Virtual Mason Film Festival

Virtual Fall Film Festival

Thank you to all of the friends, family, and Mason community who supported our students during the first ever Virtual Mason Film Festival. Our online festival began with an all-day screening of student films ranging from Beginning Video Production, Advanced Fiction Film, Visual Effects, and Senior Projects. Students participated in live Q&As with audience participation. Monetary awards were donated by Advisory Board members Erik Muendel (Brightline Interactive) and Jack Kehoe. These prizes help support student filmmakers with the costs of post-production and preparing films for the festival circuit. Monetary prizes were also given to our FAVS 498 students who participated in the pitch competition to help fund their senior films in the upcoming semester. Congratulations to our winners and all of the student directors, writers, production, and post-production crew who made films this semester. We are so proud of you.  

Academic Awards

Academic Excellence (Goes to 4-year students who have excelled in their academic work)
Hannah Harmison and Alicia Rodriguez

Academic Achievement (Goes to transfer students who have excelled in their academic work at Mason)
Adrianna Carter

Professional Achievement Award (Goes to filmmakers who are recognized within the industry)
Alaa Zabara, Alicia Rodriguez, and Taylor Spears

Service Award (Goes to students who have made an impact within our community and department)
Nicole Clavel and Elisabeth Angeley

Capstone Awards

Distinction in Screenwriting
Leonard Collins and Fox Kier

Distinction in Producing
Fabrizio Alberdi and Taylor Spears

Distinction in Cinematography
Malcom Villanueva

Distinction in Editing
Marcus Phoon and James Stemple

Distinction in Sound
Christopher Porter and Sayf Turkomani

Pitch Awards

Best Overall Pitch
Mohammed Saffouri

Joy Hughes Documentary Pitch Award
Dominique Bernardino 

Style in Pitch Presentation 
Moamen Ahmed 

Lookbook Presentation 
Jack Mullen

Technical Awards
Best VFX 
Dounia Sabah, Harra and the Donkey 

Best Producing
Megan Hajdo, Mushroom Soup

Jack Kehoe Award for Best Short Screenplay
Zachary Crooms, BURST

Best Narrative Editing 
David Biggs, Chopped & Stacked

Best Documentary Editing
Dennis Kramer and Sara Wolfley, Battle Buddy

Best Cinematography
Malcom Villanueva, Battle Buddy

Best Sound Design
Justin Ueberhorst, A Friend Named Park

Best Production Design
Sumona Banerji, Mushroom Soup

Best Animation
Celia Rico Sanchez Mateos & Jeremy Hodge, Harra and the Donkey

Faculty Awards

Brightline Interactive Award for Stories that Matter 
Devin Easley and Avannti Sridhar

Jack Kehoe Award for Boldness in Filmmaking 
Billy Ferguson

Brightline Interactive Award for Best Fantasy/Young Adult Film
Christopher Silva

Excellence in Directing 
Alaa Zabara, Selahy 

Special Faculty Award for All Around Filmmaking 
Alaa Zabara, Selahy 

Jury Awards

Brightline Interactive Award for Best of Fest Fall 
Reinaldo Arzola, Trasnochado

Brightline Interactive Award for Best Drama 
Mykael Wood, Chopped & Stacked

Best Documentary 
Dennis Kramer, Battle Buddy

Jack Kehoe Award for Best Comedy 
Christopher Malone, Harra and the Donkey

Jack Kehoe Award for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy 
Sungtaek Lim, Mushroom Soup

Brightline Interactive Award for Socially Relevant Filmmaking 
Summer Fields, Clown Town

Jack Kehoe Award for Best Directing 
Bryan Steger, A Friend Named Park

Brightline Interactive Award for Best of Fest Spring 
Dennis Kramer, Battle Buddy

Audience Award

Mykael Wood, Chopped & Stacked

 

By Cynthia Fuchs, Interim Director, Film and Video Studies