The University of Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre (FTT) announces the 29th Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival, in the Browning Cinema at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, January 26 through 28. As in recent years, audience members are invited to vote for their favorite film via text message. The Audience Choice Award will be presented to the student directors of the winning film after the final screening.
An annual launching pad for student filmmakers as they begin their careers in the film, television, and entertainment industry, the Notre Dame Student Film Festival screens films that were made by undergraduate students during the past year as class projects in the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre.
"There's a tone to this year's festival that I think is partially a reflection of what's happened in our country this past year,” says festival founder and FTT faculty member Ted Mandell. “Whether it's comedy, drama, or documentary, these films feel like a window into the souls of our student filmmakers. They're refreshing, inspiring, thought-provoking, and many times, brutally honest."
The festival has featured the first films of future award winners such as Peter Richardson (2011 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award winner, How To Die in Oregon) and John Hibey (2012 Sundance Film Jury Award Winner for Short Filmmaking, Fishing Without Nets), as well as numerous others. Many films from past festivals have also been selected for national and international film festivals, including:
Peace at the Pipeline - 2017 San Pedro International Film Festival, 2017 Riverside International Film Festival
patrolling sandy hook - 2016 USA Film Festival (Winner, Special Jury Award), 2016 DocuWest International Film Festival (Winner, Women Who Doc Award)
Spark of Madness - 2016 Naperville Independent Film Festival (Best Student Film Nominee)
Eat. Sleep. Ride. - 2015 DocuWest International Film Festival
Curry & Erin - 2015 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (Special Jury Prize, Collegiate Documentary)
The Suicide Disease - 2014 Sunset International Film Festival (Winner, Best Short Documentary)
The Last Free Place - 2014 Anchorage International Film Festival
Project Hopeful - 2012 Re:Image Film Festival (Winner, Best Picture, Collegiate Category)
King of the Park - 2012 CineYouth Film Fest (Winner, Best Comedy, Senior Division)
The Elect - 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival, 2012 Dallas International Film Festival
Picking Up America - 2011 Ivy Film Festival (Winner, Social Change Award)
Among the films featured in the 2018 Notre Dame Student Film Festival:
Spilt Milk
Ben Vasquez, Rosie Biehl, Tanner Cipriano
Film noir for the lactose intolerant.
Rescued
Jessica Wilson, Hanna Zook
A failing relationship and a faithful companion.
Respectfully, Tony
John Haley, Julia Szromba
A convicted murderer re-enters society after spending 12 years on death row and 39 years in prison.
Hive
Ryan Taylor, Erin Lattimer, John McDonough
In the not too distant future, some words aren’t meant to be spoken.
The Aftermath
Kay Bontempo, Hanna Zook
Kayla tries to forget and move on.
Smoke Break
Eileen DiPofi
It's halftime at the Student Film Festival.
Sam
Audrey Grewe
You’ve never met anyone quite like Sam Grewe, but he’s no big deal to his sister.
Nona's Red Sauce
Sophia Costanzo, Amanda Pilarski
The family recipe lives on from generation to generation.
Breaking the Cycle
Indi Jackson, Vincent Augusto
The hurdles are higher off the track for a record-breaking student athlete.
Kittens
Zach Lawson
The secret agent man of Keough Hall.
As of Now
Moira Hamilton, Elizabeth Hynes, Maddie Landon, John Salazar, Ryan Taylor
A college senior at St. Agnes University faces the trial of her young life: a Title IX hearing.
Aftertaste
Indi Jackson, Reinaldo Angola-Hernandez
A dancer deals with the sounds inside her head.
Freaky Fast
Grace Weissend, Sophia Dellafiora
The opposite of speed dating, with extra mustard.
TICKETS: Tickets for the Notre Dame Student Film Festival are $7 for the general public; $6 for faculty, staff, and seniors (65+); and $4 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at http://performingarts.nd.edu, by phone at 574-631-2800, or in person at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center ticket office (M-F, 12:00 – 6:00 pm).
SCREENINGS: Friday, January 26 and Saturday, January 27 at 6:30 and 9:30 pm;
Sunday, January 28 at 7:00 pm*
*Audience Choice Award will be presented after the 7:00 pm screening on Sunday, January 28.
Running Time: Approximately 120 min. Some films may contain mature content.
PARKING: Free parking is available daily after 5:00 pm in the Stayer Center parking lot, just north of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. An accessible lot for disabled patrons is available immediately adjacent to the center; a valid hangtag or license plate is required. There is a ten-minute parking zone on the north drive of the center for ticket pick-up; during inclement weather you are welcome to drop off guests in this area and proceed to parking. Non-campus parking (free for the first two hours) is also available at Eddy Street Commons, just south of the center.
Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre seeks to inspire intellectual inquiry and nurture creativity. We offer both a scholarly and a creative context for the general liberal arts student at Notre Dame as well as those students seeking intensive preparation for advanced study in these fields. The hands-on nature of our curriculum, coupled with a very high degree of student-faculty interaction, provides students with a singular educational opportunity at a university known for its teaching excellence. The Notre Dame Student Film Festival is a direct outgrowth of the department’s academic program and an integral component of our students’ artistic development.