Showcasing Commonwealth’s Future Oscar Winners
Commonwealth is diverse, to say the least, but one thing that its students seem to have in common is creativity. The Film Fest, held on October 16th in the Gloria Shuman Theater, is a prime example of the type of creative endeavors that CHS students aspire to. Film Fests, held three to four times a year by the Commonwealth Filmmaking Club, feature
student-directed short films and are a fun way to spend a Friday night with your friends. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the club, which was founded by students who became interested in the filmmaking process after taking a film analysis class with Professor José Irving Plúguez, the club’s advisor. Upon interviewing some of the people who attended the renowned event, The Comet’s Tale staff observed a general consensus within the crowd; film fests are funny, enjoyable, and totally worth your Friday night.
Five uniq
ue and completely student made films were premiered at the October Film Fest. The first one, Dark Encounters, was a fright worthy thriller directed by sophomore Edwin Gonzalez and was awarded the prestigious “Achievement in Editing” award. Garlic, the comedic story of a family of vampires, was directed by none other than Filmmaking Club president, Ana Marazzi. It was a crowd favorite and was granted the “People’s Choice Award”. From the same director, and filmed while she was studying at the New York Film Academy, Overload is a sensory experience to say the least. The cinematography, sound, lighting, and overall effect of the film got it the title for “Best Directing”. The Phone Call, directed by Victor Pérez, was the only movie submitted by members of the seventh grade class and was an impressive achievement for all those involved. The final film of the night, The Adventures of Slade Hawkins, was filmed at a Carnegie Mellon University pre-college program. It featured Gabriela Cerame, a junior, who received the award for “Best Supporting Actress” for her sterling performance.
While the finished films were short, the hard work that went into every one of them cannot be undermined. Richard Coll, who starred in the feature film Dark Encounter, comments that “[Making a film is] hard work, but you’ll always have a good laugh and you’re always going to be proud of your work when you’re done with it”. Hector Hernández, who wrote the script for The Phone Call acknowledged the hard work that goes into making the finished product, but reiterated the fact that the filmmaking process is, simply put, a fun one. In fact, if there’s anything that the entire club can agree on, it’s how much fun they have perfecting their masterpieces.
Overall, the film fest was one for the history books. The fest was filled with laughs and scares and showcased some of the amazing talent and creativity embedded in our Commonwealth family. As such, anyone and everyone is encouraged to check out the next Film Fest and support our school’s future Oscar winners! Shout out to the filmmaking directive, Ana Marazzi (President), Verónica Socorro (Vice President), Mario Saladrigas (Historian), and Miguel “Mikkey” Rivera (Honorary Member), and to their advisor Professor José Irving Plúguez for coordinating such a cool activity. Anyone interested in joining the club and submitting a film for the next fest is encouraged to do so; simply go up to any of the officers and ask!
