Fault Line showcases future of silver screen

Winners of the ninth annual Fault Line Film Festival were selected Friday, Nov. 9, in Rose Theater following a special screening of the 14 finalist films. Among the finalists were “Come Up For Air,” which won Best of Show, and “Ivy,” the festival’s Best Drama winner, produced by Southeast students and alum.

The festival, organized by Southeast faculty and a board of members, is a yearly contest celebrating the hard work of high school, college and graduate school students from around the Midwest.

One contestant came from Iowa, some from Boston and more from Kentucky and Georgia. In total there were representatives from 11 states and 24 schools, with 13 entries from Southeast and four of those in the finals.

The film subjects were as varied as the origins of their creators.

“We are honored this year to have received such a very diverse collection of work,” Southeast mass media professor Fred Jones said.

“93 Miles,” by Noah Canavan, a Southeast alum and Emerson college graduate student, showed the plight of countless Cubans being smuggled to America for baseball contracts. The genres of the films extended to drama, comedy, animation, romance, action and “other.”

Kamron Underwood, who played Leo in “Ivy,” said he believes film is the medium that is best to express himself. Despite his Sophomore status it appears he has already gained a sense of good film, as the Southeast theatre student also spoke briefly on the writing for “Ivy.”

“What makes a really good film is writing,” said Underwood, “Everything else rolled up very very nicely with the writing and helped drive the story.”

“Ivy,” created by Southeast students Brady McDowell, Anna Alexander and recent graduate, Branson Cusac, told the story of a young woman betrayed by a distant lover who finds the strength to move on. The film was written by Alexander,

“We just wanted to make a really good film,” said McDowell, a senior majoring in TV/Film and production.

“Ivy” won Best Drama but there was stiff competition in every segment, as Jones stated in his award remarks.

“This is the most competitive year this festival has had so far,” Jones said.

The best films across genres were awarded trophies, and Best of Show won $1,000.

All finals contestants were gifted an original film poster created by SECreative.

“Come Up For Air,” by Tori Mills won Best of Festival and the largest of the cash prizes.

Honorable mentions went to the directors of “Nein,” from Southeast, “Planet Iowa,” from University of Iowa; and “Lights at Night,” from Western Kentucky University.

Best High School Film was awarded to Jared Goudsmit from Kirkwood High School in Missouri, while Southeast’s Bethany Draper won Best Animated for “The Window Vignette.”

“5 Year Plan,” by Adler Davidson and Ridgley Harless of College of the Ozarks, won People’s Choice as well as Best Comedy, and “Conflict,” by Stephens College’s Aurora Thomas-Hagerman won Best Other. The Judges Award, voted on by went to “93 Miles,” by Noah Canavan of Emerson College.

Bringing together promising filmmakers from across the Midwest, Southeast’s competition has become one of the most prominent film festivals in the region.