More than a dozen film, television, and media arts majors will premiere their original shorts at the popular annual student film festival.
This year’s selections show incredible control of the filmmaking craft, both in terms of technique, as well as storytelling ability... The result is a group of films that say something about human life and will resonate with audiences well beyond Fairfield.
— Patrick Brooks, assistant professor of film, television, and media arts
The future Hollywood filmmakers of Fairfield University’s film, television, and media arts program will bring more than a dozen original student films to the big screen during the University’s 15th Annual Cinefest on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The popular student film festival is free and open to the public and includes a pre-event industry panel reception from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Quick Center’s Wien Experimental Theatre.
Each year, Cinefest celebrates the hard work and creative talents of Fairfield’s up-and-coming filmmakers by screening an impressive line-up of original short films and videos produced by undergraduate students in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts’ film, television, and media arts program. The films are selected by a jury of industry professionals and Fairfield faculty, who look for submissions with creative storylines and strong character development.
“This year’s selections show incredible control of the filmmaking craft, both in terms of technique, as well as storytelling ability,” said Patrick Brooks, assistant professor of film, television, and media arts. “The students are tracking the emotional journey of a character with great sensitivity and respect. The result is a group of films that say something about human life and will resonate with audiences well beyond Fairfield.”
The fourteen films selected for this year’s Cinefest represent a wide range of genres and include:
Happy Birthday, directed by Thomas Cron ‘19
Landline, directed by Colleen McElaney ‘19
The Cross He Bears, directed by Lisa Angell ‘19
The Quiet Pain, directed by Timothy Amatulli ‘19
Munch, directed by Gianna Llewellyn ‘18
Navy Brat, directed by Brendan Smith ‘21
Il Suono Della Citta, directed by Ella Danna ‘19
Washing Machine, directed by Max Pribnow '27
Curtain Call, directed by Justin Demas ‘21
Crawlspace, directed by Steve Collins ‘19
Bella Ciao, directed by John Laske ‘19
Smell the Roses, directed by Lisa Angell ‘19
Outsider, directed by Caitlin Brunnock ‘19
U Up?, directed by Phoebe Herbert ‘19
As part of the festival, finalists will be honored with awards in the categories of best film, director, cinematography, editing, screenplay, and sound design, as voted upon by a panel of industry professionals.
"Cinefest provides our students with an opportunity to connect with other human beings through their chosen medium,” Brooks explained. “For most students, seeing their film up on the big screen – something they fought for and dumped endless hours into – is the culmination of their experience at Fairfield. Hearing an audience respond, gasp, laugh, or cry can be a profound moment for a filmmaker, and one they’ll never forget.”
For more information about Cinefest, contact Professor Patrick Brooks at pbrooks@fairfield.edu
