Chicago Southland International Film Festival kicked off its 4th annual showcase for students and alumni on Tuesday, Oct. 29, where 9 students, and an alum, Zachary Klozik, had their short films premiered to family, friends, staff, and students. It was hosted in building F, room F1622.
Doors opened at 5 p.m. and the films started 30 minutes later. A professional photographer chronicled the events as attendees and filmmakers walked a red carpet. Also, popcorn, was provided to anyone whom attended.
Each film submitted by Governors State students was hand picked by the CSIFF committee for the showcase.
The introduction included a overview of the event by Joshua Young, director of CSIFF. Assistant professor Ryan Park introduced each filmmaker to the audience and presented a synopsis of each film. The films ranged from comedy to family documentaries to personal stories and more.
The first film was a documentary written and directed by Christopher Greer in which he shares a glimpse of his personal health journey with a trigger release surgery recovery gone awry. Leading him to a difficult realization from doctors, that he has developed MRSA, an infection, that could possibly cause him to loose the function of his hand entirely. Greer is able through various testing at the ER- seek surgery in time a from surgeon, Dr. Coats, who was on call that day. Greer shares his experience, emotions, and honesty of the difficulty in accepting and maintaining strength, through the post operation therapy and diagnoses of what the infection brought up for him. But from support from family and medical helpers, throughout his ongoing recovery, it has lead him to find stability in some of the challenges he faced.
The second film, written and produced by Agin Muhammad, is a short film drama. The film “Editing is Hard”, implicates many things and also just that as well ( that editing is not easy). Muhammad, known as Gene in the film, sits across from Justin. Both students, in a higher paced film editing class. Both have struggles, of their own, and share worries with one another in their own way. Gene, an older student, is struggling personally with editing something up before class, and Justin, with a relationship he wants to see if he can form with another student in their class. The film unravels in a subtle and real way, Justin asking for advice and, Gene for support, while both asking for guidance in their own challenges they face.
The third film, titled “The Title,” ,y director AJ Boyd, is centered around comedy and friendship revelry. It starts off with three friends sitting, doing their own thing, a calm vibe and atmosphere, the lightening subtle and dim. The emotions were a big experience of the film, that the audience felt through laughter. Two of the three friends end up finding themselves in an arm wrestling contest, to win what seems to be like, a shiny wrestling title belt.
The next film was written and directed by Jameelah Houston. The film called “Birthday Jay,” is centered around Jay’s 30th birthday, and how to make it positively memorable. It depicts the peaks of emotion from her final gift, from a close friend. The box held something that shinned, leaving Jay happy and fulfilled, dancing, and her mood shifts from disappointment from all the gifts she received to enjoyment from the twist in plot.
The 5th film, ” The Runner,” implies what it states. Director Ahmasi Martin paints the picture from a former student’s point of view, year after graduating what its like to redevelop the immense connection to the passion the actor in the film has when it comes to track, which he seems after getting back into the moment of running at his formal track field, to not be done with that journey yet.
The next film, directed by Katy Bergholz, is a short film that makes you question what’s real and what’s not. Named “Recognition,” the short film is like a mind puller, that is purposefully designed to make you aware of the dangers that technology can bring to the table. Katy focuses on the facial recognition aspect of tech, that can make the qualities of others features, and identities shared and accessed by strangers at any time.
The following film is a documentary known as “Rarely Have You Seen A Fox Like This,” sheds light on a rare disease called FOXP1 Syndrome; That’s discussed and shared through a heartfelt real lens from the perspective of Filmmaker Claudia Parker’s, daughters eyes, and the families mission to be there for her and support her in any way they can. Rhonde-Rene Parker, is the main character in the film, who was born with this rare condition, and with it, comes many challenges, and comorbidities. But that doesn’t stop Rhonde-Rene’s, and her family, from living life, and being their for one another, even with the limits that the condition may bring along for the ride.
The 7th film, “Gone,” directed by Precious Clark, is a music video, that shows the unexpected real, and vulnerable truths in a relationship between a young couple. The rockiness after sweet moments, and then compassion of realization, they are both distressed in their own way. The short film, is deeply emotionally felt, that strikes anyone watching it with reminiscence of little bits of the young women, and man, as they try to discover how navigate the ups and downs in the relationship.
The following film, written and directed by Jalen “Draco” Mays, is a short comedy, that also focuses on real topics that are shared with the viewers. “SD Card,” is about an SD Card that is lost, and later found… but, with implications attached to it by his classmates. As the short film unravels, and Daniel is trying to asks the lead suspect he had in mind- Matt; after multiple attempts of trying to meet with him. But Matt, eventually comes to meet with Daniel, after Daniel pulls some strings, to have Matt come to a set up meeting “with a professor”. But as the film, goes on, Daniel figures out from another classmate, that they lost the footage on the SD Card, that Daniel needed for a important project due soon for his class.
The 10th showcased film, is produced by Zachary Klozik, and is a fantasy and drama. It depicts irreversible pain, from a breakup leaving the main character, Kevin, with all encompassing memories and his reality state is altered from the breakup, with ex- Kyla. He goes, through realms of past moments he shared with Kyla, but each time he is running to keep up with her. It leaves a great toll on him, finding it hard to function or maintain friendship’s, in the moment. The film called “Catching Glass Butterflies,” is an emotional turmoil, subtly and intricately throughout interactions at many different scenes, in the film.