Fault Line Film Festival awards student filmmakers

The Fault Line Film Festival award ceremony was held Nov. 19 at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus.

Ten films received awards at the ceremony. The prize for Best of Festival went to Amanda Sachtleben for her film, "unExpected." Sachtleben summarizes the film as being about a person who receives some big important news, and it follows him throughout his day which he thinks is going to be his last.

"I listed it under other because I didn't know where it would fall," Sachtleben said. "I thought it was more dramatic, but I thought the story is more interesting than anything else which is why I wanted to choose other. I wanted it to be shown. I thought the story was interesting enough to at least grab honorable mention, I was not expecting Best of Festival."

Three films received honorable mention awards. These films were "Captured" by Livvy Runyon, "The Death of a Coke Dealer by a Cowardly Goon" by Ethan Myer and Gregory Jackson, and "Eye of the Beholder" by Laura Liefer. The award for best drama went to "Backup" by Kyle Mitchell. The award for best comedy went to "All Sales Final" by Gregory Jackson. The award for best mystery/suspense went to "The Rosewood Music Box" by Andy Thies. The award for best animation went to "Molecular Virology" by Thomas Wack and Clinton Hughes. The award for best other went to "I've Been Here Before" by Taylor Stuart. The judges choice award went to "Ordinary Mary" by Jenn Brinkman.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Sam Park, a 1982 alumnus from the Department of Education at Southeast Missouri State University. He is also a screenwriter, producer and film maker. He is the part owner of the transmedia company Monsterverse Entertainment.

Park spoke about his journey to working in Los Angeles, what it takes to work in the film industry and all about the business. He said the most important thing is your attitude. Park also said that you should go where the people hang out.

Park showed a short film he helped to create called "Unpleasant Side Effects." The film is about a man trying to come up with a serum to restore life to beings that have died.

The Fault Line Film Festival will take place today at 7 p.m. in the Rose Theatre located in Grauel Building. All of the films that received awards at this ceremony will be shown, along with four other films that were submitted, at the festival. Admission is free.