Four films created by students from Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School were featured in the 3rd Bridge Student Film Festival held at Bridgewater State University. Tori Keith, right, won Best High School Film for her music video, “Orange Juice.” (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Regional School District)
SOUTH EASTON — Digital Cinema students from Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School showcased their storytelling and technical skills on a collegiate stage this month, with several student-produced films featured in a screening at the 3rd Bridge Student Film Festival at Bridgewater State University.
Students from Southeastern attended the festival, held in early December, as four films produced through the school’s Digital Cinema program were featured alongside submissions from filmmakers at colleges, universities and high schools throughout New England. One of those films made by a Southeastern student earned top honors for high school participants, highlighting the depth of talent emerging from the program.
Southeastern student Tori Keith won Best High School Film at the 3rd Bridge Student Film Festival for her original music video, “Orange Juice.” The five-minute, three-second film follows two friends whose relationship is fractured after a traumatic event, leading one of them to leave their town while the other remains behind to confront the emotional aftermath.
“The great thing about the Bridge Student Film Festival is that it gives our students a rare opportunity to see their work evaluated and celebrated in a meaningful way in a collegiate setting among aspiring professionals, academics and older students,” said Janelle Canastra, Southeastern’s Digital Cinema teacher, who oversaw the student productions and attended the festival with students. “For their films to be featured alongside the works of college-level filmmakers, and for one of them to win an award, is incredibly impactful, motivating, inspiring and affirming.”
The 3rd Bridge Student Film Festival is organized entirely by Bridgewater State University students enrolled in Professor Michele Meek’s Film Festival Production course. The students are responsible for judging submissions, coordinating logistics, creating promotional materials, managing social media, producing video content and running all aspects of the event. The festival celebrates short fiction and documentary films created by student filmmakers throughout New England and is sponsored by the Bridgewater State University Film Studies Program, American Studies Program, Department of Communication, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Undergraduate Research.
Along with “Orange Juice,” Southeastern students entered a film called “A Southeastern Christmas Carol,” directed by Olivia Lopes and Paola Talarico. The 9-minute, 15-second short offers a creative holiday twist on the classic tale, reimagined within the world of Southeastern’s Digital Cinema and Broadcasting program.
“Opportunities like this reinforce the real-world value of vocational and technical education,” said Mary Kobey, Vocational Supervisor and Cooperative Education Coordinator at Southeastern. “Our students are not only learning industry-level skills, but they are also applying them in professional environments that prepare them for future careers.”
Additional Southeastern submissions included “Roomates,” a three-minute music video directed by Kayla G. Crispin that explores the emotional fallout of a friendship-ending conflict, and “The Ballad of Sara Berry,” a five-minute music video directed by Veronica Irizarry, inspired by a song from the 2012 musical theater production, “35MM: A Musical Exhibition.”
““The success of our Digital Cinema students at the 3rd Bridge Student Film Festival speaks to their creativity, professionalism and willingness to take creative risks,” said Principal Shawn Desmond. “They are producing thoughtful, high-quality work while gaining real-world experience that prepares them for both college and careers in the media arts. Congratulations to all of our students who participated.”
“Our Digital Cinema students continue to demonstrate what is possible when passion, talent and high-quality instruction come together,” Superintendent McClanan said. “Their success at the 3rd Bridge Student Film Festival reflects their creativity, hard work and Southeastern’s commitment to providing meaningful, career-connected learning experiences.”
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Digital Cinema students from Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School participated in the 3rd Bridge Student Film Festival held at Bridgewater State University. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Regional School District)
Southeastern student Tori Keith’s film “Orange Juice” won the Best High School Film. The music video, shown in this screenshot, depicts two friends who become estranged after a traumatic event. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Regional School District)
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School students Olivia Lopes and Paola Talarico directed “A Southeastern Christmas Carol,” a nine-minute short that reimagines the holiday classic with a Southeastern twist, following the story of Ebenezer Hawk. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Regional School District)
Southeastern student Kayla G. Crispin directed “Roomates,” a three-minute music video that explores the emotional fallout of a fight between close friends and the regret that follows cutting someone off. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Regional School District)
Southeastern student Veronica Irizarry directed “The Ballad of Sara Berry,” a five-minute music video inspired by a song from the 2012 musical theater production 35MM: A Musical Exhibition. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Regional School District)
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