Arts Festival Day 3: Students' Films Honored

The carpet in Watchung Hills Regional High School's Performing Arts Center isn't red, and the award recipients didn't particularly dress up for the occasion, but in other respects, the school's Fifth Annual Student Film Awards are just like the Academy Awards ... sort of.

"We give out the same kind of awards as the Academy Awards," Art Department Supervisor Judith Mulder said, noting the awards for cinematography, screenwriting, and directing.

The festival included 13 short films prepared by the students in the school's first and second level film, and TV Production, classes. Teacher Rocco Iacovone said the selected films were viewed by alumni judges Gina LoPinto, Nick Busch, Chris Busch, Helder Rodrigues and Ben Parinello.

Many of the films were based on fables or set-ups requiring the students to focus on their narrative—think Martin Scorecese asking "What's my motivation?" in making a three-scene retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

The films ranged from 40 seconds to nearly 10-minutes.

The awards presented included:

Outstanding Achievement in Editing to Mitul Patel for the sci-fi "Tripping Over Nothing."

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography to Mike Saccento for his story of lost-and-found love based on the Coldplay song "Swallowed by the Sea" titled "Brought back to Me."

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction to Win Winter for his adaptation of "Le Petit Prince."

Outstanding Achievement in Direction to Matt des Gachons his "documentary" study of "Teenagers."

Outstanding Achievement in Screenwriting to India Braver for her musical take on economic fates in "Musical."

Overall Outstanding Achievement in Film Making to Win Winter for "Le Petit Prince."

Other films slected for the festival included Brian Erickson's "The Oracle Shades"; an adaptation of Aesop's fable "Cock and the Pearl" by Desiree Snyder; "One More Bite" by Susan Garyantes; a buddy cop film based on the assigned end line "I don't believe in aliens" directed by Kristi Mobus and Steph Kenna, edited by Desiree Snyder, called "Busted"; "Poker Game" by Matt des Gachons; "The Lion's Mouth" by Brian Erickson; a boxer's tale by Gerry Perrotti, Ben Betines and Kyle Celeste titled "Road Less Traveled"; and Mike Clapcich's adaptation of "Little Red Riding Hood" in "Little Red Riding Hoodie."