Students and their families gathered on the Green to celebrate M-A’s annual Film Festival hosted by advanced film class teacher John Giambruno. They premiered 14 short films that ranged from comedic thrillers to intimate documentaries on Friday evening.
The festival started off with “Operation Betrayal,” directed by freshman Lucas Cai and junior Michael Poirier. The lighthearted dramatic comedy features four soldiers who go on a hunt for their missing comrade. With witty quips and a shocking betrayal at the end, the film was the perfect blend of humor and suspense.
“Red 100,” directed by freshman Ollie Hedges and junior Kannan Chotai, was a suspenseful thriller showcasing two opposing track teams. One member of a team discovers a secret: their opponent manipulated his speed to win every race. As the opponent is consumed by guilt due to his deceptive strategy, the audience, along with the main character, learns a memorable lesson about the value of pursuing your passions with honest intentions.
“The Price,” directed by sophomore Santiago Quesada Tevis, featured a more devastating turn. Bryan, a man who nearly died years ago, is tasked to help with setting up his best friend, the man who saved him, to be assassinated. Ultimately, despite the unwavering loyalty that his friend had for him, Bryan chooses to carry out his mission. As soon as his friend is murdered, he immediately displays remorse, sobbing and begging him to wake up. Not only did the short film teach a heartbreaking lesson about the grave consequences of betrayal and remorse, but it also left the audience with a more solemn energy.
“Box of Failures,” directed by juniors Cole Aylaian, Joshua White, and Wes Sutley, took the approach of a mini-documentary. They created a social experiment that they then put into action at Stanford University, asking the college students one question: “What is your biggest failure?” The film proved that even those who appear enormously successful have shortfalls.
“Becoming Jeremy,” also directed by Aylaian, followed a similar mini-documentary structure. They interviewed former drug addict Jermey Reigart, looking back on his life, struggling with addiction. Despite various hardships, such as years of homelessness, he was fortunate enough to recover and slowly rebuild his life, demonstrating the power of perseverance. The crowd’s saddened reactions made it clear that Aylaian’s film was one of the hardest-hitting films of the night.
“It was fun to make films, especially with my friends,” Aylaian said. “The vibe was really good. Honestly a lot of the unawarded films are really good too. It was the strongest film festival that I’ve been to.”
“Smile,” directed by sophomore Yashvita Vangai, also took on a heavy tone. The tragic day-to-day drama follows the life of a young girl named Miles, who struggles with mental health and is constantly hiding behind a superficial mask of happiness that she desperately wants to rip off. With the vivid imagery of her violent thoughts, along with the song, “I Thought About Killing You” by Kanye West, this film left behind a feeling of brokenness when realizing the extent of darkness to which the human mind can grasp.
“Going Wild,” directed by freshman James Rivera, follows a man named Peter Randon in a vlog-style format, showing his descent into paranoia as he sees strange hallucinations in his house and begins to question reality. As the film nears its end, it uses an increasingly pixelated mosaic effect to obscure the gore. It’s nothing short of chilling and reflects Peter’s worsening mental state.
“The Last Hallway,” directed by sophomore Caled Pena Mariscal, depicts a boy who wakes up in terror and realizes he is trapped somewhere deeply wrong. As monsters and anomalies torment him, he searches for a way out, only to uncover the darker truths behind his unsettling surroundings. The film stood out for its dreamy edits, which gave the hallway scenes an eerie quality that foreshadowed the final reveal that the boy had died and entered hell.
“Don’t,” directed by juniors Adrian de la Fuente and Will Giurlani, offered a quieter take on the downward spiral of drug usage. It follows the main character as he continuously goes back to the room where he’s being interrogated for drug use. Ultimately, he faces expulsion due to his addiction, leading him to fall deeper into addiction and depression. It added variety to the lineup by focusing on how drug use can pull someone into increasingly worse situations over time.
“Replica,” directed by senior Devin Durson, stood out visually through its use of multi-angle shots that captured a single moment from different perspectives. The film centers on a livestreamer who does not believe in ghosts until a strange account begins sending him rewards while repeatedly asking whether he believes in ghosts. Afterward, the supposed “ghost” begins threatening him by hacking into his electronic devices. The film ultimately ends with a doppelganger of the livestreamer looming over him, ending on a cliffhanger regarding the man’s fate.
Visually distinct for its strong shot composition, “Smoke & Glitter,” directed by juniors Aleah Nelson and Jasmine Shakirova, made ordinary scenes feel particularly engaging and intense. The plot is centered around a valedictorian girl whose relationship with a reckless boy leads her down a dangerous path. Its final twist caught the audience’s attention, as the girl ultimately recognizes the harm of the relationship and calls the police, preventing him from harming other girls.
“I am I,” directed by junior Ryan Junkin-Pisani, turns a late-night trip into the woods into a tense horror story centered around isolation and paranoia. The film’s cinematography makes strong use of shadows, wide empty spaces, and quiet nighttime visuals to create the feeling that something is always watching. Its editing gradually builds suspense, allowing the tension to grow before the trap around the protagonist finally closes.
“It’s Not Summer Yet,” directed by sophomore Zak Rasmussen, took a more lighthearted approach. The film followed two friends, Kieren and Jake, who attempt to start a club but eventually end up creating a party group disguised as a legitimate school club. The film builds its humor through sharp juxtaposition, dramatic pauses, and cross-cutting between the chaotic party club and their friend’s Dungeons & Dragons Club. The contrast between the two groups creates a playful comedic rhythm, while the smash cuts to the antagonists’ scenes help grab the audience’s attention.
“The World’s Crunchiest Chip,” directed by Jose Henriquez, centers around two idle students who found a contest online to kill time in the summer – a contest to find the world’s crunchiest chip. They dived off into opening bags and bags of chips. The film’s humor comes through in its absurd plot and strong comedic acting, as the actors’ exaggerated reactions and timing make the search feel increasingly ridiculous and fun to watch.
To fully honor students’ hard work, the festival concluded with a brief awards ceremony to give shout-outs to those whose work stood out in different categories. Starting off with the “Best Screenplay” award, film teacher John Giambruno ultimately issued that award to “The World’s Crunchiest Chip” for their creative storyline, honest portrayals of characters’ downfalls due to addiction, and exceptional acting.
Next, an award was given for “Best Editing/SFX,” which was won by “The Last Hallway” for its obscure and abstract lighting that only added to the eeriness of the horror, providing the viewers with a uniquely immersive experience.
The third award, “Best Cinematography,” went to “Smoke & Glitter” for its exceptional camera work, with carefully composed shots that added visual depth and intensity to the film. The festival concluded with “It’s Not Summer Yet” receiving “Best in the Fest,” the night’s top award, for its polished execution, comedic energy, and memorable storytelling, and on Tuesday, it was announced that it won the final award, “Audience Favorite.” When reminiscing on these achievements, Rasmussen commented on the pride he felt for his extensive work.
“I just feel happy, you know? I worked so hard on this, so it’s rewarding to see all the fruits of my labor,” Rasmussen said. “I just want to thank everybody who supported me, and I’m proud to see how our creative community came together in such an amazing event.”
