Students got the chance to showcase their filmmaking talents at California State University, Northridge’s 24^th annual “Senior Film Showcase” on May 7. Approximately 600 guests filled the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre of the television academy to screen the students films.

For many of the students, this is a new experience, as it is often the first time they get to see their films screened in front of a large audience in a movie theater.

“The film industry is known as the show business, because you have to show what you can do,” said Nate Thomas, head of CSUN’s film option. “The showcase gives students the opportunity to create a demo reel or portfolio piece to show what they can do.”

The showcase has become more than just a screening. It has grown into more of an event, which can later lead to greater things.

“There is now live music and a reception following the screening,” Thomas explained. “Agents, managers and honored notables now come to CSUN’s Senior Film Showcase to see what the department has to offer. It’s not just a big night for the students, it’s a profile for the whole department.”

This year, four out of the five directors were women, which sets an example for CSUN and Hollywood. The following five films were featured in the showcase:

• Diana Leigh, directed by Stephanie Hoston, is the story of a young black woman in the 1960s fighting for her dream to sing amidst the problems of her dark past and a racist world resistant to change.
• If Ever There’s a Tomorrow, directed by Samantha Holt, is the story of Ben, who returns home from war in time to keep his childhood promise to walk his sister down the aisle on her wedding day. However, his war experiences have changed him, and the promise he made now seems impossible to keep.
• High Stakes, directed by Sydney Waco, is the story of a blacklisted filmmaker who was not allowed to show his film in any theater because it was seen as a communist threat during the McCarthy era. It tells the story of Cal Morris, a movie theater owner who, in the midst of the Hollywood community witch hunts of the 1950s, and his efforts to screen his latest film. Cal struggles with the decision to show his brother’s film, which could mean compromising the safe life he has worked hard to build.
• Tips, directed by Chelsea Morgan, tells what happens when Loreli Barnes, a washroom attendant at the La Voilette Lounge, catches a patron stealing her tips. Rather than handing her over to the police, Loreli presents the thief with a life-changing offer.
• A.S.T.A.R., directed by Zac Stoltz, is about Matthew Midas, a successful micro-chip developer, who arrives in Los Angeles to unveil the latest upgrade for the Star navigation system. He finds out his car is host to a faulty Star system, Mega Star, that realizes Matthew is planning to upgrade her. Matthew engages in an escalating struggle with Mega Star, as it attempts to first make Matthew miss his meeting, and then attempts to destroy him entirely.

Randal Kleiser, director, writer and producer hosted the evening’s event and received CSUN’s Cinematheque award. His impressive list of work was highlighted that night. His list of films include the critically acclaimed comedy Getting It Right, Emmy Award-winning The Boy in the Plastic Bubble with John Travolta, and the iconic film Grease starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Acclaimed cinematographer, Bill Bennett also received the award for his mentorship and work on the Arri 35mm Project and Arri Alexa Project for the past nine years.

For more information about the showcase, call CSUN’s Department of Cinema and Television Arts at (818) 677-3192.

Cal State Northridge’s Department of Cinema and Television Arts, housed in the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication, has an international reputation for producing dedicated and talented entertainment industry professionals who recognize the value of hard work as they learn and continue to perfect their crafts. The department’s alumni work in all aspects of entertainment media, from writing, producing and directing to manning cameras and having the final say in what project is made.

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