By Gigi Marino

When Sophia Abolfathi, a Media Production, Management, and Technology (MPMT) senior, first arrived at the University of Florida, she knew she wanted to tell stories — but she didn’t yet know how. Four years later, the Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker has not only sharpened her storytelling skills but has also positioned herself as a bright talent in the world of cinematic journalism.

Her work speaks for itself. Her latest documentary, The Sunflower, tells the powerful story of the UF women’s softball team and the young cancer patient who became their inspiration, during her life and beyond. The 22-minute film, which premiered in early 2025, highlights themes of resilience, community and legacy — how we honor and remember those who have changed us.

Sunflower follows the success of March of the Mangroves, an environmental documentary about the importance of Florida’s mangroves, which function as sentinels against climate change. March of the Mangroves won a 2024 Suncoast Regional Emmy in the professional category — an honor that few filmmakers receive, let less undergraduate students. The Better Cities Film Festival also gave it the top student-film award for 2024.

From a Childhood Camcorder to Film Festivals

Abolfathi’s journey into filmmaking began in childhood, when a supportive elementary school teacher handed her a camcorder. From then on, she found ways to integrate filmmaking into her education, convincing her teachers to accept video projects in lieu of essays. By high school, she was already competing in film festivals.

When it came time to choose a college, UF’s College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) stood out to her — not just for its strong media production program but for the opportunity to build a foundation in journalism.

“I knew that if I trained in journalism, I would be a better documentary filmmaker,” Abolfathi explains. “Learning how to conduct interviews, how to structure a story, how to really listen — those are all skills I developed here.”

She made the most of her time at UF, crafting a body of work that demonstrates both technical skill and narrative depth. In addition to The Sunflower and March of the Mangroves, her film A Seat at the Table, which explores food justice in Gainesville, marked a turning point in her career, won the Grand Jury Award for Student Film at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles and is screening at the Regal Theatre in downtown Los Angeles

“That film really confirmed for me that I was on the right path,” she says. “Before that, I was making projects, but that was the first one that felt like it had weight.”

Mentorship Matters

Abolfathi credits much of her growth to the mentorship she received from UFCJC faculty, particularly MPMT Professor and Associate Chair Tim Sorel, who served as an adviser on Sunflower.

“We spent so much time discussing the story, practicing interview questions in the car on the way to shoots, breaking down footage — it was an invaluable experience,” she recalls. She also worked closely with WUFT Media Services, where she gained hands-on experience in live production and journalism.

Further, MPMT Associate Professor and Chair Roxane Coche rallied for Abolfathi and other UFCJC students to attend Gotham Week in New York, an independent film industry event that gave Abolfathi a taste of the broader world of documentary filmmaking — and which was made possible only by support from the CJC.

“The Gotham experience changed the way I think about my career,” she says. “I left with new ideas and a real sense of where I want to go next.”

Crossfade

Abolfathi’s next step is still coming into focus. While she plans to continue making independent documentaries, she’s also considering graduate school to further refine her artistic vision. “I respond well to school, and I think there’s value in continuing to learn,” she says, citing Duke and Stanford among her top choices.

As she prepares to graduate, Abolfathi reflects on the uncertainty she once felt about pursuing filmmaking as a career.

“People aren’t always kind to artistic ambitions,” she says. “There’s this narrative that only a select few make it. But looking back at what I’ve been able to accomplish at UF — the films, the awards, the support I’ve received — it feels real now. I can call myself a filmmaker.”

‍