Student Films to Be Presented During a Red Carpet Awards Ceremony at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today joins New York Film Academy President Jerry Sherlock and Best Buy Director of Community Relations Jeffrey Peterson in congratulating participants in the Middle School Film Festival, a citywide writing, directing, and producing competition that offered seventh- and eighth-grade students the opportunity to create their own short films. More than 90 students were selected last spring to produce autobiographical films during a summer workshop with the New York Film Academy. Awards for these films will be presented this evening at a ceremony at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens.
Tonight’s ceremony, modeled after awards shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes, will include presentations of awards to students in categories like “Best Actress” and “Best Drama.” The evening’s main presenter will be David Wilson, a filmmaker whose own autobiographical film, Meeting David Wilson, inspired the Middle School Film Festival.
The Middle School Film Festival is one component of the Department’s Campaign for Middle School Success, a multi-year plan to improve academic performance of middle school students across the City. The theme of this year’s festival was “My Life, My Lens.” The program, which launched last spring, guided students as they developed films from screenplays to finished products. After writing short film treatments, students attended a summer workshop at the New York Film Academy, where they worked with professional film instructors to transmit their visions onto the screen.
“I want to congratulate all the participants in this year’s Middle School Film Festival,” Chancellor Klein said. “Our City’s public schools have graduated some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and I’m pleased that we’re providing a new generation of City students with exciting opportunities to express themselves through film.”
“Film is the literature of the 21st Century,” New York Film Academy President Jerry Sherlock said. “I know the children of New York City have a lot of stories to tell—stories that I want to see and hear. I can’t imagine a better way than the contemporary language of film for them to express their ideas.”
“Best Buy is proud to support the Middle School Film Festival, an innovative program to nurture the talents of young people and to support their creative expression,” said Jeffrey Peterson, Best Buy Director of Community Relations. “This aligns well with Best Buy's @15 social-change platform, an effort to connect with teens and give voice to their perspectives. To complement the Middle School Film Festival in New York, Best Buy is also launching a nation-wide @15 Short Film Contest on www.at15.com/film in partnership with Film Independent.
“Students can become empowered by exploring their own lives and their own stories,” said Dr. Sabrina Hope King, the Department’s Chief Academic Officer. “The arts play a crucial role in student development. It is truly exciting that we’ve been able to offer this opportunity to so many middle schoolers. We’re grateful to Best Buy @15 and the New York Film Academy for helping to make this program a reality.”
The Middle School Film Festival was sponsored and produced through a generous donation from the New York Film Academy. This summer, the Film Academy hosted 90 students at a two-week summer camp, where professional film instructors worked with students to help them produce their films using state-of-the-art equipment. The Middle School Film Festival is being funded through a generous donation from Best Buy @15, a partner of the Department of Education and a national supporter of film education. Kuki Design designed and managed logistics for tonight’s red carpet event.