Union University hosted the 17th annual Union Student Film Festival in the W.D. Powell Theatre at 6 p.m. Monday night, featuring film submissions in the non-narrative, short narrative and long-narrative submission categories.
Following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 concerns, the festival’s return allowed students to showcase their work publicly. The event concluded with a director’s panel facilitated by Union University associate professor of communication arts, Rachael Camp.
Cash prizes and award certificates were given for acting, directing and production categories. Best supporting performance awards were given to Isabella Gray, Robert Martin and Jackson Hall. Best Actor awards went to Daniel Potts and Mo Sparks. Isabella Gray took home Best Editing, Best Cinematography and Best Director for her short film “If I Knew Then.”
Best Non-narrative film was awarded to “This is Home,” directed by Emma McDaniel, Lyla Dietz won Best Narrative short-form for “Open Up,” and Best Non-narrative long-form was awarded to “If I Knew Then,” directed by Isabella Gray.
Audience members were given the opportunity to vote on the Student Activities Council’s Student Choice Award, which was awarded to “Check Please,” directed by Union alumni Sullivan Hogan.
“We want to celebrate the work that our students are doing, and so this is, like, one of the ways that we do it through this medium particularly,” Camp said. “I think having a venue and a public space to share someone’s work is always more gratifying.”
The event coordinators hope the festival will serve as a catalyst for creativity in the Union student body, inspiring more future film projects and festival submissions.
“One thing that’s really drawn me to film is how it’s such a community-based thing, and you really need so many people from so many areas to work on it,” Emmeline Arehart, sophomore Film Studies major and Union Film Society president, said. “I really hope that events like this and future events that we hope to have will bring the larger community in and get people from all different majors just excited about it.”
The festival directors and participants hope this year’s festival will encourage more participation and support for student films in the future.
“I would love to see this event grow over the years,” Camp said.
To learn more about the Union Film Society and other student film projects on campus, follow the Union Film Society on Instagram @unionfilmsociety.
Photo by Avery Chenault.
