Film students, take note – your shot at Hollywood stardom is right here.
Canes Film Festival, now in its 14th year, is a three-day event at Cosford Cinema that showcases pieces created by undergraduate and graduate students. This year, the event ran from May 6-8.
Members of UFilm and other students completely ran the festival. The 2011 theme, “Celebrating the Past, but Never Looking Back,” emphasized the changing technologies of film, but also embraced significant changes to the event.
“We’ve had a big transformation from last year- the festival is now student-run, we have digital submission, screening is at a higher quality standard and the judging has been revamped,” said Maggie Drayton, a second-year graduate student who was the festival coordinator.
School of Communication Assistant Dean Blyth Daylong said that the festival brings in a numerous amount of people to the Cosford Cinema.
“Lots of students go to see each other’s films and bring their friends and family,” he said. “There’s usually standing room only on Friday and Saturday.”
Prejudging is done by local industry professionals who watch between 60 and 70 films that have to be under 20 minutes each. Prizes are offered in several different categories, including a “Best of Festival” for one undergraduate and one graduate film. The best films then go on to be showcased at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles for agents, producers and directors.
“We’re serious about what is up-to-standard in the industry level,” Drayton said. “These are the best films we have to offer.”
This year, 10 student films were chosen as the Canes Film Festival winners. Among them were “The Haircut” and “Rionegro,” for which Tim Warren, a School of Communication master’s student, was the director, screenwriter and editor.
“Canes Film Festival was a unique opportunity – nowhere outside of this program would we have the chance to meet Jon Landau and see our films on the Paramount Pictures lot. That is quite possibly the best movie theater I have been in, technically, and it was an amazing experience to see my films on it,” Warren said.
Alexandra Valenzuela may be contacted at avalenzuela@themiamihurricane.com.