Greg Mottola (Film ’91)

2010 – Simon Kinberg (Film ’03)

2009 – Kathryn Bigelow (Film ’81)

2008 – Kimberly Peirce (Film ’96)

2007 – Ron Nyswaner (Film ’81)

2006 – Nicole Holofcener (Film ’88)

2005 – Jeffrey Sharp (Film ’01) & Jay Russell (Film ’85)

2004 - Sabrina Dhawan (’02) & Al Berger (’83)

2003 - Shari Springer Berman (’95) & Robert Pulcini (’94); James Mangold (’99)

2002 - Lisa Cholodenko (’97)

2001 - Andrew Sarris