Film Fest to capture the VC first year

It's your first year at Vassar. Try making a short film, in 48 hours, reflecting on your new experience—and there's another catch. You must include five things, like a line of dialogue or location, within the film. Good luck. You'll have to do just these things for the upcoming, inaugural 48 Hour First Year Film Festival.

The Vassar First Year Program (VYFP) began the nascent festival as a way for students to express themselves through film and to talk about their personal experience. "We realized…that there hasn't been a lot of ways for freshman to express what they're going through during freshman year," Stephanie George '14, a member of the VYFP committee, explained. "At the end there's this program called the Freshman 15...but never at the end of first semester."

Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life Luis Inoa initiated the discussion leading to the event's creation. "We were in the process of brainstorming ways to engage the first year class," Inoa said. "The committee...[looks] at a long-term picture of first year activities and experiences. There was a recognition that places or forums for first-year students to engage in just should not exist in orientation alone."

The theme of the event is Life Changing, a theme students are free to interpret how they want. Only three restrictions are placed on participating students: make it in 48 hours, include the five prompts and keep it under seven minutes. "We thought 48 hours would be a good solid block of time to produce a quality work," Nguyen said. "Also, it doesn't take up too much of your time, so you can still get your homework done." The prompts are along the lines of including a certain statue within the film or alluding to your freshman writing seminar. They ensure that groups adhere to the time limit, and provide a quirky, fun twist and commonality.

Nicole Glantz '15 has already signed up for the festival. "I think it's a great chance to get to know people, especially those who are interested in film, like myself," Glantz said. "I like the idea of collaborating, especially with other freshman." Glantz hopes to incorporate as much of the freshman student body as possible.

The film festival is not only for freshman filmmakers, as might be expected. Inexperienced would-be filmmakers and transfer, exchange and visiting students alike are participating in the festival. "I don't have that much film experience," said Nguyen. "The goal is to give us a chance to...reflect and also celebrate all the things that we've done."

The VYFP currently plans for the festival to feature a panel of judges that will determine the winners of the festival, and a student emcee to lead it along. As added incentive, the VFYP plans to award the first place winner with dinner to a restaurant of their choice on Raymond Avenue, and have their film play on the television above the Info Desk. Second place will receive free movie tickets. All participating groups will earn points for the Brewer House Cup.

If the festival runs smoothly, Inoa plans to continue it. "I'm hoping next year we get double the amount of people who are coming, just because they heard the previous year was so much fun," he said. "This is their home now, and I'd love to provide them an avenue to generate a voice for themselves about what it means to be here."

The festival will begin Friday, Dec. 2 at 11 a.m., with submissions due on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 12 p.m. The festival will go on at 6 p.m. that very same Sunday, in Blodgett Auditorium.

"I think it'll be a lot of fun seeing the films and seeing how our classmates have gone about the experience," Nguyen said, "and hopefully it will provide some good conversation as we finish up the semester."