Filmmaking alumni and an award-winning documentary maker are the featured judges of this year’s festival, which includes four evenings of independent short films in four genres: animation, experimental, documentary, and narrative.
The audience will screen the top finalists in each category along with guest judges from the film industry:
- Paolo Davanzo (’96, Theatre Arts), cofounder of the Echo Park Film Center in L.A., a filmmaker, educator and community activist whose work is a catalyst for creative collaboration and positive social change;
- Jensen Rufe (’99, Filmmaking), who produces, directs, and edits nonfiction shows such as “Project Runway,” “The Real World,” “The Simple Life,” and a wide range of Discovery Channel and MTV projects.
- Kristy Guevara Flanagan, who directed the critically acclaimed documentary “Wonderwomen! The Untold Story of American Superheroines” (featured on PBS’s Independent Lens);
Every year hundreds of films are submitted to the festival and students enrolled in the Film Festival course (Film 260) prescreen entries during the academic year. Films screened at the Minor Theatre represent the cream of the crop.
The film festival goes back to 1967, when film students sought a way to promote the works of independent filmmakers who otherwise lack the attention of major media outlets. “The festival promotes the art of film, not only as a means of entertainment, but also as a instrument for self-expression, and a stimulus for dialogue about social, political, and cultural issues,” says festival faculty adviser, Susan Abbey.
The festival is supported and managed by three student co-directors, Kyrie Hood, Jennifer Stevenson, and Zane Krakowski.
The festival begins nightly at 7 p.m. and tickets are $5 at the door. The event is open to the public.
Festival Schedule
- April 22 animation and experimental films
- April 23 documentary films
- April 24 narratives films
- April 25 judges awards and a re-screening of The Best of the Fest featuring the winning entry from each category.