FILM/SNEAK PEEK : NYU UNSPOOLING SUCCESS.

Byline: - Bob McCarthy

New York University's roster of film-school alumni reads like a Who's Who in Hollywood: Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, Spike Lee, Chris Columbus, Joel Coen and Ang Lee. The talent pool isn't limited to the mainstream, either, as evidenced by Keiko Ibi's triumph in the documentary category of the Academy Awards in March.

The current crop of NYU talent is every bit as promising, with two young directors having gone to the Sundance Festival this year and returning home with trophies. ``Atomic Tabasco'' by James Cox and ``Fishbelly White'' by Michael Burke captured honors at the American independent film gala, which draws huge crowds and industry types scouting new directing and screenwriting talent.

Cox also learned this month that his ``Atomic Tabasco'' is a Student Academy Award winner, too. His alternative-category production will either be named a gold, silver or bronze medalist at a ceremony June 13 at the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills.

These two Sundance winners will be among the films shown June 2 and 3 at the Directors Guild of America theater when a contingent of student filmmakers make its annual trek to the West Coast for the Haig P. Manoogian Screenings. The DGA theater is at 7920 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Stone will introduce the June 2 screenings at 7:30 p.m.

Another Student Academy Award winner, Daniel Kanemoto, is also a member of the NYU entourage. His animated film, ``A Letter From the Western Front,'' was recently named one of three winning entries in the 1999 competition. Another NYU filmmaker, Kimberly Harwood, is also a Student Oscar recipient in the narrative category for her ``True Confessions of a Sushi Addict.'' She however, will not be making the trip this year.

The filmmakers are all enrolled in NYU's graduate and undergraduate programs. They come from all corners of the U.S. and the globe, including Israel, Ecuador and Germany. The 15 featured students include a former Junior Olympic swimmer, a contributor to David Letterman's ``Late Late Show,'' a medical-school dropout and a licensed special-education teacher.

For ticket or program information, call [phone], ext. 2.

Last Remaining Seats

The classic ``42nd Street'' kicks off this year's ``Last Remaining Seats'' fund-raiser for the Los Angeles Conservancy, which is dedicated to preserving the grandeur of downtown's historic theater district.

Ginger Rodgers joins Warner Baxter and Ruby Keeler in this often-copied Busby Berkeley musical, which was an Academy Award nominee for best picture. The choreographed numbers ``Shuffle Off to Buffalo,'' ``Young and Healthy'' and ``You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me'' set the trend for the big Hollywood musicals of their day.

Before the movie, the 8 p.m. June 2 event kicks off with a ``Dancing Cavalcade'' stage show. Mora's Modern Rhythmists Dance Orchestra will entertain with dance and musical numbers from the '20s and '30s.

The event is at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway. Tickets for the six-event series are $60 for conservancy members and $75 for nonmembers, or $12 and $15 per screening. Call [phone] for group ticket information, or fax your ticket order to [phone].

The next show in the series: ``Sullivan's Travels,'' June 9 at the Palace Theatre, 630 S. Broadway.