A Day in The Life of a Middle Schooler by Lindsey Sample won Best Overall Film in Holy Innocents’ 3rd Annual Middle School Film Festival. And a new award for Best Editing went to Kendall Bennett, Katherine Glover, and Elizabeth Serafen for their fast-paced film A Day in the Life of a Mom.
“Most people think just about books, but I wanted to capture the life of friends and fun stuff, too,” said Lindsey, who also won for best film festival poster design.
Holy Innocents’ rolled out the red carpet Wednesday night for guests who attended the festival premiere. Parents, relatives, and others enjoyed a screening in the Fine Arts Building, followed by a cookies-and-punch reception hosted by the Fine Arts Alliance, which also supplied miniature Academy Awards to each contestant.
On Thursday morning, Middle School students had their own show—a rollicking show that opened with faculty members in feather boas, an Elvis look-a-like wig, cheerleading outfits and other get-ups boogying their way to the stage (via video) to the Chris Brown hip-hop song “Forever.” Teachers then line-danced their way into a packed auditorium single file, while teacher and video editor David Gale shouted into the mike, “Are you excited?!?”
Each student-produced movie was limited to two minutes and had to be inspired by the theme, “A Day in the Life.” And all entries this year were produced by sixth-grade girls.
“The film festival is just one more way our students showcase their amazing talents and skills,” said Middle School Principal Theresa Jespersen, who starred, with a tea set and tiara, in one popular entry titled A Day in the Life of Mrs. Jespersen.
“The technical expertise of these films has risen each year; it’s amazing that these fine works were made by sixth-graders. I fully expect our festival to continue its growth in participation and quality—someday people will be blowing off Cannes and Sundance to come instead to ‘Bear Dance,’” Jespersen added. “It’s got a catchy ring, doesn’t it?”
Films were judged by high-schoolers in the digital lifestyles class of Jeff Walrich.
Next year’s theme will be “Movement.”
3rd Annual Middle School Film Festival Films
A Day in the Life of a Middle Schooler by Lindsey Sample
A Day in the Life of Dogs by Susanne Sokolowski and Whitney Weiss
A Day in the Life of a Mom by Kendall Bennett, Elizabeth Serafen, and Katherine Glover
A Day in the Life of Mrs. Jespersen by Haley Thompson, Anna Bell, Annie Sullivan, and Allie Creekmuir
A Day in the Life of a Dollar by Emily Ann Betts
A Day in the Life of a HIES Laptop by Sarah Elizabeth Adams
