Summer Arts Institute Film Screening 2016 at MOMI

The lights dim, and the young talented filmmakers from the Summer Arts Institute 2016 program eagerly huddle into the Museum of Moving Image  in the end of July  for the professional screening of their Student-Short Films .These Student Short Films are co-produced by the Tribeca Film Institute, which is a non-profit annual program, founded by Robert De Niro , Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, which helps exceptional filmmakers and media artists get the resources and exposure they need to fully realize their stories and connect with audiences. This non-profit arts organization was founded in wake of September 11th, 2001. The Summer Arts Institute, hosted at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, in Astoria, is a free annual  program where students entering grades 7-12 have the chance to study an intermediate or advanced level of their art form (students major in drama, film, dance, instrumental music, vocal music, or visual art.)

Kevin A. Lopez Jason Spagnuoli, Arisleyda Dilone (TriBeCa Teaching Artist) and Dmitry Gubinare  are Professional Film-makers and Co- film teachers. They were very proactive and hands on with the creative process for each of the students film. I had a chance to speak with Jason Spagnuoli about his experience working with the young and up-coming film-makers of my generation:

“It was extremely gratifying to see these ambitious hard-working students come together and combine their various talents and abilities to create such rich, and interesting art; it’s like when the Avengers combine their powers to save the day, except superheroes don’t make movies. I take special pride in the narratives that were produced this summer because, I,myself, am more of a narrative filmmaker.  But I have to say, “Anniversary”, has a particular place in my heart because from day one, something about that concept stood out to me. I knew what the tone, the look, the feeling of the project had to be, and the students brought that to fruition ten-fold.  It’s really magical when everything comes together on a project, and the reward was watching it with an audience, and listening to them react to all the parts that we had such fun creating.  It’s the type of experience that shows what filmmaking always aims to be.”

 Alexa Christina Politis stars as Phoenix in the film by inquisitive film-maker Amanda Celeste Ortega: Anniversary.  Anniversary is a 21st Century Alfred Hitchcock style film with a original twist that everyone who has ever argued with their family before can relate to. The film, shot by Lillie Benkoil and edited & co-written by Anokha Venugopal, is a short-dark comedy that’s a classic horror throwback to Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lamb, but with contemporary perspective.

At what length will overwhelmed college applicant Phoneix go to seek revenge on her temperamental, goldfish obsessed mother (played by Katia Jadwick)? When is the fine line crossed in any parent child relationship and to what extremes will Phoneix take to put an end to her mothers abusive, demonic behavior?

The film features natural lighting that is tactful: dramatic transitions from natural to highly-stylized lighting with pleasurable contrasts of deep shadows and sharper lighting that, in a moment, distinctly features the jaw line of a mother in wrath;  Critical.  Heart-stopping.

Click here to check out this satisfying six-minute mini horror flick,

Anniversary :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5azohHCoFk  

Cast and Crew:

Phoenix       Alexa Politis
Mother        Katya Jadwick
Neil             Andrea Galata
Prince        Princess the Fish

Director        Amanda Celeste Ortega
Assistant       Director Isabella Bahl
Producer       Quame Beckles
Sound           Dmitry Yukhaev

Production Designer/               Gaffer T’Amore Rose
Cinematographer                       Lillie Benkoil
Editor                                        Anokha Vengugopal

Special Thanks to:

Kevin Lopez
Jason Spagnuoli
Arisleyda Dilone
Dmitry Gubin
Sabrina Mendoza
Helena Holland Breger
Amani Smith
Tribeca Film Institute