Community Clicks
The fifth annual Sequim Education Foundation Student Film Festival promises to entertain attendees with an array of films from every genre. The festival includes a fundraising dinner served by Irrigation Festival royalty and other local dignitaries and plenty of magic on the silver screen.
--Art by Sequim High School senior Taylor Roads
It is time once again to roll out the red carpet for the star-studded Sequim Education Foundation
Student Film Festival.
The fifth annual event will take place in the Sequim High School Performing Arts Building, 601 N. Sequim Ave., at 7 p.m. Friday, April 16.
Students from across the Sequim School District will compete for scholarships, trophies and a new
laptop computer.
“We have some amazing entries this year,” said Elna Kawal, a festival organizer and Sequim Education Foundation board member. “This will definitely be an evening to remember.”
Returning filmmakers Rebecca Case and Amy McAndie have completed their fifth film, “Fairytales Gone Wrong.”
Will this be their year to win?
Brothers Jack and Ted McColl, along with friend and fellow snowboard enthusiast Ryan Tucker, will take your breath away as you watch them fly through the air in “Lib or Die.”
The brother-and-sister team of Holly and Brendon Hudson have submitted their first film called “Survivor Banana Belt.” You will have to attend the festival to find out if the siblings can survive a monster attack.
Sibling collaboration continues in “The Great Race” as Jeb, Luke and Jenny Mooney compete to see who can get their movie into festival officials first.
Michael Cullinan and Ravi Carlson, the winning filmmakers in 2009, are back with a new film — “The Summer Wind Came Killing In.”
The film “Next Generation,” done by seniors Fariss Ryan, Mike Kochanek and Peter Harker, is the first music video to be entered in the festival.
Tenth-grade students Frank Catelli, Evan Watkins and Mackenzie Grinnell have submitted an action flick.
Kawal said students will have a chance to win $6,750 in scholarships during the evening.
Some of the challenges students face are creating a film no longer than seven minutes with minimal assistance from adults.
Other festival rules include not using copyrighted music, keeping violence to a minimum, no smoking or drug use or drug paraphernalia and no swearing.
Sixth-through 12th-graders registered in the Sequim School District boundaries, including registered homeschool students, can submit a film to festival officials.
The first-place winners will split a $3,000 scholarship. Second-place filmmakers will divide a $2,250 scholarship.
Third place winners will divvy up $1,500 in scholarship funding.
In addition, there will be an audience selection and an environmental award, sponsored by the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society.
“Our judges will have a difficult time selecting winners this year,” Kawal said. “This is a very talented group of kids.”
Judges include former movie and stage performers as well as those that have worked in the media and arts field.
Judges are Alexandra Edouart, Dave Estrem, Bruce Hattendroff, Marine Jahan Hirschfeld, Danielle Lawrence, Shelley Taylor, Ron Farquhar, Sue Ellen Riesau and Lara Starcevich.
All student filmmakers will be entered into a drawing to win a new laptop computer.
The festival serves as a fundraiser for the Sequim Education Foundation with all proceeds benefiting Sequim schools.
Festival tickets cost $5 and can be purchased at the door.
Before the film reels begin to roll, people will have the chance to enjoy a fundraising spaghetti dinner prepared by A Catered Affair. Spaghetti, French bread, salad, coffee, tea or punch and dessert will be served from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Sequim High School cafeteria.
Adult dinner tickets cost $15, which includes festival admission. Dinner tickets for students cost $10 and also
include festival admission.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at Pacific Mist Books, 121 W. Washington St., or from Sequim Education Foundation board members.
Children 4 years old and younger eat for free.
All dinner proceeds benefit Sequim School District students.
Dinner will be served by Irrigation Festival royalty and Sequim School District administrators.
Live music will be provided by award-winning solo and ensemble students.
“This is one night you will not want to miss,” Kawal said. “Dinner is always delicious, and the anticipation of the festival can be felt throughout the meal.”
For more information about the festival, visit www.sequimeducationfoundation.org or phone Kawal at 360-683-3027.
JUST THE DETAILS
The Sequim Education Foundation Fifth annual Student Film Festival will be held in the Sequim High School
Performing Arts Building, 601 N. Sequim Ave., at 7 p.m. Friday, April 16.
Before films are shown, A Catered Affair will serve a spaghetti dinner in the Sequim High School cafeteria from
5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Tickets for dinner and the festival cost $15 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets are available at Pacific Mist Books, 121 W. Washington St.
Tickets for the film festival cost $5 at the door the night of the event.
The festival’s poster, designed by Sequim High School senior Taylor Roads, has been made into T-shirts available for $10.
Her original framed poster will be auctioned the night of the competition.
All proceeds benefit Sequim schools.
For more information about the film festival, visit www.sequimeducationfoundation.org.
COMPETING FILMS, FILMMAKERS
>>> “Fairytales Gone Wrong” by Rebecca Case and Amy McAndie.
>>> “Lib or Die” by Jack and Theodore McColl and Ryan Tucker.
>>> “Misty Pond” by Frank Catelli and Mackenzie Grinnell.
>>> “Next Generation” by Fariss Ryan, Christian Merrikin and Peter Harker.
>>> “The Great Race” by Jeb, Luke and Jenny Mooney.
>>> “The Summer Wind Came Killing In” by Michael Cullinan and Ravi Carlson.
>>> “Survivor Banana Belt” by Brendon and Holly Hudson.
WHAT THEY WILL WIN
>>> First place receives $3,000 in scholarships, with no more than $1,000 going to a team member.
>>> Second place gets $2,250, with no more than $750 going to each student.
>>> Third place wins $1,500, with no more than $500 for each student.
Other awards include:
>>> “Elkie” Award, determined by audience. Members will receive a trophy for their school.
>>> Environmental Award worth $250, sponsored by Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society, with no more than $50 going to a single team member.
>>> All participants will be entered in a drawing for a laptop computer.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL POSTER
The 2010 Student Film Festival poster was designed by Sequim High School senior Taylor Roads.
Roads’ design (shown at right) won first place in a Sequim Education Foundation design contest earlier this year.
Roads beat out 53 other entries for the honor.
She will use the $100 prize when she attends art school after graduation in June.
Roads’ original artwork, framed by Karon’s Frame Center, will be auctioned off during the festival.
The design has been made into T-shirts
available for $10 during the festival.
If you cannot attend the festival, but would like to purchase a shirt, phone Elna Kawal at 360-683-3027 to make arrangements.
