Wed June 5 at 7 p.m., Prof. Michael Lee of College of Charleston will introduce and screen Martin McDonagh’s hit film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). Come for the film, stay for conversation! This is a FREE community event hosted by CofC’s Civility Initiative!

By Anna Deason ’24, Former Film Club Officer

On the evening of April 6th, the College of Charleston Education Center Atrium looked unrecognizable. As if by magic, the lobby had been transformed Cinderella-style from a utilitarian study spot into a cozy, professional-looking event space. A fully- stocked catering table atop black table-cloth here, a step and repeat photo op there (complete with stage lights, red carpet, and a student photographer), and tasteful white, gold, and black decor throughout the room completed the venue look. Anyone who walked through the front doors that night would know right away they were in the right place for the College of Charleston Student Film Festival.

The CofC Student Film Festival is hosted each year by the Film Club and celebrates the creative filmmaking pursuits by students from CofC and Trident Technical College. “The Student Film Festival is the flagship event of the year for the Film Studies Program,” said CofC Film Studies Director Colleen Glenn. “Just as the student film club has become an important arm of the Film Studies minor, the student film festival has become our yearly celebration of cinema and student filmmakers at the College of Charleston.”

In recent years, the CofC Film Club has partnered with Queen Street Playhouse in downtown Charleston to host the festival, but this year, the festival was held in the Septima Clark Auditorium on CofC’s campus. The 2024 film line-up was comprised of eight different short films submitted by students across a variety of academic departments, from Biology Majors to Studio Art Majors.

This year, Film Studies Professors Colleen Glenn and John Bruns were proud to award the top three short film winners, as decided by judges Tim Fennell, Giovanna De Luca, and Jeffrey Youn. Third place was awarded to the short film A Town With Love in the Middle by Kate Pearson, second place to Backstage by CofC seniors Max Meyers and

Keller Hollingsworth, and first place to Mickey vs. the Passage of Time by CofC senior Bristol Barnes. Mickey also racked up an audience choice award, and Trident Tech student Ron Grant’s film Procrastination received Honorable Mention.

Film Club president Caroline Drinnon is in the unique position of not only getting to host this year’s festival, but also playing the lead role in the Film Club-produced short film, Mickey vs. the Passage of Time. Caroline told me, “As a creator, the festival

provides ample opportunities for learning and celebration of student success. The process of making the short film is clearly a strenuous task in itself with coordinating a team, writing a script, and finding the time to film it with whatever equipment you might have on hand.”

The festival, Caroline said, allows students to connect and form community not just as creators, but as audience members, as well. Plus, she said, “it’s a fun occasion to dress up and enjoy the art scene in Charleston without breaking the bank.” Certainly a tantalizing offer for any college student!

To close off the evening, Professors Glenn and Bruns commemorated all fourteen Film Studies graduating seniors onstage. For those graduating seniors, the Student Film Festival serves as their final send-off from the program prior to their graduation ceremonies. Dr. Glenn remarked, “The festival gives students an opportunity to submit and screen their work, and also gives our program a chance to honor and recognize our film studies students—those who simply love cinema and those who make movies, alike.”

With the Student Film Festival now going on its twentieth year, it’s difficult to ignore the question of legacy. For some, the film fest truly is the culmination of their time in Film Studies or in Film Club here at the College.

Caroline agrees, as she and other Film Studies Minors get to take all the concepts they’ve studied over the past few years and apply them, whether in the creation of a film or in the viewing experience of one.

Caroline reflected, “I think when it comes to the film festival, and to the club in general, it’s always the people and their creations that are the most memorable. The community that is built from being able to create something collaboratively and share it with friends, family, and peers is really unmatched.”

Both the Film Club and its festival have survived nearly two decades now; through changes in modern technology, four different College Presidents, and even a global pandemic, it seems as if the CofC Film Studies Program will always be ready to face whatever comes next. So, here’s to the future of the College of Charleston Student Film Festival.

Hello Film Lovers!

College of Charleston’s Film Club wanted to announce our annual film festival. We need more entries! If there is any short film you have made submit it, it could be from a class, creative project, etc.! If there is a short film a peer has made, tell them about the film festival! We would really like to see what College of Charleston’s film students have created and think this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase them. If you have any questions feel free to use any of our resources linked below. 

Deadline: March 29th, 2024
College of Charleston’s Film Club Email: collegeofcharlestonfilmclub@gmail.com
College of Charleston’s Film Club Link Tree: https://tr.ee/eFiYpqmFMM

Here’s a preliminary list of courses offered Fall 2024 that will count toward FMST credit. Click highlighted text for course description (if available). Check back frequently for updates and additions.

ENGL 212.01 The Cinema: History & Criticism* Dr. Glenn TR 1:40-2:55pm	ENGL 212.02 The Cinema: History & Criticism* Rogers MW 2:00-3:15pm
ENGL 212.03 The Cinema: History & Criticism* Rogers MW 3:25-4:40pm	ENGL 351 Studies in American Cinema* Dr. Glenn TR 12:15-1:30pm
ENGL 390 Special Topics in Film: Creative Production for Motion Picture and Screen Content*** Rogers MW 5:30-6:45pm	ARTH 294 City and Cinema*** Dr. Youn TR 3:05-4:20pm
CHST 270 Stories of Tradition & Culture in Chinese Cinema** Dr. Jin MWF 1:00-1:50pm	COMM 410-01 Examining Hollywood Film*** Dr. Guthrie MWF 11-11:50am & M 12-12:50pm
COMM 410-02 Feminist Film Theory*** Dr. Guthrie MWF 2:00-2:50pm & W 3:00-3:50pm	GRST 371 Special Topics: German Horror Cinema** Dr. Nenno TR 3:05-4:20pm
JWST 300.02 Holocaust on Film** Dr. Cappell W 4:00-6:45pm	LTIT 370 New Italian Cinema** Dr. DeLuca TR 1:40-2:55pm
LTPO 270 Studies in Brazilian Film** Dr. Moreira TR 10:50am-12:05pm	THTR 350 Screenwriting I*** Smallwood TR 9:25-10:40am

 

* meets the requirement for Cluster 1 of the FMST minor
** meets the requirement for Cluster 2 of the FMST minor
*** meets the requirement for Cluster 3 of the FMST minor

Il Cinema Ritrovato On Tour is a new festival coming to Charleston! With roots in Bologna, Italy, this festival is dedicated to the history of cinema, screening classics, retrospectives and showcasing the latest restored films from labs and archives around the world. On March 20th and 21st, Il Cinema Ritrovato On Tour is screening four restored films: Sambizanga (1972), Assunta Spina (1915), The Last Emperor (1987), and Wings of Desire (1987)! With a valid CofC ID, tickets are free! Be sure to check out this incredible experience, coming to the Queen Street Playhouse in March!

 

The Charleston Jewish Film Festival returns to the Terrace Theater this weekend from February 22-25! Come attend a weekend of exciting contemporary Jewish cinema, including a documentary on the late and great Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles). The weekend will include discussions led by Film Studies professors as well as an in-person Q&A for Rabbi on the Block with director Brad Rothschild and star Rabbi Tamar Manasseh.

And don’t miss the commentary on Remembering Gene Wilder by Dr. John Bruns after the screening on Sat Feb 24!

You won’t want to miss this exciting opportunity, and student tickets are $11.

Checkout the full schedule and link to purchase tickets at https://www.terracetheater.com/jewish-filmfest/

Here’s a preliminary list of courses offered Summer 2024 that will count toward FMST credit. Check back frequently for updates and additions.

CLAS 270 The Classics in Cinema** Dr. Zeiner-Carmichael Maymster Online asynchronous	HIST 261 Latin American History Through Film** Dr. Covert Maymester Online synchronous MTWRF 8:30-12:00pm
LTRS 270 Studies in Russian Film** Dr. Irman Maymester Online asynchronous Course taught in English with no prerequisite	REL 280 Religion & Film*** Dr. Siegler Maymester Online

* meets the requirement for Cluster 1 of the FMST minor
** meets the requirement for Cluster 2 of the FMST minor
*** meets the requirement for Cluster 3 of the FMST minor

Film Club was lucky enough to be invited to Trident Technical College for an overview of their Film and Media Production department and its equipment. A special thanks to department head Randy Grimes and course instructor Tim Fennell for their continued kindness and generosity to Film Club and CofC students.

The club got a very informative rundown of both film and digital cameras, including the impressive Arri Alexa Mini LF. TTC also showcased their audio recording tools and lighting equipment in a controlled, on-set environment.

More information about Trident Tech’s Film and Media Production program can be found on their website.

Throughout the first half of this semester, Film Club held four workshops! The first was a camera workshop, where students learn the basics of digital cinema cameras and become certified to use Addlestone Library’s camera equipment.

Shortly after, the club held a screenwriting workshop, where actor, screenwriter, director, and theatre professor Michael Smallwood gave students tips and tricks for their Screenwriting Contest entries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
In association with CisternYard Video, the club offered an editing workshop, where students could learn and practice the editing tools in Adobe Premiere. Addlestone’s Production Lounge in Room 120 gives students access to computers equipped with the editing software!

Lastly, club officers lead a production workshop, which outlined the process of taking a short film through pre-production, shooting, and editing. This workshop also included information about film production roles and their different responsibilities.

All of these workshops aim to help students create short films of their own and prepares them for the club’s annual spring production. Be on the lookout for more workshops like these from Film Club!

It’s that time of year again, Charleston’s annual Nuovo Cinema Italiano Film Festival is back for its 17th year this weekend, November 2nd-5th! 

The annual film festival explores the latest and greatest contemporary Italian cinema, showcasing Italian culture and voices through some of the best modern Italian filmmakers. Through careful and exciting curation, this year is bound to be a great one with many amazing films from new and renowned Italian filmmakers and actors.

This year, visiting filmmakers include director Elia Moutamid and screenwriter Simone Brioni of the film Maka, and director Sophie Chiarello of the film Il Cerchio! Director of Good Morning Tel Aviv, Giovanna Gagliardo, will also be speaking about her film virtually.

Also, introductions for certain films will be made by a variety of College of Charleston faculty members including Colleen Glenn, Robert Sapp, Rebekah Compton, Lauren Ravalico, and Aimee Arias!

The event is free for CofC students and faculty, check out the full schedule of films + speakers here!