The California Baptist University Film Festival, hosted by the College of Architecture, Visual Arts, and Design (CAVAD), is an annual event that showcases the film work of CBU students.
All CBU students are invited to submit short films, live-action or animated, narrative or non-narrative, of up to 12 minutes in length, including opening and closing credits.
Any CBU student who worked as a creative collaborator in any one or all of the following roles on the short film is allowed to submit an entry: producer, director, screenwriter, cinematographer, music composer, editor, production designer, costume designer, make up artist, actor or actress.
“It’s important for filmmakers to screen their work for theater audiences and film festivals, in general, are an awesome way to get your films out into the world and to screen them for very informed and intelligent audiences,” said Michael Eaton, professor of film students and film production. “There’s nothing better than screening your film for a film festival audience that is engaged and passionate about cinema in general and filmmaking in particular. In the past the CBU Student Film Festival has been held in conjunction with the Riverside International Film Festival, so CBU students have not only had opportunities to intern for RIFF, but they have had opportunities to connect with other filmmakers from around the world who have attended the Riverside International Film Festival.”
Evan Tinker, senior film production and business administration double major, said the film festival plays an important role in CAVAD.
“It serves as an opportunity for us to present our work to audiences outside of just our close peers, and to see how the viewers react to and interpret everything,” Tinker said. “It’s also an outlet for us to express ourselves through our art, and to celebrate each other and the time and efforts we’ve been putting into these films.”
Tinker said he enjoys being able to watch all of his friends showcase their work to an audience and celebrate the art they have made.
Gabrielle Flores, senior film major, said she is looking forward to the film festival and seeing her second film entered.
“It’s a short film that looks into the life of a young woman in college who struggles with depression,” Flores said. “I love that I have the opportunity to showcase my films and see all the other films from my fellow lancers.”
Submitted films will be viewed and judged by a panel of judges made up of faculty from different fields, staff members and film industry professionals, who will choose the winner based upon the quality and artistry of the films.
“We could not have done it without the generous and professional help of Conferences and Events at CBU, who is helping us with the screening equipment and other logistical support to keep the event safe,” Eaton said. “Another difference is that it will be a CBU Community only event this year because of COVID.”
In accordance with COVID-19 guidelines, the event will be held outside on CBU’s campus and will be closed to the public.
“COVID’s made all of the usual resources much scarcer,” Tinker said. “It has definitely forced me to be much more creative in regard to using only what I have available to me to still make films and give more time to writing.”
Eaton expressed his feelings about teaching film and how excited he is for the film festival.
“We have a lot of very talented students at CBU in all departments. It has personally and professionally been very gratifying for me to teach our film students over the years,” Eaton said. “Film is one of the great collaborative artistic mediums in the world, and I love to see our students collaborating with each other to make great short films that they can be proud of when they are screened for audiences at our annual CBU Student Film Festival. I love teaching and helping students make their film projects the best that they can be. I am confident that we will have a large number of short film submissions this year.”
The final day to submit a film is by 4 p.m. on April 16. The selected festival films will be showcased in a CBU community-only screening on Thursday, April 22 at 8:00 p.m. at the Mission Hall Lawn. For more information visit cavad.calbaptist.edu/news/2021filmfestival
