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WEEK of May 7, 2007 |
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Bridge Film Festival Opens a Window Onto Teenage Lives and Concerns in 2007 Dealing with real-life problems, experiencing loneliness and sadness, and learning how to become resilient were among the key themes of the finalist films of the 2007 Bridge Film Festival at Brooklyn Friends School held on April 21. Ten short films, seven from upper schools and three from middle schools, and six public service announcements were screened at the festival. Three distinguished judges, filmmakers Phil Bertelsen and Thomas Allen Harris, and Ruth Seeley, an officer with the American Friends Service Committee, provided critiques of each of the films and presented Judges Choice Awards to four films: Time, an upper school short film from The Friends’
School in Tasmania, Australia, that tells the story of a young
man’s struggle
to connect with his absent parents. Monkey See, an upper school public service announcement
from George School in Newton, Pennsylvania, about setting the right
example.
All Time Stops, an animated middle school short
film from Brooklyn Friends School that examines the high stakes
and time pressures of teenage life. Computer Addiction, an animated middle school public service announcement
from Brooklyn Friends School that has a humorous take on the addictive
qualities of computer use.
Prior to the film screening, students and their faculty advisers learned and practiced new skills in four different workshops, Digital Filmmaking, Claymation, Photoshop, and Cel Animation (photos at right). The results of their work were shown just before the finalist film presentation, and received a big thumbs-up from judge Ruth Seeley. “I very much enjoyed seeing the products of the workshops,” she said, “particularly the live action outdoors crew—they had accomplished so much interesting footage in such a short time, making good use of the neighborhood.” A highlight of the festival was the audience’s dialogue with the festival’s featured filmmaker Anika Noni Rose, a Tony-award-winning actor who appeared most recently in the film Dreamgirls. Gracious, dynamic, and a powerful storyteller, Anika shared many accounts of her experiences as a Broadway actor and singer and as a film and TV actor; when asked specific questions from the audience (of mostly students), she spoke about the unexpected difficulties the acting life presents to young people while encouraging them to pursue their dreams. The complete list of the finalist films for the 2007 Bridge Film Festival: Break Away All Time Stops To Belong Words Hurt Computer Addiction Time A War for Peace The Sixth Stage Help the Homeless Jump Drive Save Darfur Now Love Makes the World Go Around Monkey See AIDS It’s Always April Yomi (The Land of the Dead) |
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