July 6, 2009

Student films to be shown at Forest Theater

Work by students at CSU Monterey Bay will be presented at the “Carmel Short Cinema” film and video screening at the Outdoor Forest Theater on July 19.

Sponsored by the Forest Theater Guild and CSU Monterey Bay’s Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology, the plan is to make the screening an annual event.

Among the “shorts” – all are under 10 minutes – to be screened are music videos, documentaries and narratives. Some were made as part of advanced video classes, others were created for students’ capstones, or senior projects.

Among the films to be shown is Letters from Within (photo above), a documentary that goes inside the walls of Juvenile Hall in Salinas. It offers viewers a chance to experience what life inside a youth prison is like, and will leave the viewer stunned, inspired and hopeful for change. Stephen Sprague and Juan Ramirez created the film as their capstone project.

Another film, The National, depicts an elderly super-hero who attempts to find his place in society as he becomes too old to fight crime. When a disaster strikes Metropolis, he feels an obligation to be a hero to the city and to himself. A legacy left behind becomes the city's greatest strength, and the lives he has touched will carry on after he is gone. The film was made by Ben Hoedt and Jack Scott.

Another film, Surcos de Esperanza (Hope Furrows), made by Monica Martinez and Bettie Anderson, is a tribute to Monica's mother. It tells the story of a woman who came to the U.S. with no education or money. For many years she has toiled in the fields. Despite harsh working conditions and discrimination, she has raised a family of five.

Enid Baxter Blader, who teaches digital video at CSUMB, is the event’s producer.

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door. The evening will get under way at 8:15 p.m. Spectators are advised to wear warm clothing and may want to bring a blanket. Concessions will be available.

The Forest Theater is located at the corner of Mountain View and Santa Rita streets near downtown Carmel. For information, visit the web at www.foresttheaterguild.org