The film industry has greatly influenced our society and culture ever since its creation. It has dictated fashion trends and social norms but has also been a medium of advocacy for social justice and change.
This particular use of film lies at the heart of the REELSTORIES film festival. Their message is “to encourage students to impact the world through stories told through the medium of film,” Nathan Baker, the assistant executive director of this year’s third annual REELSTORIES, said.
REELSTORIES is a chance for student filmmakers to have their work showcased, and also evaluated by a panel of celebrity judges. At the end of the night, the judges present awards for overall excellence, cinematography and the depiction of the REELSTORIES vision. This year, five student films will be shown.
The celebrity judges include Randall Wallace, the writer of “Braveheart” and the “Man in the Iron Mask,” Chris Carter of the “X-Files” and Cindy Meehl, the director of the feature film “Buck.” Distinguished Pepperdine names also make up the panel, such as Craig Detweiler, the Head of Pepperdine’s Center for Entertainment, Media and Culture, and Beverly Graf (film professor).
“The celebrity judges were chosen based on knowledge or involvement in the entertainment industry,” Baker said.
“We were also honoring people who have worked with Pepperdine before,” Veronica Merrick, who manages the festival’s public relations, said.
This year’s REELSTORIES has a new unique category, honoring Pepperdine’s 75th anniversary. The student film that best portrays the University’s mission and values will be presented with the 75th Anniversary Commemorative Award by a unique panel of judges including Provost Darryl Tippens, Dean of Students Mark Davis and Vice-President Keith Hinkle.
“These judges were chosen based on their love and commitment for Pepperdine’s mission and values,” Baker said. “We believe that they will be perfect for judging this special award, since they are so connected to Pepperdine.”
The festival also differs in size from the previous years since its conception. Three feature-length films will be shown in Elkins, Smothers Theater, and the Waves Cafe. “Because the event has been so successful, we wanted to expand to accommodate more people,” Merrick said.
The feature films to be shown are “Being Elmo” in the Waves Café, “Buck” in Smothers Theatre and “Life in a Day” in Elkins.
“I know from last year, they had to turn away people from seeing the films, and we did not want to have to do that this year,” said Baker. The event is free for students, however you have to reserve a ticket at the beginning of the festival to get in to see the films.
“We want people to feel inspired, challenged, and to explore new ideas,” Merrick said.
“Being Elmo” is the story of Kevin Clash, the creator of Elmo, and offers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street. The documentary won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance in 2011, and Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times called it “a winning tale of the persistence and creativity behind one of the most famous and fuzziest faces in the world.”
“The feature films selected were both done really well technically and had a message that we believe everyone should hear, such as following your dream no matter what people tell you, which is what ‘Being Elmo’ is about,” Baker said.
“Buck” follows the life of “horse-whisperer” Brannaman, and how he came to teach people to communicate with their horses through kindness and sensitivity. “Buck” received the U.S. Documentary Audience Award at Sundance in 2011 among many others, including international recognition by the Zurich Film Festival.
On the other hand, “Life in a Day” is a compilation of clips from submitted videos following the lives of individuals on one particular day. More than 80,000 videos were uploaded to YouTube for the project, whose purpose is to show what life is like all across the world.
“Life in a Day” goes along really well with the vision of REELSTORIES, which is that anyone can tell a story, and anyone can be a filmmaker,” Merrick said.
The evening will conclude with Keynote Speaker Jon Turteltaub, the director of “National Treasure.”
