Graduating BFA film students to show capstone projects at Athena Cinema

The first ever showcase of senior capstone short films created by the pioneering class in the Ohio University School of Film's undergraduate BFA Film program will be screening at the Athena Cinema Friday, April 28.

The showcase, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. 

The five short films in this showcase include "Showrunner" directed by Maria Gian, a story about friendship between young women growing up and apart, and "All the Debts I Owe" by Pace Warner, in which an addict and his sponsor are forced to face their past and define their futures.

In addition, Collin Spens presents "Me My Brother and a Bass Guitar," a film featuring brothers trying to fix their strained relationship who enter into an epic bass guitar battle. Heavenly Ambriz’s film, "Sin Esperanza," reveals the chaos that breaks out at a family gathering when Esperanza reveals she is unable to have children. "Trail Bound," by Jasper Jones, is an adventure down memory lane that leaves old friends with one question: have things changed between them?

Film production requires a shared commitment to collaboration, and many students serve in various roles for one another's projects including direction, screenwriting, cinematography and post-production. Students from the School of Theater are featured on screen in many of these projects as well.

There are nine total graduating seniors this year who worked on the capstone films in multiple crew roles: Makenna Tuttle (Producer), Maria Gian (Director), Heavenly Ambriz (Director), Sam Diamond (Cinematographer), Pace Warner (Director), Jasper Jones (Director), Heylea Allen (Costume Designer), Collin Spens (Director), Monet Bouie (Director) and Murielle Marra (Producer). 

These filmmakers occupy a unique place in OHIO's history as they are the first to complete the undergraduate BFA film program in the School of Film, coalescing in the fall of 2019. This screening is a celebration of four years of dedicated and rigorous efforts, navigating film production through difficult circumstances, to create finished short films on their trajectory into professional film, video, and media arts careers.