For years, Syracuse University’s student filmmakers had nowhere to showcase their work. That’s all about to change.

The first ever SyRECuse Film Festival will kickoff Friday at 6 p.m. with a student presentation in Kittredge Auditorium,followed by 17 short film screenings in Gifford Auditorium.

Ranging from one to 18 minutes long, the films encompass everything from documentaries and scripted narratives to animated films and music videos. A presentation will precede the films. Senior television, radio and film majors Mike Armour and Joshua Eisenfeld will share their documentary filmmaking experience in Mozambique, Africa, last summer.

University Union Cinemas co-directors Lindsey Colgrove and Tenaysia Fox said they are happy about the turnout and how diverse the films are.

The 17 films will be narrowed down to one winner by a panel of three judges: English department teaching assistant Joseph Hughes, and television, radio and film professors David Coryell and Keith Giglio. The prize is a ticket package to the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

UU Cinemas partnered with independent media company Rylaxer, founded in 2009 by SU alumnus Ryan Dickerson, and the Obscure Cinema Society to host the event. UU Cinemas wanted to give the entire student body a chance to contribute.

‘We sent out calls for all submissions,’ Colgrove said. ‘It didn’t matter if they were a freshman or a grad student. We wanted to give them the opportunity to show their work.’

The filmmakers are excited to see their work reach a larger audience.

Evan Lang, a junior television, radio and film and Spanish major, is one of the four creators of ‘Blind Sheep.’The film follows an ROTC student’s departure for war. It also features past soldiers and their experiences, the influence the war has had on college students and how uneducated they are about it. He said he is proud of his work and glad it i-s getting some more attention.

‘I personally feel the piece explores a really important issue that doesn’t get enough attention, and perhaps the festival will allow it to receive a little more,’ he said.

Some of the other films include ‘Angst,‘ a film by freshman film major Anthony Mormile about a boy struggling with the recent death of his father. Mormile’s other film, ‘Going Up,’is about the lengths people go to for convenience.

Another entry is a three-minute animated graphic novel called ‘Friend’ by Shelley Wang. It is about a close friendship being tested over a lifetime.

Many students look forward to the festival, including Gabe Shore, a junior television, radio and film major.

‘I think it’s a great idea because there aren’t a lot of ways to get student work noticed,’ Shore said. ‘It’s great to show your work in person instead of just posting it online. And the prize is awesome.’

Fox said UU Cinemas was also motivated to make the festival a reality as a way to show gratitude for the student body’s support. .

‘We’re doing this as a sign of appreciation,’ Fox said. ‘We have so many talented people at this school, and there’s not always a form to express it. Plus, students are always so eager to buy tickets for our events. This is our way of giving back.’

Mormile believes a festival like this can make a big difference for a student filmmaker.

‘I wanted to introduce my work to a larger group of people who otherwise wouldn’t have seen it or even known I was a filmmaker,’ Mormile said. ‘Otherwise, these films would just be sitting on a shelf.’

rjmarvin@syr.edu

Published on February 8, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Rob: rjmarvin@syr.edu