ASU Names New Film School For Legendary Actor Sidney Poitier

TEMPE, AZ — Sidney Poitier earned his Oscar for "Lilies of the Field", which was set and filmed in Arizona. Now, he's leaving an even bigger mark on the state.

Arizona State University announced Monday it will name its new film school for the legendary screen star: The Sidney Poitier New American Film School.

The decision to honor Poitier came from wanting to develop a diverse, inclusive film school, according to Dean Steven Tepper, who leads the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at ASU, of which the film school is a member.

Tepper told Patch that the film school will be "one that is inclusive and is focused on ethical filmmaking, and will be truly representative of the voices of the full spectrum of people in this country."

Tepper said ASU alumnus and Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns is the person who steered the school toward Poitier, who was the first Black actor to win the coveted Best Actor trophy from the Academy Awards in 1963.

The dean acknowledged that Poitier has earned many awards throughout his career and has had things named for him in the past, but he said Poitier and his family understood that having a film school christened in his honor means that the film industry's next generation will carry his name on their diplomas and resumes.

According to his family, the 93-year-old actor is very happy with the honor.

“It’s fitting that ASU is embracing [my father’s] work ethic and embracing his commitment to truth and his commitment to the arts and his commitment to education,” Beverly Poitier-Henderson, the actor's daughter, said in a statement. “We’re very happy. He’s very happy.”

Poitier joins the ranks of Sandra Day O’Connor and Walter Cronkite, who both have ASU schools named in their honor.

Tepper said it was important for ASU that the school meets the moment, both the changing film industry and the need for diversity in pop culture.

"We literally have blind spots," he said. "And those blind spots are the result of having a narrow set of voices and stories that we have accepted. But I think the larger life of Sidney Poitier extends beyond this moment and is really about inclusion in every imaginable way. He just wasn't willing to accept that there were constraints on what he could accomplish."

The move is also expanding the 15-year-old film program to its own school, with a new state-of-the-art building set to open in Mesa in 2022, just a few miles from the main campus in Tempe. It will feature several sound stages, screening rooms and plenty of space dedicated to emerging media.

The film school will also have an imprint in Los Angeles, the heart of the film industry. Students will have the chance to enroll in classes at the historic Herald Examiner building downtown; the ASU LA Center is expected to open its doors this summer. Students will also have hands-on opportunities to use Hollywood technology through partnerships with the John Hughes Institute and with Dreamscape Immersive.

Tepper said he believes the university's commitment to accessibility and inclusion will set it apart in a crowded film school field.

"We're just trying to make a difference and do powerful work, and engage as many students as we can," he said. "We have everything lined up to meet the moment and nothing really holding us back because we're not obligated to any old ways or old conventions."