Menounos to host Emerson's L.A. Film Festival
by Christopher Hennessy
Emerson College's annual Festival of Film in Los Angeles, a showcase of films by Emerson students, will take place this year on Thursday, March 5, at 7 p.m. at the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Theater, 135 Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills, Calif. A new judging process and a new award make this year's festival different, say organizers, and this year's executive producer and master of ceremonies is alumna Maria Menounos, correspondent for the Today show and Access Hollywood and a reporter for the Nightly News with Brian Williams.
This year's selections were first considered by Emerson visual and media arts (VMA) faculty, who selected 18 finalists that were then submitted to a panel of alumni in the industry. "This is a way to involve our industry alumni and heighten the visibility of our student work," said Barbara Rutberg, associate vice president and director of alumni relations. "We are excited to have their involvement and support."
This year's films are:
• Ugly Little Table, directed by Ilya Polyakov '09
• Happy Hunting (at lef), directed by Nicole Prowell '08
• Hide and Seek, directed by Justine Jungels Bevilacqua '09
• Talk, directed by Tim Earle '11 and Jay Lewis '11
• Just As I Am, directed by Carolyn Polansky '08
• My Brother's Treasure, directed by Kevin and Matthew McManus '09.
The four alumni making the final selections of the films that will screen at the festival are: Michael McCusker '88, Oscar-nominated editor, Australia and Walk the Line; Holly Bario '89, co-president of production, DreamWorks; Andrea Giannetti '89, executive vice-president of production, Columbia Pictures, division of Sony Pictures Entertainment; and Pam Abdy '95, development and production executive with Scott Stuber Productions.
"The caliber of the submissions this year was very impressive making the selection process very difficult," said Emerson Los Angeles Center Executive Director James Lane. "There were so many high quality submissions. This speaks to our students' passion for filmmaking and our VMA professors' dedication to teaching the art and craft of film," he said.
This year's festival will also introduce a new award for filmmakers, the Take Action Hollywood! Award, which will be given to a student whose film most powerfully explores a current social issue (cultural, political or personal). The film will also be featured on the Take Action Hollywood! website. Take Action Hollywood! is a nonprofit organization, founded by Menounos who will present the award, whose mission is to utilize the power of Hollywood and the medium of film to raise social awareness and push for positive change.
The other award filmmakers vie for is the Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf '71 Women in Film Award, given to an outstanding female filmmaker each year since 2003.
