LAKELAND, Fla. – Organized by SEU’s College of Arts & Media (CAM), this two-day event will consist of a filmmakers’ conference and a film showcase. The festival begins with sessions on Friday, February 19, on the campus of Southeastern University.
The seminars on Friday start at 3:00 p.m. and will feature cinematographer Keith Slade. Slade was a gaffer on the popular film, “War Room.” That session will be followed by a presentation by award-winning producer/writer Tom Bhramayana at 5:00 p.m. Wrapping up the Friday portion of the festival will be a screening of Bhramayana’s film, “Tinker.” On Saturday, February 20, the event will feature the festival film screenings at the Silver Moon Drive-In, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
SEU film professor Bethany Miller is enthusiastic about the event being held in-person after a year’s hiatus due to COVID. “We’ve designed a two-day event that brings education, creativity, and safety into the outdoor arena of fun and whimsy,” she said. “With guest speakers on the SEU campus and the screenings at Silver Moon, it should be a great way to spend the weekend.”
The two Feb. 19 sessions will highlight innovation, inspiration, and various technical aspects of filmmaking. The conference is set to open with Slade’s presentation discussing how to bring visual energy and life to a film, followed by Bhramayana’s session about independent film production and the process of scriptwriting. Bhramayana will screen “Tinker” at the conclusion of his Friday session.
Evgenia Williams, the festival’s student director is looking forward to interacting with guest speakers. “It’s always exciting to learn from professionals in the industry. Especially, in person,” she said. “It makes the information come to life. Instead of reading a textbook, we have the opportunity to learn right from the expert.”
As last year’s event was scheduled during the early stages of the pandemic, CAM was forced to postpone the event entirely. This year, with health and safety protocols in place, not only are students, faculty, and visitors able to gather again in-person for the event, but they will also be able to experience it in a unique way.
“The current state of our world has caused many to shy away from gathering. We wanted to create an event that safely brings people together who have been so isolated this past year. We are deeply grateful to have Silver Moon Drive-In as a staple of the Lakeland community and our hope is that the nostalgia and fun that all drive-ins bring will shine a light on those who have been so lonely,” said Miller.
Tickets for SEU’s Fire Film Festival are now available and range in price from $10 to $20. Patrons can purchase tickets for the full festival or just Saturday’s film screenings at the Silver Moon Drive-In. To register and view various passes, you can visit the College of Arts & Media website: https://cam.seu.edu/events/fff.