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By Savanah Weed

Nearly 250 student-produced films from across the country were submitted to the Second Annual YellowHammer Film Festival hosted by Troy University. The community is invited to attend the free, day-long festival and film screenings, on Saturday, Dec. 17, beginning at 9 a.m.

According to Festival Director and design professor Chris Stagl, the concept behind the YellowHammer Film Fest is to provide an enriching and interactive experience for high school and college students, consisting of workshops, a keynote speaker, a student exhibition and an awards ceremony.

“We genuinely look forward to hosting this important festival of arts and film for the State of Alabama,” he said. “I think the students that enter the festival’s competition will be ecstatic to see their work screened for all of the participants, speakers and judges. With the help of the Alabama Film Office, Sidewalk Film Festival and Troy University, we hope that the YellowHammer Film Fest can make a long-lasting impact in the community and state.”

Workshop topics will cover the philosophy of ethics and storytelling in making a culturally significant documentary, historical contributions to present day animation styles and techniques, and a screening of “The Pez Outlaw” and a Q&A with the film’s executive producer, Theo Love.

Presenters include: Theo Love, executive producer; KJ Mathieson, animator and educator; Ty Primosch, animator; Isaac Brown, filmmaker and educator; Eric Flagg, filmmaker and educator; as well as a host of student filmmakers.

Student panelists include: David M. Night Maire, Sunny Keller, Cayleigh Pine and duo Howie and Nathan.

The festival is open to the public and is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. both virtually and in the Trojan Center Theater on the Troy Campus. For more information about the event or to RSVP, click here.

Below is the list of official finalists:

 High school films

• Collin Hardin, “Shortcut,” Troy High School Film Camp, Alabama
• Samuel Hicks, “Farewell,” Oaks Christian, California
• Diya Patel, “Keep Up,” James Clemens High School, Alabama
• Connor Douglass, “Washing Machine Heart,” James Clemens High School, Alabama
• Kayla Thompson, “Slow Down,” James Clemens High School, Alabama
• Kathryn Wille, “Station #1,” James Clemens High School, Alabama
• Camila Gomez, “Alison.” West Broward High School, Florida
• Kinsley Hunter, “Thank You,” James Clemens High School, Alabama
• Noah Davis, “Candid Fear,” Plainfield High School, Indiana
• Vinny Albano, John Stillwaggon, “Love, Aaron,” Howell High School, New Jersey

College films

• Sam Michael, “Dead and Gone,” Kent State University, Ohio
• Max Kaplan, “The Rabbit,” Ohio University, Ohio
• Lev Ettinger, “1986,” University of Florida, Florida
• Justin Patrick O’Neill, “The Final Shot,” Temple University, Pennsylvania
• James Carter, “Tell Me You’ll Miss Me,” Western Kentucky University, Kentucky
• Christina Giordano, “Lost Souls,” California Institute of the Arts, California
• Alda Matos, “Obscura,” Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia
• Phynley Joel, “The Trobie,” Lipscomb University, Tennessee
• Julian Lee, “Not Quite Quarantine,” George Mason University, Virginia
• Claudia Revuelta Sanchez, “The Price to Pay,” San Francisco State University, California
• Kathy Bruner, “Phoenix,” Taylor University, Indiana
• Rayna Buxton, “Operago,” California Institute of the Arts, California
• Brock Cooper, “Star Wars: In Real Life,” Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia
• Vaughn Oeth, Allison Jowers, “Purple Hours,” University of Huntsville, Alabama
• Howard Purvee, Nathan Hobbs, “Unseen,” Troy University, Alabama
• Nathan Hobbs, Howard Purvee, “Killer Queen,” Troy University, Alabama
• Nathan Hobbs, “Drive,” Troy University, Alabama
• Reanna Thompson, Nathan Hobbs, “Superheroes,” Troy University, Alabama
• Cole Patterson, “Russell and Ruin,” Troy University, Alabama
• Cole Patterson, “The Moon/Awake,” Troy University, Alabama
• Cole Patterson, “Just Sign the Papers,” Troy University, Alabama