Screening II

Thursday, June 14, 11 pm – 1 am

St. Thomas Preservation Hall

Shadow

Essentially, we have a character with two personalities; an evil and a good side. The good side, which is the normal side, has always been in existence and the dark evil side was a weak entity slowly becoming stronger. The only thing keeping our protagonist from losing his mind is his girlfriend. As the darkness gains power, he realizes that he cannot take complete control unless the person keeping him sane is alive. The darkness gathers up enough power to take brief control and kill the girlfriend. As the protagonist snaps out of his trance, he notices the darkness nears once more and runs off into a nearby forest. He is then followed by the darkness and essentially tricked into making him believe that they are both one and the same. The protagonist takes the offer seeing no way out and is now completely taken over by the darkness. The film concludes by showing the protagonist as a prisoner in his own mind where the darkness has a monologue revealing what has just happened and how he essentially had to do what he had to do in order to take over. The good guy loses and a main theme is presented. Our deepest and darkest fears may extrude from us unless we find a way to defeat these inner personal demons. All humans have the capacity to be evil and cause harm to the innocent. Should we let these demons run rampant or fight to destroy them?

Producer/Director: Mauricio Perez

Point Loma Nazarene University

The Little Gorilla

The Little Gorilla is about a boy who must find the courage to climb a tall and scary jungle gym. In the shadows of looming NYC skyscrapers, and an older brother who lacks faith, the Little Gorilla must unchain the King Kong within.

Producer/Director: Harry Kellerman

Columbia University Graduate Film

In The Studio With: Burrito de Manana

Director: Brennan Scott

Cape Fear Community College

The Nightingale Princess

Inspired by an ancient Japanese folktale, The Nightingale Princess portrays Nick, who is a young man living an aimless existence in an alienating world. Nick's mother is dysfunctional and addicted to the computer. His platonic girlfriend Sam is an alcoholic who likes to wander the city looking for amusement by shoplifting and wasting time at the mall. Dissatisfied and existentially lost, Nick spends his time alone drawing fantasy landscapes with charcoal. The story begins to unfold when Nick draws and is seduced by the Nightingale, a beautiful and illusive young woman who becomes both a symbol of Nick's imagination and perhaps a product of it. Lush urban and rural environments combined with charcoal animation undermine any firm ground on which the viewer can determine fantasy from reality.

Producer/Director: Christopher Dreisbach

Hampshire College

Right Now

A visual and musical journey through the suburbs, the ghetto and everywhere in between in these short snippets of everyday life as provided by Fort Minor in the song “Right Now.”

Director: Kevin Martin

Drexel University

1A

In a run down Manhattan apartment building, a young boy is trapped with parents who ignore him. Forced to discover life’s harsh realities on his own, the boy catches glimpses of what is going on behind the closed doors of his neighbors. Becoming increasingly curious, he decides to explore the questionable activities taking place. What he sees is deeply disturbing for someone of his young age.

Producer: Matt Cohen

Director: Matt Cohen

School of Visual Arts (NY)

The Hard Life Of A Dog

Duke and Honey are Molly’s brother and sister. They spend their time scheming against her in every way possible. They have obviously thought out each of their “games” to torment Molly very carefully. She is usually laid back dog and doesn't think twice about everything going on around when she seem to fall for each of their pranks. Finally, after a few months of taking all of the punishment she can handle, she takes it upon herself to get revenge.

Producer/Director: Ryan Fulton

Digital Media Arts College (FL)

Plan for Autumn’s Birthday

Director: Shang Gao

Duke University

Holding Hands

When Marcus and Lori got together it was love at first sight. There was nothing that would tear them apart. But they were sick of the racial taboos put on them by friends and family. So today they are headed for a friend’s barbecue and ready to make a statement. With their own freewill and rebellious sense of humor it’s time to show the world that they don’t care about how the society views them. They are together and that’s all that matters. But today their pranks might cost them their lives.

Producer: Kate Noonan

Director: Brett Meyer

California State University - Fullerton

Speaking through Glass

Director: Lauren Moss

Brigham Young University

20Q

The Association of Competitive Questioning is growing slowly, but an odd group of devoted fans are focused on little else. A documentary crew follows Lolita Dorchuck (Victoria Jackson of Saturday Night Live), a stressed out mother of three, Fritzgerald McDermott Doubet (Ron Chastain), the leader of the local 20 questions chapter, Martin Miller (Jerry Bowman) the 2002 National Twenty Question Champion, and the other members as they strive to win and advance onto the national scene.

Producer: Sarah J. J. Mitzelfelt

Director: Benjamin Keith

Southern Adventist University

Somewhere In the City

Former drug addict Toby Cray has straightened out his life, but finds straightening other peoples lives out impossible. His efforts to help the homeless have all been unsuccessful and he's about to give up when he meets Gabe, an odd, but determined drifter who needs a chance. Will Toby give him one or have years of failure brought him to a point where he no longer has the heart to help? Inspired by the director's experience with the homeless, Somewhere In the City is a gritty, realistic portrait about finding hope in seemingly hopeless situations.

Producer/Director: Ramsey Denison

San Francisco State University

Coffeeeee

A day in the life of a coffee fanatic who can't quite function normally without a few pots. In this classically animated short, things go from bad to worse when something as simple as getting a cup of coffee unexpectedly becomes a test of self control.

Producer/Director: Nolan

Center of Arts & Technology

Picture Perfect

My film is about the unachievable expectations of women in American society. It is a metaphorical look at a young girl who loses here innocence to American media. The media pressures her to try to be beautiful, skinny and perfect. You'll watch this innocent soul be lost and self-destruct in only six minutes. This is a very controversial look at the effects of the American media.

Producer/Director: Brett Meyer

California State University - Fullerton