Barry Sandler

Barry Sandler is an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida's Nicholson School of Communication and Media, where he has taught Feature/TV Writing and Film History since 2003. He is also the inaugural instructor in the UCF Honors College LGBTQ program.

• Education: BA and MFA in Film from UCLA

Sandler is a pioneering screenwriter and producer known for groundbreaking LGBTQ representation in cinema, notably as writer/producer of MAKING LOVE (1982), the first major studio film with a positive portrayal of LGBTQ characters. His academic work focuses on screenwriting pedagogy, film history, and queer media studies.

His research and creative work intersects with film analysis, LGBTQ cultural studies, and Hollywood production history, particularly evident in his co-authored 2010 essay on Montgomery Clift's cinematic persona in the 1950s.

• Scientific Awards:
  • GLAAD Media Award
  • Outfest Thom/Tom Award for Distinguished Service to the LGBTQ Community (2017)
  • Multiple honors from LGBTQ advocacy organizations including PFLAG and MECLA
  • Special tributes at international film festivals

Sandler serves on the WGA Credit Arbitration Committee, WGA Policy Review Board, and American Cinemateque Advisory Board. He has been an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences member since 1977 and Artistic Director of the Outfest Screenwriting Lab. His teaching includes film history and screenwriting courses.