Stony Brook MFA Student’s Baby Fat Wins National Board of Review Grant

Margarita Mina, a first-year MFA film student at Stony Brook University’s Manhattan Center for Creative Writing and Film, was named one of 17 recipients of the National Board of Review Student Grant on Jan. 16, 2026. Mina is the first student from Stony Brook’s program to receive this grant, and her short film Baby Fat was also selected by Rolling Stone Philippines as one of its "21 Best Filipino Films of 2025."

Baby Fat is a personal film that follows a stocky Filipino-American tween who spills ketchup on a family heirloom dress, a small incident that becomes a catalyst for examining girlhood, body image and cultural identity. The film’s intimate focus on identity and belonging reflects Mina’s own journey from the Philippines to Stony Brook, and it emerged from the program’s emphasis on mentorship and authentic voices.

The immediate significance for Suffolk County is both cultural and economic. National recognition for a Stony Brook student elevates the university’s arts credentials, which can amplify recruitment and fundraising for the Manhattan Center and related programs. Local colleges and arts programs often leverage such distinctions to attract applicants and private support, which in turn sustains jobs for faculty, technicians and local vendors. For a county that relies on higher education as a pillar of its economy, visibility in national arts awards can translate into incremental gains in enrollment and grant funding over time.

For Mina, the grant functions as a validation and stepping stone. The accolade was described in reporting as a morale boost and comes as she plans a thesis project to be shot in the Philippines. Continued momentum from the grant and international recognition could help secure festival placements, co-production partners or additional grant funding—pathways that often determine whether emerging filmmakers can turn short films into sustainable careers.

The selection by Rolling Stone Philippines signals crossover appeal beyond local and national audiences, underscoring broader market trends: stories anchored in specific cultural experiences are increasingly finding global attention and distribution. That dynamic benefits regional film ecosystems like Long Island’s by demonstrating a market for diverse voices and by making it easier for local programs to argue for investments in film production facilities and career pipelines.

Stony Brook’s milestone also matters to the community that supports its students. Local screenings, workshops and mentorship opportunities anchored by award-winning alumni can strengthen the county’s creative infrastructure and provide tangible opportunities for aspiring Long Island filmmakers. Mina’s path from the Philippines to Stony Brook and now to national recognition illustrates how targeted support for authentic storytelling can yield both artistic gains and measurable economic and reputational returns.

What comes next is Mina’s thesis work in the Philippines and the follow-through on opportunities the grant opens. For Suffolk County, the story is a reminder that investments in higher education arts programs can produce local pride and longer-term economic benefits as alumni bring recognition and activity back to the region.