ESCAC recognised at the 53rd Student Academy Awards for The Dragon Letter

The short film The Dragon Letter, directed by ESCAC student Stanzin Jigmet, has been recognised as one of the winners of the 53rd edition of the Student Academy Awards®, organised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Stanzin Jigmet and Gael García Bernal appear onstage during the 2026 Student Academy Awards on September 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario.

The film was selected from among 2.972 entries from 894 schools and universities around the world, once again placing ESCAC among the leading institutions on the international film scene.

On September 14, during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), it will be announced whether The Dragon Letter receives the Gold, Silver or Bronze award. All winning films in the Student Academy Awards also become eligible to compete in the Oscars®.

This recognition adds to a particularly notable recent track record for the school: over the past three years, three ESCAC alumni have been nominated for Oscars — J.A. Bayona for Society of the Snow, and Oriol Maymó and Laia Casanovas for Sirât.

ESCAC is also ranked among the fifteen best film schools in the world according to The Hollywood Reporter.

This news strengthens ESCAC’s international profile and consolidates the presence of talent emerging from the school in some of the leading arenas of the global film industry. On September 14, Toronto will bring this edition of the Student Academy Awards to a close and reveal which award The Dragon Letter receives.

© 2026 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences