SFSU alumnus Conall Jones wins Oscar for documentary short ‘All the Empty Rooms’
Two other Gators, actor Delroy Lindo and sound professional Christopher Scarabosio, also received nominations
San Francisco State University alumnus Conall Jones (B.A., ’05) can now add “Oscar winner” to his résumé. The short documentary “All the Empty Rooms,” which Jones produced with director Joshua Seftel, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15.
The 33-minute film delivers a deeply moving look at the aftermath of school shootings by focusing on the preserved bedrooms of children who were killed — spaces left untouched by grieving families as memorials to lives cut short. The documentary follows CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they travel across the United States documenting these rooms and the families who maintain them.
One of the ceremony’s most emotional moments came when Gloria Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie was killed in the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, took the stage to accept the award on behalf of the film. Cazares spoke about her daughter’s life and the enduring grief families carry after such tragedies, reminding the audience that the children represented in the film were “more than just a headline.”
For Jones, the Oscar marks a milestone in a career rooted in storytelling with social impact — a path that began during his time at the University.
At SFSU, Jones studied in the School of Cinema, where he developed the creative foundation that would lead him into documentary filmmaking and television production. His projects often highlight ordinary people navigating extraordinary circumstances — a storytelling approach that resonates in “All the Empty Rooms,” where intimate spaces become powerful symbols of loss and memory. His 2022 film “Stranger at the Gate,” about a Marine struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), was also nominated for a Best Documentary Short Oscar.
Jones reflected on the power of compassionate storytelling in a 2023 interview with SFSU News. “There’s this incredible transformative power in kindness,” Jones said, explaining how stories that center empathy can help audiences better understand one another.
An image from “All the Empty Rooms”
Jones’ Oscar win also highlights a strong year for SFSU alumni at the Academy Awards. Two other Gators were nominated this year: actor Delroy Lindo (B.A., ’04), who earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance in Ryan Coogler’s genre-bending horror film “Sinners,” and sound professional Christopher Scarabosio, nominated in the Best Sound category for his work on “One Battle After Another.”
Together, the nominations and Jones’ win underscore the continued impact of SFSU alumni across the film industry — from documentary storytelling to acting and technical craft — bringing powerful stories to audiences around the world.
Tags
Related News
