Anaheim University celebrated the launch of the Akira Kurosawa School of Film on March 23, 2009, with video tributes from such legendary directors as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. The university named the school after the Honorary Academy Award-winning director for the influential effect his work had on films like Star Wars and The Magnificent Seven, and the continued influence he has on all students of film.
“It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Kurosawa’s work, and that his films were a source of inspiration for my own Star Wars saga,” says Lucas in his tribute video for the school’s launch. “I have no doubt his work will continue to inspire for generations to come.”
“The time I spent by Kurosawa has been reflected in my own work as all of the time I spent with Kurosawa’s films have done so much to inspire me to be a better filmmaker,” adds Spielberg.
The nationally-accredited university has been a pioneer in online education since the mid-1990s and is slated to launch online certificate and master’s degree programs in Digital Filmmaking in September with a curriculum addressing not only storytelling, but also global challenges such as climate change.
The school will use its expertise in online education and extend it to moviemaking via an innovative and technologically advanced film program, taking full advantage of mobile devices and cellphone cameras as hands-on teaching tools for aspiring students of moviemaking.
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