Fox Film Festival: Student Storytelling

Reported By: Kate Mack

Photo Courtesy: gfucinematicarts on Instagram

George Fox University (GFU) has a long-standing tradition of hosting a film festival at both the Cameo Theatre and in Bauman Auditorium. With this year being its 26th anniversary, it is no surprise that the festival is a highlight in the Newberg community and on campus. With works from cinematic arts majors, animation majors, film production majors, and even kinesiology majors, the festival is open to all undergraduates to submit their films. 

According to Alexander Chung, the faculty advisor for the Film Festival, each year brings new exciting memories. “I just remember last year's raucous environment during the audience choice awards. It was such an energy, and it was so fun to hear their hooting and hollering,” Chung explained. It is a tradition that the Festival is first viewed at the Cameo Theatre. With a small fee, the public can come and enjoy what has been created by the students at GFU. Complete with a red carpet and snacks, the showing is of full production value.

Amber Abrams, an organizer for the event, makes sure that each student can access equipment and resources, including faculty and other necessities for creating these productions. Abrams also helps organize the awards ceremony at the end of the Film Festival. Abrams is responsible for “[g]etting the film submissions from the students to the judges and making sure that [...] all the decorations and refreshments” are ready. Afterward, Abrams explained that there is “a little ceremony at the end for the awards and celebrating the students.” Students can win awards for best picture, audience favorite, best editor and so much more. There is also a time for senior and faculty recognition at the event, making it a special and momentous occasion. 

As both a senior and animator, Schuyler Ham has had many great experiences at the Film Festival. With her previous works being shown in the animation reel, she described the feeling of her art being shown: “All that hard work paid off in a big fun event, and seeing some of my stuff there was such an amazing experience.” With her time at GFU coming to an end, she can’t help but look back on memories of the Film Festival and smile. 

Senior, Jonathan Beals, explained one of the biggest challenges for the applicants: “It’s really vulnerable, showing something that you worked on, and kind of represents you in a way, and play that in front of a lot of strangers, and be there while they do that. We’re students, so while our films have a lot of good parts there are also some mistakes that we know are in there.” Beals further explained that so many people in this program are passionate about what they’re doing and that encourages everyone to work harder and let their passion seep into their projects. 

For anyone wanting to come to the Film Festival, it will be on Friday, Apr. 19 at the Cameo Theatre and on Saturday, Apr. 20 in Bauman Auditorium. Come and see passionate students share projects filled with wonderful stories and pieces of the GFU community.