BY JANA CAROLE — AIFF’s Education Department hit the ground running this year with several visits to Southern Oregon University’s Youth Programs’ Video Projection and Digital Animation Day Camps for tween-agers. The participating students were invited to submit their finished film shorts to AIFF’s Student Launch Competition. This will be the first attempt at filmmaking for some of these students.
AIFF is now accepting submissions for its Launch competition online. There are no fees for the student submissions, and winners will receive cash prizes.
We look forward to one of our best years yet, with films submitted by students in seven counties throughout Southern Oregon and Northern California. The student film competition is often what makes young filmmakers aware of our film festival, and that’s just one of the many benefits of AIFF Learn.
With the sponsorship of several new donors, AIFF Learn is the fastest-growing department in our festival. Among its programs, which include Teen Press and OLLI Goes to AIFF, are ones serving young students, such as our Launch and dedicated Student Matinees for school groups. Thanks to generous donors like Barry Rosen and Barbara and Harry Oliver, we can help to inspire and educate today’s youth toward a new era of critical thinking about art and entertainment.
2019 LAUNCH Winners
K-5 Winner | The Woods (1 min.) | by Xandria Nohr
Grades 6-8 Winner | Magic V.S Melee (3 min.) | by Aden Maloney
Grades 9-12 Winner | Country Man (5 min.) | by Joshua Hewitt
College Winner | Don't Read This, Watch the Road (5 min) | by Moriah Doepken
Launch Pride Prize Winner | Impossible (5 min.) | by Megan Deck
