JARED HILL
Special to The Leader
Spring has finally graced us with its presence and Fredonia has certainly made use of the season’s warm embrace. Last week, April 10-12, the days seemed to meld together. The sun glowed brighter, the days became warmer and excitement grew amongst the people with each passing day. There was excitement traveling between classes on campus, on the basketball courts, outside, downtown and even in Tim Horton’s. But a new, refreshing kind excitement brewed in Fredonia during this time; the SUNYWide Film Festival and Symposium was screened in room 101 at Jewett Hall.
The SUNYWide Film Festival and Symposium, directed by Phil Hastings, featured a melting pot of student films from a variety of SUNY schools: Oswego, Albany, New Paltz, Purchase, Broome Community College, Buffalo State and Fredonia. What was most impressive about it was that these students put their creative thoughts to good use and produced tangible expression through the visual art of filmmaking. The mass of work featured many different genres: experimental/artistic, abstract, throwback science fiction, personal storytelling, music videos, informative satire, fun animation, corrupt animation, a Fallout-esq post apocalyptic, documentary and narrative stories. The variety of genres were vast, and relevant themes were also apparent.
The winners of the festival were as follows: “First Name: Jogger Last Name: John “(Grand Prize, New Paltz), “Gone Fishing” (First Place Animation, Oswego), “Secret Chamber “(First Place Documentary, Albany), “Myopia “(First Place Experimental, Oswego), “Ekiti Son” (First Place Music Video, Oswego) and “Scuba-Tap Man” (First Place Narrative).
In “Carbon Black,” an experimental film directed by Rhiannon Vercant of Fredonia, the viewer witnessed the ongoing death of the newspaper industry through beautiful strokes of black ink. A deep ominous tone of the music provided emotional heaviness for each coil of ink slowly trickling on articles from The New York Times, until there was only blackness.
Residents of Woodstock see him everywhere: jogging, sweeping and frolicking through the woods. If you ever stop in Woodstock, chances are that you will have an unforgettable run in with their own Jogger John. “First Name: Jogger Last Name: John” is a documentary developed by students at New Paltz that explored a real life Peter Pan living in Woodstock, NY. To describe Jogger John in short, imagine one’s grandfather having the wisdom of a 90-year-man and the sense of wonder of a 10-year-old child. Kaleigh Griffin, Claudia Galto, Keri Sheheen, Lindsay Nimphius and Jogger John take the audience through a journey of self-discovery, self-degradation, triumph and caring nature of Woodstock’s lovely community. This story was an extreme pleasure to watch.
Honorable mentions included Bunny (Honorable Mention Animation, Fredonia), Wax (Honorable Mention Documentary, Fredonia), Infectivity (Honorable Mention Experimental, Fredonia), Stomping’ (Honorable Mention Music Video, New Paltz) and Siren (Honorable Mention Narrative, Buffalo State).
After the winners were revealed the two guest jurors took the center of the room and addressed the audience. “It was a real educational experience … you all really produced amazing work.” Although it was brief, contestants should feel honored hearing such praise from juror Tommy Hartung.
Hartung is an independent filmmaker and Fredonia graduate. He is a very successful animator; his work is seen in art galleries, not in multiplexes. His work brings you into completely different realm separate from this world. Hartung traps you in the inner workings of his mind and his process of work. His films “Ponyboy,” “Anna” and his work in progress “The Bible” construct narratives around Hartung’s out-of-this-world style he calls abstractism. Like a puzzle, he makes you search for greater meaning in almost every minute detail and most certainly brings you to a place I guarantee you have never been before.
Next was juror Jeff Clark, whose first words were verbatim, “I was just thrilled to be a part of this!” Jeff Clark is actor who’s starred in independent films produced not to far south of here in Warren, Pa. On Friday evening, he screened “Wellness” (2008) a film he starred in that took place in Warren. Clark’s character, Thomas Lindsey, is a sales representative who has hopes of a better life for himself and his wife around built around a façade, a company only known by name: Wellness. Clark’s performance was magnificently realistic. As the plot broke down, the viewer was able to see Thomas growing increasingly vulnerable until he finally cast aside his act and the real Thomas was unwound as he hit rock bottom. Clark won Best Actor and “Wellness” won Best of Festival at DiBa Digital Barcelona in 2008. Clark was extremely optimistic about what he saw at the SUNYWide Film Festival.
“Everything in here I saw was very moving,” Clark said. “I’m just excited to know how much the future of film is growing, and how excited people are about film and the passion they have for it.”
The SUNYWide Film Festival was an educational experience for those involved and gave students the opportunity to showcase their art and themselves in front a modest yet very supportive crowd. Even professors enjoyed the rush of premiering films they created at the faculty showcase, most notably “A Toy’s Story: Life, Death and Rock N’ Roll and Don’t Be Afraid of Bears” produced by Fredonia professors Elmer Ploetz and Jill Johnston, respectively.
A lot of impressive work was showcased at this event. Even the directors and producers of those films that lost or needed work surely learned valuable lessons and gained new perspective on the creative process of filmmaking.
In the letter from the director, Phil Hastings wrote, “Every year we do the festival I learn something.” This year was no different “One of the things that I had reinforced for me was the idea that a ‘good’ film one that engages the audience in a meaningful way often transcends genres or types of filmmaking and even goes beyond personal tastes to a point.” There were many creative works displayed at the SUNYWide film festival and symposium but a lot of them may not be seen. But there is next year and another chance for a new artist to redefine what your sense of a “good” film may be as well.