Columbia Filmmakers Win Top Audience Award at International Telly Awards for “The Game Camera”

Campus Communications Staff / Jun 10, 2026

two women with one holding a cameraA still from the film “The Game Camera.” Kristen Bush (right) plays Ann and Bree Elrod (left) plays Pastor Rachel.
The film, created by a team of filmmakers, continues its award-winning festival run by taking home a People’s Gold Telly.

“The Game Camera,” a short film created by a team of faculty, staff and alumni, recently won a People’s Gold Telly Award, the top audience honor in its category at the internationally recognized Telly Awards. 

Directed by Columbia alum Emily Railsback MFA ’14, the film was produced by Carolina Posse, associate director and associate professor in the School of Film and Television. Adjunct professor Michael NJ Wright served as cinematographer and previously won Best Cinematography for a Narrative Short at the 2025 Queens World Film Festival for his work on the project. 

Other Columbia community members involved include staff member John Cavallino, who served as colorist and finishing editor; Ace Wang ’20 (also credited as Jing Wang), editor; and Gabriel Dib MFA ’13, composer. 

The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens and receive more than 14,000 entries globally each year. According to Posse, the People’s Gold Telly carries special significance because audience members select the winner after finalists are vetted by a professional jury. 

“The Gold is first place, assuring audiences loved the work,” Posse says. “We make movies for audiences, so it’s an honor to have achieved this.” 

“The Game Camera” tells the story of a grieving woman who installs a night-vision camera in her miniature horse’s corral, only to capture footage that forces her to question the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death. 
Posse believes the film resonates because of both its emotional themes and the collaborative team behind it. 

“It is a story about hope and reconciliation with loss and grief,” she says. “The majority of our crew were women, which is important to me, and the landscapes and photography reflect the characters’ state of mind.” 

In addition to the Telly Award, “The Game Camera” previously earned an Award of Excellence from the Canada Shorts Film Festival and the Panavision Award from FilmLand.  

The filmmakers plan to continue festival screenings through 2026 before pursuing online distribution. 
 

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