2021 MCVA Film Showcase (Online Edition)

THE 2021 JURY AWARD WINNERS ARE: 

The Jury members enjoyed watching all of the films. There were all extremely close races. The comments from the Jury noted how creative and technically adept this collection of films is. Everyone was very impressed with the writing, humor, cinematography, planning, production design, acting, and many other facets of these films. 

Some important notes:

  • For “Best Writing/Story” and “Best Visuals/Sound” – the winner and runner up were less than a quarter point apart in their overall rating.
  • For “Best Acting/Directing,” the ranking was a tie. Both the winner and runner up films received the same overall ranking from the Jury. That meant it came down to deciding the winner based on “special recognition” categories. Jury members had the option to give special recognition points in categories like editing, humor, writing, cinematography, socially relevant, production design, tension and drama, humor, and other areas. These “special recognition” categories were set up to serve as the tie-breaker in the event that two films had the same ranking – and they did! While both had the same overall ranking, “Trepidation” received more special recognition points.
  • All voting was done by the Jury, remotely, on their own time. And only by the Jury – no professors were part of the Jury this year. These were all “outside eyes.”

Congratulations everyone!  

Best Writing/Story

Jury members were asked to rank films based on their originality, creativity, excellent scripting, and/or humor, etc.

  • Winner — “SGNIW”
  • Runner Up — “Lost But Not Forgotten”

Best Visuals/Sound

Jury members were asked to rank films based on technical excellence, evocative cinematography, and a rich soundscape.

  • Winner — “Trepidation”
  • Runner Up — “Somewhere in Oakland: 7.25.19”

Best Acting/Directing

Jury members were asked to rank films based on amazing performances and overall craft. 

  • Winner — “Trepidation”
  • Runner Up — “SGNIW”

 

 

THE 2021 STUDENT/AUDIENCE CHOICE WINNER ARE: 

This year we had a phenomenal response to the student/audience voting: 1,634 people voted in Student/Audience Choice and 224 watched the Showcase video. Way to have an online film festival MCVA!
Best Writing/Story

  • Winner — “Somewhere In Oakland 7.25.19”
  • Runner Up — “Trepidation”

Best Visuals/Sound

  • Winner — “Somewhere In Oakland 7.25.19”
  • Runner Up — “Trepidation”

Best Acting/Directing

  • Winner — “Somewhere In Oakland 7.25.19”
  • Runner Up — “Trepidation”

WHO WAS ON THE JURY?  

We are thrilled to announce the Jury for the 2021 MCVA Showcase, composed of an amazing line up of film and media professionals, including several Pace alumni from MCVA and PPA, as well as a representative from our sponsor B&H.  Two of the 2021 Jury members won Best Film awards in previous Showcases. We are honored that this group will bring their experience, knowledge, and keen eyes to our 2021 Showcase lineup.
The 2021 MCVA Jury is:
  • Artisha Mann-Cooper – Producer and multi-hyphenate artist and entrepreneur with experience in business, creativity and production. Pace Performing Arts alum. BIO
  • Cassie Pacenka — New Media Asset Specialist, A+E Networks. Editor of three documentaries in our program, Pace MCVA alum. BIO
  • Danielle Garnes — Senior Production Specialist, fuboTV. The OG Showcase award winner! Danielle won “Best Film” in the Showcase the first year we had a “Best Film” category.  Pace MCVA alum. BIO 
  • Nicholas Goodwin —  Associate Producer for NBC Sports, ESPN, and Disney. Another OG Showcase award winner. Pace MCVA alum (via WCC). BIO
  • Katherine Hoskins – B&H EDU Marketing Representative, helping students get discounts. Thank you B&H!!

WHO WERE THE STUDENT SCREENERS? 

Thank you to the students who screened the Showcase’s 3 hours of submitted films, watching them, and noting films deserving of honorable mentions. This year’s screeners included members of the Film Club as well as other students. Some of them are shy and wanted to stay anonymous (they know how passionate people are about film rankings – check back again). 

Thank you to:

  • Emily Teixeira
  • Lizie Zayas
  • Anonymous — 8

 

THE FILMS IN THE 2021 SHOWCASE

Please enjoy these 13 student films, most made during lockdown. Way to go MCVA!

— THE SHOWCASE HAS OFFICIALLY ENDED BUT YOU CAN STILL STREAM THE MOVIES  —

TO WATCH IN VIMEO: 2021 MCVA SHOWCASE

FINALISTS LINEUP (in screening order)

Blue

Dir. Pasquale Noce

SYNOPSIS: just watch it

All Hail Plankton

Dir. Ryan Fowler

SYNOPSIS: For an assignment in Professor LaRosa’s Digital Editing Workshop last semester, we were given the task of flipping the genre of a movie for a trailer. In my project, I take clips from the 2004 Spongebob Movie and use them to produce a trailer for a horror film.

Listen To My Voice

Dir. Lyndsi Cortese

SYNOPSIS: As part of my Audio Storytelling class, I chronicled some of the key days of my life during which my mother was recovering from a stroke.

The “C” Stands For “Satire”

Dir. Chris Meyer

SYNOPSIS: A “satirical” look on how the 2020 learning experience has swapped the attitudes of the professor-student relationship.

One Call

Writer/Actor Lindita Kulla & Editor Eily Jones

SYNOPSIS: just watch it

Easily Over It

Dir. Katie Doyle

SYNOPSIS:  Living alone can be hard, especially when you have no idea how to cook. [filmed for Cinematography II in Spring 2020]

Somewhere in Oakland: 7.25.19

Dir. Reginald McKinnely

SYNOPSIS: A web series on the stories of several young adults who all have different experiences, interconnecting in different ways, each episode focusing on a different individual. This is episode one.

all of the signs

Dirs. Samantha Felix, Samantha Roppola, Katie Doyle, Sue Carine, Ashley Desalvo, and Korbin Kepner

SYNOPSIS: A somewhat serious mocudrama of two friends solving the theory of love. Is this a possible girlfriend or just another female friend? Maybe the answer isn’t as far as they thought.

SGNIW

Dir. Byungseon Kong

SYNOPSIS:  Woo tries to protect his wings from John.

The Forsaken

Dir. Dev Stafford

SYNOPSIS: Humanity is nearing an end. As Travis attempts to navigate and survive his way through what is left of a dying world, the beliefs that have kept him moving are challenged with each interaction he encounters.

Trepidation

Dir. Dev Stafford

SYNOPSIS: “Trepidation” follows a young girl as her paranoia and anxiety become overwhelming, constantly in fear of having to experience a mass shooting firsthand.

Matthew Hour

Dir. Jaehan Pag

SYNOPSIS: An aspiring writer in New York tries to escape the noise in the city but experiences an unexpected adversity.

Lost But Not Forgotten

Dir. Blake Rozelle

SYNOPSIS: After Brian’s mother’s passing, he relied heavily on his girlfriend, Lisa, for comfort. But, once she goes missing, everything starts to change for the worse.

TO VOTE IN THE STUDENT CHOICE AWARDS

You can vote for audience awards in the following categories: 1) Best Writing/Story, 2) Best Visuals/Sound, and 3) Best Acting/Directing. Judging for Student Choice Awards closes Sunday 3/28 at 1 pm sharp! Students, faculty, and the Pace community can vote.

VOTING IS CLOSED. 

  • Winners receive a $50 B&H gift certificate and a customized laurel.
  • Runners-up receive a customized laurel.

HONORABLE MENTION WINNERS

Chosen from Semi-final round by screeners:

Best Action

    • GO (Dir. Ethan Wood)

Best Depiction of Student Life

    • TIE: 
    • The “C” Stands For “Satire” (Dir. Chris Meyer) and
    • Easily Over It (Dir. Katie Doyle)

Best Documentary —

    • Listen To My Voice (Dir. Lyndsi Cortese)

Best Drama —

    • Lost But Not Forgotten (Dir. Blake Rozelle)

Best Horror —

    • All Hail Plankton (Dir. Ryan Fowler)

Best LGBTQ —

    • all of the signs (Dirs. Samantha Felix, Samantha Roppola, Katie Doyle, Sue Carine, Ashley Desalvo, and Korbin Kepner)

Best Romance —

    • all of the signs (Dirs. Samantha Felix, Samantha Roppola, Katie Doyle, Sue Carine, Ashley Desalvo, and Korbin Kepner)

Best Social Commentary —

    • TIE:
    • Somewhere in Oakland: 7.25.19 (Dir. Reginald McKinnely)  and
    • all of the signs (Dirs. Samantha Felix, Samantha Roppola, Katie Doyle, Sue Carine, Ashley Desalvo, and Korbin Kepner)

Best Thriller —

    • Lost But Not Forgotten (Dir. Blake Rozelle)

Best Use of Fake Blood —

    • Lost But Not Forgotten (Dir. Blake Rozelle)

Funniest —

    • Blue (Dir. Pasquale Noce)

Most Amazing —

    • Lost But Not Forgotten (Dir. Blake Rozelle)

Saddest/Most Poignant —

    • 3-WAY TIE:
    • Trepidation (Dir. Dev Stafford) and
    • One Call (Writer/Actor Linda Kulla & Editor Eily Jones) and
    • Lost But Not Forgotten (Dir. Blake Rozelle)

Best Use of a Lightsaber —

    • The First Padawan (Dir. Caitlin Wallace)

You made it to the end of the page!

Now VOTE:

Student Choice Awards will be made for:

  1. Best Writing/Story
  2. Best Visuals/Sound
  3. Best Acting/Directing
  • Winners receive a $50 B&H gift certificate and a customized laurel.
  • Runners-up receive a customized laurel.

Judging for Student Choice Awards closes Sunday 3/28 at 1 pm sharp! Students, faculty, and the Pace community can vote. See link at top of page. Winners in each category receive $50 B&H gift certificates and customized laurels. 1st runner-up in each category receives customized laurels.

For technical questions with the screening or voting email Professor La Rosa at Mlarosa at Pace dot edu.
THANK YOU to the Film Club and  the many Pace students who reviewed submitted films in a Semi-final round! We could not put together the Showcase without your participation. Thank you Professor Jennifer Magas and the Corporate Event Design Graduate class!