Schaumburg student film fest returns live Friday
Schaumburg's student film fest is returning to its pre-pandemic traditions with a free live screening and director commentary of the finalists in the local category Friday night at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts.
Screen Test Local Fest entries from area high school filmmakers will be shown and discussed from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, with the popcorn thrown in for free at 201 Schaumburg Court in Schaumburg.
The 10 films range from three to 10 minutes in length and were made by students from Algonquin, Barrington, Des Plaines, Huntley, Inverness, Roselle and Schaumburg.
A panel of judges will determine who won the $300 best in show award, $200 for second place and $100 for third place. Those in attendance will decide the winner of the $100 audience award.
Coordinator Rob Pileckis said he's pleased by the return of the 15-year-old fest as a live event. Films were streamed in 2020 after they had already been submitted, and the event wasn't held in 2021.
“It's nice to show the films on a big screen,” he said. “There aren't a whole lot of youth film festivals in the Chicago area.”
While there were fewer entries this year, probably because students were filming less during the pandemic, the fest remains competitive. Fewer than half the movies submitted will be screened, Pileckis said.
Finding filmmakers able to discuss their work live immediately after each screening is an another important aspect of the fest, he added.
On Saturday, entries from across the country and the world will be streamed in two age categories at prairiecenter.org/young-artists/screen-test-student-fest.
Short films by students in grades 4 through 8 will be streamed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., while high school entries will follow from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday's films range in length from 45 seconds to 10 minutes and come from students from Detroit to Taiwan and all parts in between.
The local best of show winner from Friday night also will be included among Saturday night's streamed films.
A $100 best of show prize will be awarded for the younger age category Saturday, while those for the international high school entries include $300 for first place, $200 for second, $100 for third, and further $100 prizes for achievement in production values, achievement in writing and the audience award.