SCC Film Festival turns 30 in May

The SCC Film School will present its 30th Annual Film Festival on May 13, which will showcase short films directed and produced by students.

Since it is the big 3-0 for the festival, attendees can expect this year’s to be unlike any other in the previous years.

 “It’s going to be bigger,” said Anna Thorlaksdottir, evening chair of the film school.  “So we’re probably gonna have something different.”

For the past two years, the festival was at Fashion Square, but Thorlaksdottir is hoping to change this year’s location to a bigger venue because of the growing number in attendance and sold out seats in previous years.  

“We sold over 400 seats at the last film festival for students, faculty, families and special guests,” Mark Miller, film school staff member, said.

Film school students who have been working on films during last semester and this semester are allowed to submit their films for entry.  The festival will present 20 of the best short films chosen by the film school staff and faculty.

    “The main goal is for the students to get feedback on their work,” Thorlaksdottir said. “It’s a great showcase; it’s a great evening for the students.”

The judges who have been asked to participate in the festival are professionals from the film industry and not SCC faculty. At the end of the night, first-place trophies are awarded to the best films in their respective categories, as well as second- and third-place honorariums.  The audience will even get to vote on its favorite film and that film will also be awarded a prize.

“The students submit what they hope will be winning works which are judged by a group or panel of outside judges,” Miller said.

Students of the film school agree that it’s a good way to get their work out in the public eye and to get feedback from professionals.  

“Hopefully I’m gonna get some good critiques about my editing styles and such,” said Kristy Zeeb, 19, film editing major.

Daniella Smida, student director, asked Zeeb to edit a film she had done and the two have been working on the film for the past six months to submit to the festival. The film they have been working on is a romantic comedy titled “The Last Goodbye,” about a boy dealing with the heartbreak of his girlfriend moving away.

“He goes through flashbacks of their life together and then at the end there’s a special ending,” Zeeb said.

Zeeb is one of many students who hope to have his film presented at the festival.

Students can watch these films debut on Thursday, May 13, at 7 p.m. for $5.  The venue is still to be determined.