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Fanshawe College student filmmakers show off work at online festival

It’s the first take for a graduating class of Canadian filmmakers.

It’s the first take for a graduating class of Canadian filmmakers.

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Students in Fanshawe College’s advanced filmmaking program are giving the public a window to their futures with the annual First Take Film Festival on Friday at 7 p.m.

The virtual festival has a playbill of 12 short films, all under 15 minutes in length, including fictional narratives and documentaries, created by the students despite the on-going pandemic that has thrown up various obstacles throughout the year.

“It’s been a tough year, for sure, and this allows the students to showcase the work they’ve done, the work they are proud of,” said festival co-director Jason Brown, whose narrative Good Boy will be among those a panel of six jurors will view for various awards.

“People want to get their stuff out there and show their family and friends and the public what they’ve learned and how it can be put to use.”

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The documentary films are 1492 LandBack Lane by Kellen S. Bomberry, Send It! by David Kearney, Band Society by Gerald Williams, The Show Must Go On by Aidan Boyle, ABI by Malcolm Fairgrieve and Living on the Edge  by Emmanuel Ferraro.

Narrative films are Brown’s Good Boy, Afterparty Aftermath by Chris Vine, Quarantine by Bomberry, Saving Sofia by Jacob Nyyssonen, A Reaching of Crossroads by Hunter Bird and Kate & Taylor by Williams.

Brown said the college established rules to ensure the students could work safely on their films with proper social distancing and other measures, noting no one in the program became ill with COVID-19.

“We didn’t know what to expect when the year started, but it went really well and we actually had a great year despite the pandemic,” he said.

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“This was our opportunity to bring our vision to life and I’m glad I did it.”

Jurors for the festival include Liz Clarke, a professor of communication, popular culture and film at Brock University, Fanshawe film professor Charlie Egleston, Ingrid Blekys, professor of acting and movement at Fanshawe, Kelly Peckham, a London television director and producer, and Dorothy Downs, founder and executive director of the Forest City Film Festival.

The jurors will determine the best of narrative and documentary films, cinematography, actor, sound design and editing. Best direction and outstanding student achievement awards will be determined by the program professors.

“I think it will be fun for people to see these films,” said Brown, a 40-year-old student pursuing a lifelong dream after working several years in construction and bar management.

“They are going to see some really good films. Some are really well edited, which can be really tough for a short film, and the docs are really quite interesting. There are also some real quality narrative films in there. It will be fun.”


Watch Box

What: First Take Film Festival, featuring 12 short films by Fanshawe College advanced filmmaking students
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
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