Inaugural film festival coming to Tulane
The Tulane University Film and Arts Festival comes to the uptown campus on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 20 and 21), with free admission to films produced by students and other filmmakers, including Rudderless, directed by William H. Macy.
Tulane University is already home to Crawfest in April and the New Orleans Shakespeare Festival in the summer. This semester, the university"s festival offerings will grow again, when the Tulane University Film and Arts Festival comes to the uptown campus on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 20 and 21).
The inaugural festival will feature a selection of short films and art installations made by Tulane students and local New Orleans residents. Admission is free and screenings will take place at the Freeman Auditorium in the Woldenberg Art Center and the Kendall Cram Lecture Hall of the Lavin-Bernick Center.
“This year, the film festival is all about celebrating the story, so in our films and art projects we are looking for works that tell a great story.”— Jack Nester, VP, TUCP
“This year, the film festival is all about celebrating the story, so in our films and art projects we are looking for works that tell a great story,” said Jack Nester, vice president of Tulane University Campus Programming.
Sit Up, Stand Down, directed by junior Frank Spiro, is one short film that will be screened during the festival. This coming-of-age story focuses on the search for independence and inner confidence as the protagonist confronts stand-up comedy.
In addition to student productions, three feature films also will be screened. Rudderless, directed by William H. Macy, will screen at 7 p.m. on Friday, with a talk by screenwriter Casey Twenter to follow. The drama, the story of a grieving father who starts a band to honor his deceased son, debuted at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
“This festival will give students who are not involved in the Digital Media Production Program an opportunity to show off their work,” said Nester. “It is also designed to expose students to new and different forms of art.”
In between screenings, attendees can enjoy a selection of local New Orleans food choices. To learn more about the film fest, contact Nester or visit the Tulane University Film and Arts Festival website.
Greg Thomson is a senior at Tulane University majoring in communication.
