It was a profound pleasure to watch the films generated by this group of UCSD students, and challenge to select winners in each category. Over the past few years of being a juror for student films, I’ve been impressed with the continued development of story concepts and scripts in particular (whether linear or experimental in nature). Storytelling is at the heart of cinema, and finding compelling stories to tell is always the challenge. This group seems particularly attuned to this, and ready to scope out interesting narratives.

What is perhaps most refreshing (and encouraging to those of us involved in promoting and preserving film history) is the embrace of cinema itself. Many of the films riff on classic movie scenarios or pay homage to the work of auteurs like Hitchcock, Lynch and Truffaut. I have to imagine some of the credit on that front is due to Babette Mangolte, the brilliant filmmaker and UCSD Professor who introduced me to those artists, and has been a champion of film literacy. The impulse to emulate greatness is a sign of ambition; the next step will be to channel that love for the movies into the next brilliant visions (whatever form they make take). I can’t wait to see the results!