Mason Shefa

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{{Infobox artist

| name = Mason Shefa

| image = File:Mason Shefa (Headshot).jpg

| image_size = 225px

| caption = (2010)

| birth_name = Mason Chadwick Shefa

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|05|28}}

| birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = American

| movement =

| awards =

| patrons =

| known_for = Experimental film, sacred music

| training =

| notable_works =

}}

Mason Chadwick Shefa ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ʃ|ɛ|f|ə}} {{respell|SHEF|ə}}; born May 28, 1993) is an avant-garde filmmaker{{cite web|first1=Christian|last1=Christian|title=Jeremy Irons, Terry Gilliam, Alfonso Cuarón, Matteo Garrone, Roberto Nanni al Lucca Film Festival e Europa Cinema & Europa Cinema 2015|url=http://luccafilmfestival.it/terry-gilliam-alfonso-cuaron-matteo-garrone-e-jeremy-irons-al-lucca-film-festival-e-europa-cinema-2015/|website=luccafilmfestival.it/|publisher=Lucca Film Festival|accessdate=25 March 2015}} and sacred music composer based in Studio City, California.[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3300447/ IMDB]{{cite web|last=Szymanski|first=Mike|title=Mason Shefa Wins Gold Medal in Art|url=http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/mason-shefa-wins-gold-medal-in-art|work=Whiz Kids|publisher=North Hollywood Patch|accessdate=15 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722065631/http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/mason-shefa-wins-gold-medal-in-art|archive-date=22 July 2011|url-status=dead}} He graduated from Yale University{{cite news|last=Bender|first=John|title=Sacred Harp Singing In Rhode Island|url=http://ripr.org/post/rhode-island-artscape-sacred-harp-singing-rhode-island|work=Rhode Island Artscape|publisher=Rhode Island Public Radio|accessdate=29 April 2014}} in 2015. For his films, Shefa utilizes film formats such as Super-8 and 16mm.{{cite news|last=Adelman|first=Kim|title=The Kids Are All Right: The Basics Still Inspire Aspiring Filmmakers|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/the_kids_are_all_right_the_basics_still_inspire_aspiring_filmmakers/|accessdate=23 June 2011|newspaper=IndieWIRE|date=23 June 2011}} In 2016, Shefa published a 248-page collection of his sacred works for a cappella chorus, entitled The First Book of Music: Containing Anthems, Motets, Hymn Tunes, Chants, and Services for the Various Seasons of the Church Year.{{Cite web|url=http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.music.ismn.47544/default.html|title=Library of Congress|last=|first=|date=July 5, 2016|website=Performing Arts Encyclopedia|publisher=Library of Congress|access-date=July 11, 2016}}

In May 2011, Shefa received the National Gold Medal at the 2011 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, held in Carnegie Hall, for his portfolio of eight experimental films.{{cite news|title=The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers Announces 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/idUS207277+15-Mar-2011+PRN20110315|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907120123/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/idUS207277+15-Mar-2011+PRN20110315|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 September 2012|accessdate=15 June 2011|newspaper=Reuters|date=15 March 2011}}{{cite web|last=Szymanski|first=Mike|title=Mason Shefa Wins Gold Medal in Art|url=http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/mason-shefa-wins-gold-medal-in-art|work=Whiz Kids|publisher=North Hollywood Patch|accessdate=15 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722065631/http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/mason-shefa-wins-gold-medal-in-art|archive-date=22 July 2011|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Senior wins National Gold Medal Scholastic Art Award|url=http://www.oakwoodschool.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&tn=Senior+wins+National+Gold+Medal+Scholastic+Art+Award&nid=572339&ptid=126477&sdb=True&pf=pcrw&mode=0&vcm=False|publisher=Oakwood News Bulletin|accessdate=15 June 2011}} Shefa's films have also been recognized with honors from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts,[http://www.youngarts.org/2011-winners National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts] the 2009 and 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival,{{cite news|last=Freimuth|first=Elise|title=Film Independent Announces Official Film Selections for 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2009/05/05/idUS191500+05-May-2009+PRN20090505|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220212816/http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/05/05/idUS191500+05-May-2009+PRN20090505|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 February 2011|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=4 Jan 2012}} the University of Southern California’s Los Angeles Student Film Institute, the Danville International Children’s Film Festival, L.A.’s FilmFest 43, the Harvard-Westlake Film Festival,{{cite news|last=Madyoon|first=Nika|title=Film Festival releases 2011 selections|url=http://students.hw.com/chronicle/News/NewsArticles/tabid/1274/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6164/Film-Festival-releases-2011-selections.aspx|accessdate=15 June 2011|newspaper=The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle|date=22 February 2011}} the South Bay Student Video Festival,{{cite web|last=Hernandez|first=Michael|title=South Bay Student Video Festival|url=http://www.mcmediaarts.org/Mira_Costa_Media_Arts/Video_Festival.html|accessdate=15 June 2011}} and the Spotlight The Arts festival in Calabasas, California.

In September 2012, singer/songwriter Lana Del Rey obtained permission to incorporate Shefa's film, Psalm 51, in her iTunes Festival concert in London, United Kingdom.

In February 2015, Shefa was a member of the judges panel of the "concorso internazionale di cortometraggi" category of the 2015 Lucca Film Festival.{{cite web|first1=Christian|last1=Christian|title=Jeremy Irons, Terry Gilliam, Alfonso Cuarón, Matteo Garrone, Roberto Nanni al Lucca Film Festival e Europa Cinema & Europa Cinema 2015|url=http://luccafilmfestival.it/terry-gilliam-alfonso-cuaron-matteo-garrone-e-jeremy-irons-al-lucca-film-festival-e-europa-cinema-2015/|website=luccafilmfestival.it/|publisher=Lucca Film Festival|accessdate=25 March 2015}}