By Erin Mangold, Student Reporter
FilmFest, an annual film competition among students at ACU, will be March 20 at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Abilene at 7 p.m.
During the event, only the six films that are up for Best Picture will be shown.
The chairs of Filmfest are Christina Johnson, sophomore English major from Dallas, and Jonathan Davis, junior marketing major from Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Davis said they were pleased with the turnout for the recently held entertainment try-outs. More than 30 people auditioned, and out of those, nine were chosen.
The entertainment people will be performing between films and awards, just like a real awards show. Prizes also will be presented at the end of the formal event.
The host and hostess will be Byron Martin and Jamie Lynn Spires. The entertainment will be Clayton Stewart, Daniel Hixon, Lucas Wright and Sara Potter and Fair Forms, which consists of Paul Knettel, Jacob Knettel and Claire Hardin.
Johnson said FilmFest is a great excuse for girls to get a little more use out of their prom dresses.
“It will be a full-out Oscar event with an ACU twist,” she said.
More than 15 teams will submit films into the competition. During the fall semester, students attended FilmFest workshops for acting, screenwriting and directing. During the spring semester, interest meetings, casting calls and mandatory production days took place.
Supplies such as cameras and lighting equipment are offered to all of the teams to use for the making of the films.
Tom Craig, director of Student Productions, serves as the faculty adviser for FilmFest.
“He’s been great, and we’ve been very blessed having him help us, especially with Sing Song going on,” Johnson said.
Films are due March 16 by 9 a.m. in Craig’s office, Room 133 in McKinzie Hall.
All the films will be shown at the Paramount Theatre beginning at 3 p.m., preceding the awards ceremony. Tickets will be sold to the general public beginning Friday. For ACU students, faculty and staff, tickets will be sold at the discounted price of $5.
