The sixth annual Obelisk Film Festival is rolling out the red carpet at the Arden Theatre on Monday evening. Billed as Northern Alberta's premiere high school film and photo festival, the annual short film extravaganza is an open field to all young filmmakers aged 16 and up and often features some surprising talents.
Co-organizer Dave Edwards teaches film studies classes at Bellerose Composite High School. He called the homegrown high school moviemaking challenge proof of the dedication of these up and coming visual storytellers.
“There’s not a ton of opportunities for kids in this field to show off their work. It’s nice for them to get a chance to let people know what their interests are and how skilled they are at it,” he said.
“It’s exciting to see them put to use some of the stuff they’ve been learning over the last three years.”
The selection for Monday’s screenings will include a diverse selection from a range of genres and styles, he continued, adding that he’s noticed some more exploration of comedy and light-hearted fare, often a tougher genre to translate to a wider audience.
“It’s not just heavy stuff. Heavy stuff is nice too and a part of their lives too but it’s not just that. There’s a little more variety of genre.”
Entries are coming in from high schools in both St. Albert and Edmonton.
There are different categories for awards including best original screenplay, best cinematography, best film and best use of sound. It’s not just about who has the best editing software, Edwards continued.
Entries to the Obelisk are required to be less than seven minutes in length. Only the best 10 films are shortlisted to be screened in the actual competition.
The doors open at 6 p.m. with the photography display and judging taking place before the screening of the films begins at 7 p.m. A special jury panel will convene immediately after the screenings to determine the winners. The prize pool for all winners is valued at $1,000 in gift cards for camera equipment at Vistek.
Attendance at the event is free and it’s open to the public. The Arden Theatre is located in St. Albert Place. The photos are available for purchase at $20 each. The event will also feature student artwork in the lobby. During the intermission, some of the members of the Bellerose Slam Poetry team will offer their own performance.
All money collected through entry fees and photograph sales is put directly toward facility rental costs and prizes. People can learn more about the festival at www.obeliskfestival.com.
