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WEEK of MAY 26, 2003
@BFS! archives

Bridge Film Festival Draws Student Films from Around the World

Delaware Valley Friends Awarded Upper School Grand Prize
BFS Film Awarded Middle School Grand Prize

The 2003 Bridge Film Festival drew 22 submissions—the largest total in the festival’s four-year history—from middle and upper school students at Quaker schools and a Quaker Meeting worldwide. From those 22 submissions, 11 were chosen for screening and festival competition. BFS was honored with two finalists. The Upper School entry, “Lavender Mist & Pavement,” created by senior Amanda Singer and junior Barret Wall, was well-received by the festival audience. The Middle School entry, “Conflict of Friends,” created by Jonathan Betz, Scott Gentile, Andres Gonzalez-Goodman and Alex Lowchy, won top honors in the Middle School division. “Focus,” a remarkably ambitious narrative film by Anthony Levenson of Delaware Valley Friends was awarded the grand prize in the Upper School category.

The festival was honored this year when Irene McHenry (right) Executive Director of Friends Council for Education, accepted our invitation to be our special guest. McHenry offered a gracious welcome to the audience of young filmmakers and their advisors and guests:

I bring greetings from the Friends Council on Education, an organization of 80 member Friends schools across the country and many global affiliates.

We like to think of Quaker education as countercultural in the best sense, in that Quaker education lifts students out of the pop culture box and into a focus on authenticity and values in the human experience. We hope to give students opportunities that touch them at a soul level of compassion, humor and inspirational action. The Brooklyn Friends School Bridge Film Festival does exactly that.

I want to thank Andy Cohen for the vision for this collaborative event. I want to thank Brooklyn Friends School for establishing and supporting this every-growing network and community of young filmakers in Friends schools. And, a special thank you to Bernardo Ruiz, Don Duga, Carmelo Pirrone and Eric Juhola for sharing their talents and expertise in the workshops today. I especially want to acknowledge and thank all of the young filmakers involved in this festival for their energy, creativity and vision.

We need a new world paradigm to survive in the 21st century, and these young people can influence the necessary shift in perspective with their understanding, wisdom, ingenuity and skills in the visual arts, and with their dedication to awakening human consciousness through the visual arts and through value-based filmmaking.

I am very pleased to be a part of this dynamic international community. Take a moment to look at each other with gratitude for what we are about together. And now, on with the show!

Prior to the evening screening, students and advisors spent a full day in morning and afternoon filmmaking workshops taught by accomplished professionals: Animation with Don Duga; The Documentary Film with Bernardo Ruiz; The Film Distributor with Carmelo Pirrone; and The Narrative Film with Eric Juhola.

The 2003 Bridge Film Festival was a most complete event,” says festival founder and coordinator Andy Cohen. “The hands-on workshops offered by noted professionals, bridged the educational and professional world of film, and encouraged students and their film advisors to learn together. These student filmmakers who created "films of conscience" to submit to the festival, along with their advisors, also engaged with a diverse group of festival judges including Quaker educators, independent film industry directors and producers, and with an international Quaker activist. It was a day for the exchange of ideas, recognition of achievement and a thoroughly gratifying experience.

AND NOW FOR THE JUDGES’ DECISIONS…

One of the highlights of each Bridge Film Festival has been the critiques provided by the judges, directly to each filmmaker, as the audience listens. The 2003 festival was greatly enhanced by our accomplished and inspired judges: independent filmmaker Jorge Aguirre; independent film producer Christina DeHaven; Director of Education and Religious Education for Friends Council, Tom Hoopes; and Program Assistant at the Quaker United Nations, Peter Idwasi.

The photos help to tell the story (and tune in for more workshop photos next week!).

See these video clips from the Festival: Choose from RealMedia or QuickTime formats (note: you’ll need the free RealPlayer or QuickTime plug-in to play these clips):

“Focus”
• Real Media (smaller file, best for dial-up connection)
• QuickTime (larger file, best for broadband connection)

“Conflict of Friends”
• Real Media (smaller file, best for dial-up connection)
• QuickTime (larger file, best for broadband connection)

“The Egg” (short animation created by students in Don Duga’s workshop)
• Real Media (smaller file, best for dial-up connection)
• QuickTime (larger file, best for broadband connection)

The judges review their notes before the awards presentation.		Christina DeHaven offers a film critique while Tom Hoopers listens.
Jorge Aguirre looks on as Peter Idwasi offers his comments.		Featured Filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz showed his film “The Devil’s Twilight,” (shot in Brooklyn and Mexico), followed by a Q&A with the audience.

more Bridge Film Festival 2003 photos: 1 | 2 | 3

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