• Judges
• Winners
• Official Selections: Finalists
• Honorably Mentioned Films
• Third-Tier Award Winners
• Filmmaker Bios

Judges

Leonard Cox

Producer, Executive Director of Communications at Columbia University

After working on his first film, The Mark of the Maker (1991 nomination for Best Short Documentary), Cox co-founded River Films with award-winning filmmaker Macky Alston. Together Cox and Alston produced The Killer Within (premiered Toronto International Film Festival 2006, to air on the Discovery Channel 2008), and Questioning Faith (named one of the top 10 independent films of 2001 by CNN, premiered Full Frame Film Festival and the Hot Docs International Film Festival and aired on HBO 2002 -2004). Independently, Cox directed and produced, The Dwelling Place, a short documentary about a shelter for homeless women in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen (to be released in 2008). Cox is the former director of communications for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and has served as a media consultant for over 30 years.

Loulan Gardner

MTV VJ

Gardner enjoys writing about himself in the third person & adores the ampersand. If you’re reading this aloud or to yourself in a program, take a dramatic pause once this sentence has concluded because charging unprepared into Gardner’s accolades and accomplishments could cause a minor aneurism… Currently, Gardner pays his inexplicably expensive Lower Eastside rent as a writer/producer and VJ for mtvU and was voted “Most Wanted to be Seen Streaking” at the company holiday party. His cliché “passion” is filmmaking and he recently finished a feature film that he co-wrote/ acted/ produced & directed amusingly titled “Our Feature Presentation.” He admits, anyone immersing themselves in a project that much is either egomaniacal or a control freak; he is both. Gardner’s dream is to have a Pow-Pow-Power Wheels! He earned a degree at Fordham University in Communications and studied television and film at NYU and USC. He would like to thank the spell check function for it’s contribution to this brief yet memorable biography.

The product of the Northern California skate board and rock climbing scene, Gardner Loulan has also been heavily involved in everything from student government to theater to sports. Also dedicated to serving those less fortunate than himself, Gardner attends the Jesuit-based Fordham University and leads service projects across the country. Gardner is now bringing his interests to TVs and college campuses everywhere with mtvU.

Winners

~ Best Picture ~
The Detention Teacher
Ben Weeks, Northwestern University

~ Concord Award (Best Film Voted by the Audience) ~
The Detention Teacher
Ben Weeks, Northwestern University

~ Best Directed ~
Case & Crowbar
Kyle Eaton, Cinematography by Andrew Evans, Montana State University

~ Frontiers Award (Most Original Film) ~
Earl Boone is Alive
Tom DesLongchamp, Rhode Island School of Design

~ Outreach Award (Best Film Dedicated to Community Service or of a Humanitarian Nature) ~
The Kiss
Kimberly Ann Parker, John’s Hopkins University

~ Best Editing ~
Cereal Monogamy
Anton Delfino, Cogswell Polytechnical College

~ Best Acting ~
Case & Crowbar
Kyle Eaton, Cinematography by Andrew Evans from Montana State University

~ Best Screenplay ~
The Detention Teacher
Ben Weeks, Northwestern University

~ Best Cinematography ~
Real Magic
Gil Levanon from School of Visual Arts

~ Soundtrack Award (Best Use of Music & Sound) ~
Captain Valedor
Kent Sanderson from New York University

Official Selections: Finalists

Cereal Monogamy
Directed by Anton Delfino from Cogswell Polytechnical College

Tempted by the flavor of variety, Frank must choose between the taste he can always depend on and one that is promiscuously delicious.

Beneath the Surface
Directed by Nayeem Mahbub from Oberlin College

A father tries to throw his young son the best birthday party he can in their post-apocalyptic underground bunker.

Captain Valedor
Directed by Kent Sanderson from New York University

A young boy in the 1950’s reimagines a family conflict as a rollicking, black-and-white outer space fantasy with himself as the ultimate hero – Captain Valedor.

Lunar Loons
Directed by Tom DesLongchamp from Rhode Island School of Design

A peak at the people behind moon landings.

NON
Directed by Peter Alex Duncan from School of Visual Arts

NON shows the reoccurring nightmares of the writer/director through the use of the actual visuals from his own dreams. All the while, the soundtrack defines the film’s sense of paranoia.

Canvas
Directed by Elena Ni Megalos from Columbia University

This stop motion short explores modest themes including love, art, and heartbreak. It features a rabbit, a duck, a mouse, and an enjoyable soundtrack.

Case & Crowbar
Directed by Kyle Eaton, Cinematography by Andrew Evans from Montana State University

Oedipus and the Mother Lovers, a struggling band of four guys, encounter the charming band manager, Ray. Believing his promises, they attempt to raise money for the biggest show of the year by stealing quarters from car wash vacuum machines.

Earl Boone is Alive
Directed by Tom DesLongchamp from Rhode Island School of Design

See, hear and smell everyone’s favorite ex-soul singer from South Dakota.

Tulip Delusion
Directed by D. Christian Hagerman from The Cooper Union

Stan battles a relapse of comic hallucinations that affects his work and relationship. As the couple’s argument grows, reality begins to break apart.

The Kiss
Directed by Kimberly Ann Parker from John’s Hopkins University

A girl confronts feelings for her best friend.

Footsteps: The Buddy Chancellor Story
Directed by Colin Fowler from Keene State College

The exploits of the world-renown Bigfoot hunter, Buddy Chancellor are explored in this mockumentary short.

Real Magic
Directed by Gil Levanon from School of Visual Arts

A woman finds that fairy tales are hard to hold on to once its magic is revealed.

Indelible
Directed by Elizabeth Kim, Adam Payne & Lizzie Barcay, Harvard-Westlake High School

As a storm approaches, a girl and her college-bound boyfriend meet for one last time, fearing that their love will fade away.

The Detention Teacher
Directed by Ben Weeks from Northwestern University

After a fight with his wife over the fact that they don’t talk anymore, a high school detention teacher forces two people who would never talk otherwise – a beautiful girl and a geeky boy – to have a conversation for an entire detention period.

Honorably Mentioned Films

Pancakes
JD Marlow and Elliot Rudmann, Emerson University

Atrophy
Israel Gutierrez, California State University

The Music Box
Savinien Caracostea, Cornell University

Equal Justice
Robert & James Dastoli, University of Central Florida

Model Man
Steven Tagle, Stanford University

Play Dead
Johnny Sawyet, University of Central Florida

Baseball & Glory
Brett Ryan Bonawicz, University of Central Florida

Measure of Curry
Hilary Kane, University of Oklahoma

Like Father Like Edison
John Liang, New York Univeristy

The Fish Miracle Sky
George Racz, Hunter College

Unkosher
Tara Rose Stromberg, New York University

4Quattro Esploratori
Prescott Trudeau, Rhode Island School of Design

Riders On the Storm
Donald McGowan, Garden City High School

I, Getulio Vargas
Nina Sarnelle Oberlin College

A Beautiful Breakdown
Alyssa Bruno, Council Rock High School South

A Family Burden
Jack Durnin, University of Buffalo

A Kid’s Journey of Grief
Taylor Leach, Lakewood High School

Tinnitus
Mark Zero Lastimosa, School of Visual Arts

The Jonas Uploads
Sarah Stuve, School of Visual Arts

Mimi and the Magic Helmet
Sarah Stuve, School of Visual Arts

Sunny Road
Lizzie Barcay, Harvard-Westlake High School

My Legacy
Johnny Ahdout, Harvard, Westlake High School

Broken
Evan Hamilton & Alex Wilk & Dani Quiat, Harvard Westlake High School

States that Begin with E
Jarrett DePasquale, School of Visual Arts

Afterlife
Michael DelVecchoio, Cal State Long Beach

Saving Kenya, One Hut at a Time
Guantam Sharma, Shady Side Academy

Bambi III
Tom Truaeu & Ben Bernstein, Brown University

Everything and Nothing
Tom Truaeu & Ben Bernstein, Brown University

Typical
Andrew Hewson, School of Digital Film Making-University of the Nations

A Taste of Liberation
Nayeem Mahbub, Oberlin College

A Midwinter’s Daydream
Michael SK Siu, New York University

Light My Faya
Lo Kei Cheung, Hunter College

Rear View
David Remiers, San Diego State University

Daily
Ben Henretig, Stanford University

Adult Film
Ian Becker, George Fox University

The Road Taken
Dariya Yalova, Hunter College

Broken Glass
Jenniah Tocchia & Jon Waller, Rowan University

Hanami
Chunwoo Kae, John’s Hopkins University

The Clock
Chunwoo Kae, John’s Hopkins University

Angel Bay
Michael Stampler & Justin Levine, Harvard-Westlake High School

Whoopdeedoodoo
Brian Munro, University of Buffalo, SUNY

Third-Tier Award Winners

Sunday Morning Breakfast
JD Marlow & Elliot Rudmann & Jasmine Zeppa & Nicole Sills, Emerson College

Bad Blood
Jake Geiger, Hofstra University

For No One
Jeff Mizushima, Cal State Long Beach

A and B
Hiram Chan, California State University

Snakes and Ladders
Aaron Botwick, International School of Bangkok

The Second Independence: A New Face of Africa
Joseph Kaifala, Skidmore College

Deadbolt
Matthew Jensen, Cal State Long Beach

A Rainy Summer
Matthew Jensen, Cal State Long Beach

Kiss of the Nuclear Woman
Matthew Gielen, Columbia College

Books and Cartwheels
Jackson Kroopf & Michael Lubin & Russel Mayhew & John Clouchevitch, Harvard-Westlake High School

Happy Days
Lauren Bailey, Harvard-Westlake High School

Driven Together
Marcello Tataria & Nicky Bergen, Harvard-Westlake High School .

Up Against the Wall
Dani Quiat & Alex Wilk, Harvard-Westlake High School

Shot Dead
Jordan Brade & Sean Hennessy & Mike Hennessy, Arizona State University

Burlap Christmas
Shaun Ireland, New York University

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
Zachary A. Palmarini, School of Visual Arts

Bambi II
Tom Trudaeu & Ben Bernstein, Brown University

Brown Harmony.com
Tom Trudaeu & Ben Bernstein, Brown University

Greg’s Garage
Gregory Cabrera, UC San Diego

Foul Play
Jave Galt-Miller, Rider University

The Party
Julian Joslin & Noah Gardener, Columbia University & Brown University

Ready to Die: The Rwanda Genocide
Isaiah Sommers & Sara Rhodes, Concord Academy

Them
Travis Spangler, College of Visual Arts

Momentum
James Brandenburg & Peter Ostrander, University of Iowa

The Goodbye
Marshall Roshto, Watchung Hills Regional High School

Pekoe Cut Black
Jeff Sterrenberg, Emerson College

Paths of Justice
Ilya Livshits, Kyle Pucciarello, Rutgers University

Kristy’s Room
Travis John Lee Padour, Arizona State University

Filmmaker Bios

* - denotes that filmmaker was present at the festival

Anton Delfino

Cogswell Polytechnical College
Cereal Monogamy
Anton Delfino is an aspiring writer/director who hails from San Jose, CA. Since 2004, he has collaborated with Revival Arts Productions and Bindlestiff Studio, for whom he has written and directed several short plays. His recent production, Cereal Monogamy, is a digital short he wrote, produced, and directed to complete his undergraduate degree in Digital Motion Picture at Cogswell Polytechnical College in Sunnyvale, CA. Anton recently finished The Love Edition 2: Turned On, where he directed a short play called Overdue (Mike Ricca, writer). He is currently writing several short screenplays and dabbling with the idea of taking on a feature-length screenplay.

*Nayeem Mahbub

Oberlin College
Beneath the Surface
Nayeem Mahbub is from Bangladesh. He’s a senior at Oberlin College majoring in History and Cinema Studies. He made “Beneath the Surface” on an incredibly low budget during a study-away semester at NYU’s Tisch School of Arts in 2006. He’s currently working on his senior Honors film, and like many college seniors, is not exactly sure what’s going on after he graduates. But he eventually hopes to be making films…

*Kent Sanderson

New York University
Captain Valedor
Born in New York City and raised nearby on a steady diet of serials, comic books, and old Warner Bros. cartoons, Kent eventually attended New York University, graduating in 2006. He now lives and works in New York City, residing on the Upper East Side. He’d like to thank his tireless producers Kevin Hoyer, David Richardson, and Chris Golio, without whom “Valedor” would have never come to life, as well as his parents, who originally supplied him the archaic influences listed above.

*Elena Ni Megalos

Columbia University
Canvas
Elena Megalos has been fiddling with her father’s video camera for some years now. A Columbia College junior, she studies English and Creative Writing and hails from Venice, California. She would like to thank Dad and David on this one if ‘thank you’s’ are permitted.

Tom DesLongchamp

Rhode Island School of Design
Lunar Loons
Earl Boone is Alive
Tom DesLongchamp is a 22 year old animation major from Seattle, Washington. He is currently a senior at the Rhode Island School of Design. He is married to Jessica Phoenix and has a cat named Renton. Tom enjoys collecting musical instruments, looking out windows, playing classic video games, and being on roofs–the higher, the better. His website is tomthinks.com.

*Peter Alex Duncan

School of Visual Arts
NON
Peter Alexander Duncan (21) is an undergraduate thesis student at the School of Visual Arts. Mr. Duncan hopes for the best with this being his first film festival. He sees each opportunity to show his work as a chance to connect with others without ever saying a word himself, and he believes there is a little magic in that. His undergraduate films range from short narratives, to mockumentries, to video art. He likes nice happy things like dandilions, puppies, and albuterol inhalors. He hopes everyone enjoys the film.

*Kyle Eaton

Montana State University
Case & Crowbar
Kyle Eaton currently lives in Bozeman, Montana and in the spring of 2007, he will complete his BA in film (media/theatre/arts) at Montana State University. He works as a writer/director/cinematographer/editor on several independent short films including narrative, experimental and documentary. His next project is currently in pre-production and is scheduled for production this summer.

*Kimberly Parker

John’s Hopkins University
The Kiss
Kimberly Parker is currently a senior at Johns Hopkins University, where she double majors in Writing Seminars and Film and Media Studies. Next year, she will be attending NYU film school. “The Kiss” was her first solo film, shot on 16mm. She would like to thankProfessor John Mann, Helena Franceschi, Ashley Jones, and Maxwell Sindell.

*Colin Fowler

Keene State University
Footsteps: The Buddy Chancellor Story
Colin Fowler is a 22 year old senior majoring in Film Production at Keene State College in New Hampshire. His video short “Footsteps: The Buddy Chancellor story” was co-written by its star Rob Sheldon and made with no budget to speak of. Although unsure of the future Colin knows it will be a flourishing one.

*D. Christian Hagerman

Cooper Union
Tulip Delusion
Born in Virginia, D. Christian Hagerman is graduating from the Cooper Union. Coming from a background in painting and sculpture, his video installation work has transformed into 16mm narratives, such as Tulip Delusion.

*Gil Levanon

School of Visual Arts
Real Magic
Born and raised in Israel, Ms. Levanon moved to NYC five years ago to explore her obsession with filmmaking. She discovered an amazing group of people who fed her creative palette and together shared the same desire and obsession to share their life experiences through visual storytelling. “Real Magic” is her sixth short and the most personal journey she has taken so far.

Ben Weeks

Northwestern University
The Detention Teacher
Ben graduated from Northwestern University in 2006 with a degree in Radio/Television/Film and as a part of the school’s Creative Writing for the Media Program. While in school, he directed the short comedy film FLY, which won three awards and screened at fifteen festivals, including the Philadelphia International Film Festival. Ben wrote and directed The Detention Teacher during his senior year, and he is grateful for the new friendships that the film gave him late in his college life.