Student Senate to Host Film Festival

BY AARON RICHARDSON

Students will get an opportunity to showcase their filmmaking abilities this week in the sixth annual “Spectacle,” UMW’s own film festival.

The Spectacle is the only student film festival on campus and is comprised entirely of films by UMW students. Seniors Johanna O’Keefe and Jonathan Stallings are organizing the festival through their positions on Student Senate.

All films are subjected to a panel of five judges—two students and three faculty members—before the festival is held, and the winning films will be shown at the event. Of those that make the cut for the event itself, four cash prizes are awarded.

The awards are presented in a ‘mock-Oscar’ format at the end of the night.

The only condition for submission is that film be student-produced.
“Films can be funny, dramatic, scary, weird, or all of the above,” O’Keefe said.

Though the films are all made by UMW students, students from other schools are not prohibited from participating, and students have been known to collaborate on films.

“Spectacle” is a great way to get your finger on the pulse of UMW and see what how creative your classmates can be. “It’s a really fun event with a great turnout every year,” O’Keefe said.

UMW Senate will hold the festival in Dodd Auditorium Friday, Feb 6 at 7 p.m. Admission is free and doors open at 6:15 p.m.