Hello UFVA!

I’m writing in the hopes that you will encourage your students to submit to the inaugural Hellbender Student Film Festival which we launched back in the spring here at Lindenwood University (MO). The final, extended deadline is approaching this Friday, 18 September and we’re hoping to see as much student work as possible. Entries are open to all student films – from high school on up – so please feel free to spread the word no matter what institution you’re a part of. Submissions can be made on FilmFreeway (https://bit.ly/FFHellbender).

We’re particularly proud of the fact that our festival is not only devoted to student creative work, but also features a large group of student and recent alumni judges and programmers. We currently have more than 20 screeners hard at work on our submissions with a goal of creating a festival that truly reflects student dreams, ambitions, and voices. Our desire to encompass a wide range of stories and experiences is the driving force behind our modest submission fees ($15 for college and university students). We’ve also created a special category devoted to films and stories that deal directly with issues surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The current plan is to hold the event on the Lindenwood campus from November 16-18, but, like everything these days, those dates and the method of screening will be reevaluated later in the fall.
It would be great if you could share this with your students and any fellow professors who might be interested.  For questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we look forward to seeing your students’ work.
Andrew Millians
Associate Professor
Lindenwood University