This year’s inaugural film festival is a promising first step toward building a more recognized film program at Coastal Carolina University and offers a professional platform for students to demonstrate their skills.
The submitted films will screen on April 11 at 6 p.m. at the Lib Jackson Student Union’s Coastal Theatre, free and open to the public.
The competition, hosted and funded by the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, invited CCU students and alumni graduated within the past three years to submit their films for recognition and professional feedback.
This festival is part of a broader effort by the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies to elevate the Film and Production Studies minor.
Farrah Hersh, assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies and coordinator for the film and production studies minor, emphasized the importance of the festival. By showcasing students’ work, Hersh hopes the department’s dedication to film education shines through.
“It’s really important to not only show that we can be a place for students to come to study film and study production, but it’s also good that they get to showcase everything that they’re learning,” Hersh said.
Filmmakers had the opportunity to submit work in four categories: Narrative Micro-Short up to five minutes, Narrative Short up to 15 minutes, Documentary Micro-Short up to five minutes and Documentary Short up to 15 minutes.
There will be special jury awards for Best Screenwriting, Best Acting and Best Cinematography. Prizes will be awarded in each category, and the winning films will be screened in the Theatre.
Despite challenges posed by limited funding, the department believes this festival represents an essential step toward giving students the resources and opportunities needed for successful future careers in filmmaking. They also aim to increase community engagement for those with a passion for film.
Elizabeth Baltes, department chair of interdisciplinary studies, explained the importance of professional experience for student filmmakers.
“We really wanted to give students a chance to understand what it’s like to be a professional, and submitting your work to competitions and film festivals is part of what it is to be a filmmaker,” Baltes said, “and we really wanted to showcase to the community the amazing work that our students are doing.”
Junior Sophia Sobczak, a graphic design major with a film and production minor, submitted two short films to the competition. Excited by the event’s potential to highlight the film minor while providing a space for students to share their work, Sobczak hopes the festival will become an annual event.
A highlight of the festival will be the premiere of “Stranded,” a wildlife documentary short film created by adjunct professor and CCU alumni, Joshua Bruni. Bruni is thrilled to return to campus as both a professor and filmmaker.
“It’s a weird kind of full cycle for me, because I started at CCU, getting into filmmaking, and now I’m making a full lap around as a professor and showing my films to students here,” Bruni said.
Junior Frederick Fortner, a theatre major with a minor in film, will also showcase his work.
Fortner submitted his 15-minute narrative short film, titled “Left for Dead.” The thriller is reminiscent of his own life experiences.
Fortner sees the festival as a crucial opportunity to gain recognition for his work and for the film studies minor.
“I’ve been living by this quote, that ‘You have to get a seat at the table. You can’t wait on the seat. You have to build your own seat.’ So, this is me trying to build my own seat at the table,” Fortner said.
