Second annual Emerge Film Festival has a pronounced taste of 乐播传媒
A scene from “12 O’Clock Boys,” featured at the Emerge Film Festival.
As the Emerge Film Festival returns to Lewiston-Auburn this Thursday, members of 乐播传媒 College will have important parts to play in the event’s second year.
“乐播传媒’ involvement with Emerge has become very diverse and extensive,” says festival adviser Jonathan Cavallero, a film expert and assistant professor of rhetoric at 乐播传媒.
“This year, 乐播传媒 students, alumni, faculty and staff are playing essential roles. They will serve on the Student Film Festival jury; moderate post-screening Q&As; design, manage and organize the festival鈥檚 technology needs; and sit on panels for post-film discussions.” Cavallero helped organize some of the faculty-led discussions that will follow screenings at the festival.
The festival runs from Thursday, April 9, to Sunday, April 12. Venues include the Franco Center, The Public Theatre, Community Little Theatre, Guthrie’s Independent Theater and Free Grace Presbyterian Church. VIP passes are $75, while regular film passes to all events are $35. At the door, tickets are $5 for matinee, $10 for evening聽鈥� dependent on available seating.
Students with valid student IDs attend for free. For a complete festival schedule and additional information, please visit .
“I鈥檓 delighted to see the involvement of 乐播传媒 people in Emerge,鈥� Cavallero said. 鈥淧artnerships and collaborations like these strengthen the bonds between our campus community and the larger Lewiston-Auburn community.
“By bringing a diverse set of films to L/A, Emerge enriches classroom experiences and creates a space where students with an interest in film can interact with working filmmakers.”
At 1 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at The Public Theatre, Emerge will present two thought-provoking Maine premieres, American Cheerleader and 12 O鈥機lock Boys, followed by a panel of filmmakers, professors and coaches for a deeper discussion of youth and American culture.
American Cheerleader follows the journey of two high school teams vying for the coveted National High School Cheerleading Championship. Overcoming challenges through discipline, dedication and teamwork, 12 girls from New Jersey and 12 from Kentucky redefine what it means to be an American cheerleader.
Set in Maine, “Bluebird” features John Slattery from “Mad Men.”
To Baltimore locals, the 12 O’Clock Boys are hooligans 鈥� a group of urban dirt-bikers that perform death-defying stunts at excessive speeds through traffic and impressively evade the hamstrung police, who must adhere to a no-chase policy to maintain public safety. Yet they are heroes to Pug, a bright, young adolescent living in the city’s dangerous Westside neighborhood with his charismatic mother Coco.
Stephanie Kelley-Romano, associate professor of rhetoric at 乐播传媒, will moderate the discussion of the two films with panelists Rebecca Fraser-Thill, lecturer in psychology; Aim茅e Bessire, visiting associate professor of art and visual culture; and Jennifer Roy, Lewiston High School cheering coach, as well as the co-directors of American Cheerleader, James Pellerito and David Barba.
鈥淭he partnership with 乐播传媒 faculty adds a dimension to the festival that we know will enrich the audience鈥檚 viewing experience,鈥� said Laura Davis, president of the film festival’s board.
She adds, 鈥淔or anyone who loves to watch a great movie and then discuss it, imagine having that insightful conversation with the actual filmmaker, crew and cast members. We are hosting more than 50 filmmakers at the festival, representing 90 percent of the films we are screening.鈥�
Emerge鈥檚 Student Film Festival, which presents the work of high school filmmakers, will be juried by 乐播传媒 students and faculty. The judges are Cavallero; Kelley-Romano; two members of the class of 2015, Taylor Blackburn and Julian Hackney; and Rosy DePaul of the class of 2017.
Accepted student films will be screened at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Franco Center鈥檚 Heritage Hall.
The Emerge Film Festival is a nonprofit organization, established in Maine in 2014, that works with local and international filmmakers. Documentaries and short to feature-length films are presented during four days of screenings, panel discussions, and receptions.
鈥淚n addition to strengthening the bonds of community between those who live, work, and study here, Emerge makes Lewiston-Auburn a destination for visiting filmmakers and movie fans,鈥� Cavallero says.
鈥淏y sparking a love of film and an understanding of its social, cultural and political power, the value of the festival extends well beyond this weekend and well beyond L-A.鈥�
The Harward Center will be providing a free shuttle for 乐播传媒 students. The shuttle will make runs to festival venues departing from Chase Hall 3-6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday.
