San Bernardino Valley College hosted the 7th Annual Inland Empire Media Academy (IEMA) Student Film Festival from May 4-6, 2018. The weekend-long event was an opportunity for high school, community college, and university students to present their films and videos to a wider audience. Members of the campus and community were invited to enjoy the film screenings, guest speakers, and food vendors at the free event.
The event kicked off this past Friday at 6 pm with a special discussion featuring Lalo Alcaraz, an acclaimed cartoonist, who contributed to the Disney-Pixar hit “Coco.” The lecture was followed by a screening of the film “Coco,” which was also free and open to the public.
Saturday’s activities included a university transfer fair, a media vendor fair, and more industry guest speakers, including H. Lee Peterson, whose credits include being an assistant editor for “The Little Mermaid” and lead film editor for “Aladdin,” “Pocahontas,” and more.
Throughout the weekend, screenings of student-created films took place in the Library Viewing Room on the SBVC campus. These films were submitted by local high school, community college, and university students, and were selected from numerous submissions by a film festival committee. From horror and suspense to action and drama, these films varied in genre and provided a rich pallet of unique concepts and perspectives. The goal of the film screening was to bring together a community of filmmakers who share the common goal of education and artistic expression.
The event culminated on Sunday with the awarding of prizes to participating filmmakers, including awards for best direction, actor and actress, cinematography, writing, editing, and more. Awards were decided by a jury of industry professionals, and were given to enhance student films by supplying added financial backing to their projects. These prizes, which varied from camera equipment to a cash award, were intended to decrease the financial burdens for students who are creating films while going to school.
The IEMA Student Film Festival gives talented students a sound board from which to be heard and motivate them to further delve into their creative craft. Entry was open to the public and free of charge.