Advanced film students to show their original works on May 14

A scene from Enrique Leal's comedic film "Una Güerita," which will be shown at the Advanced Film Student Film Screening on May 14 at 8 p.m. at the Cornell Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. Call 254-ARTS for tickets. Courtesy of the Department of Theatre, Film and Dance

Each spring students in the Department of Theatre, Film and Dance's Advanced Film and Video Projects class show their popular films to eager audiences. This is a fun opportunity to see Cornell classmates and faculty on film in original screenplays brought to life by the talented film majors in this rigorous class. This one-evening-only event will be held Friday, May 14, at 8 p.m. in the Kiplinger Theatre located in the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $5 in advance and can be purchased through the Schwartz Center box office by calling 254-ARTS or visiting the window in the lobby from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., weekdays.

"We are excited to be screening six ambitious student films this year," said Marilyn Rivchin, senior lecturer in filmmaking. "We are also pleased that our films showcase the acting talents of many Cornell students as well as the resident professional actors at the Schwartz Center."

Many hours of class work as well as personal time and monies go into developing these short films. Student Andrew Baldwin shot his script, "Last Entry," about a one-sided friendship, on 35 mm film with equipment rented from a studio in New York City. Most students use the 16 mm and digital video equipment available from the department to make their films, working in student crews.

Four of the films are dramative narrative: Baldwin's "Last Entry," Sarah Ruth Jacobs' "A Tangle in the Brain," Lauren Haber's "Simple as Black and White" and Joe Mensch's "The Hitchhiker." Students choosing the difficult route of original comedy include Enrique Leal, with his film "Una Güerita," and Josh Morse, with his film "Recklessly Pessimistic."

Three of the student projects were funded in part by a Melville Shavelson '37 Film Award, and a fourth award for best screenplay went to Andrew Millinau for "Vacancy," which will be produced next year.

A separate screening of narrative and experimental films by the introductory filmmaking class at Cornell will be held Sunday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Willard Straight Hall.