35 Ohio Filmmakers Chosen for Ohio Shorts Event May 8

Columbus—The Wexner Center is pleased to announce the 35 selected Ohio filmmakers—from 15 cities and towns across the state—whose short films and videos will be showcased in the annual Ohio Shorts, to be held Saturday, May 8. The showcase, now in its 15th year, is an open, statewide, juried event, and features both a youth and adult division. The popular annual showcase provides Ohio’s independent media artists a chance to show their work in a theatrical setting in front of an audience. Films submitted had to be produced in Ohio within the last 18 months, and were required to be 20 minutes or less in the adult division and 10 minutes or less in the youth. “We were pleased with the quality and diversity of the entries in both divisions this year,” says Jean Pitman, youth division organizer.

ADULT DIVISION

In the adult division, 16 films were chosen from more than 60 entries. Included this year are documentary, drama, performance art, comedy, experimental, and more.

The filmmakers in this year’s adult division are, from Columbus, Dina Abdulkarim, Christopher G. Byers, Matthew Cherubini, Will Foster, Rebecca Loar, Matt Meindl, Dang Olsen, Stacie Sells, and Marc Wiskemann; from Athens, Christopher Lange, and Yanina Manolova; from Cincinnati, Zachary Severt and Nik Siefke; from Cleveland, Bruce Checefsky; from Dayton, Ben Garchar; from Fairborn, Andrew Southworth; from St. Marys, Alex Mangen; and from Westerville, Jonathan Johnson.

The jurors for the adult division were Lisa Dent, associate curator of contemporary art at the Columbus Museum of Art; Columbus-based video artist and educator Daniel King; and Mike Olenick, filmmaker and studio editor in the Wexner Center’s Art & Technology program.

YOUTH DIVISION

In the youth division (18 years or younger), 19 films were chosen out of more than 40 entries from all corners of Ohio. Among the films, three top prizes will be awarded (prizes include Wexner Center Store gift certificates and passes for upcoming Wex film screenings), along with an Audience Choice award (with prizes including a Flip MinosHC video camera provided by an anonymous donor). Top prize winners are noted below.

The films this year include traditional filmmaking narratives, clay- animation, stop-motion, flash animation, music videos, and other styles. The themes of each film are as varied as the genres, from relationship dramas to fantasy to action and adventure.

The filmmakers in this year’s youth division are, from Columbus, Lena Aldrich (age 10), Lindiwei Farrow-Harris (17), and Sittikiat “Bank” Saelim (first prize winner, 17); from Avon, Trevor Pena (15); from Dayton, Bree Cooper (18), and Prentiss Haney (17); from Grove City, Alex Caperton (14); from Hilliard, Kamerynn Harrah (second prize winner, 17), Taylor Hoff (16), Tom Lepley (17), Matt Maynard (17), Nikki Puccetti (17), and Nicola Rippingale (16); from North Royalton, Stephen Keider (16); from Reynoldsburg, Sydnie Boykins (12); from Upper Arlington, Emily Messick (16), and Luc Robitaille (third prize winner, 18); from Westerville, Olivia Smith (9); and from Zanesville, Frank Joseph (17).

The jurors for the youth division were Jennifer Lange, associate curator of media arts and manager of the Wexner Center’s Art & Technology facility; Tamiko Hess, teen artist and Grandview Heights High School student; and video artist Ryan Schlagbaum.

In addition to the top prizes, the Cardinal Health Foundation has chosen five finalists from the youth division applicants to produce a public service announcement. These finalists will receive a $1,000 stipend from the Cardinal Health Foundation (and ongoing technical support from the Wexner Center) to participate in a preliminary strategy session and create a 30-second spot on the topic of healthy lifestyles. (Once those spots are completed, one of the artists will be selected for an additional $2,500 prize and may have his or her piece broadcast nationally.)

The finalists for the public service announcement commission from Cardinal Health are Prentiss Haney, Kamerynn Harrah, Luc Robitaille, Sittikiat “Bank” Saelim, and Olivia Smith, with alternate Emily Messick.

More details on the filmmakers and select films can be found at http://www.wexarts.org/ohioshorts.

EVENT INFO

The 15th annual Ohio Shorts will take place on Saturday, May 8, at the Wexner Center Film/Video Theater, 1871 N. High St. The youth division screenings (62 minutes total) will start at 4:30 pm, followed by a free public reception at 5:30 pm; the adult division (90 minutes) begins at 7 pm. Tickets for the youth division showcase are $2 for all audiences. Adult division tickets are $3. wexarts.org or 614292-3535.

SUPPORT:

Significant contributions for the Wexner Center’s 2009–10 film/video season are made by the Rohauer Collection Foundation.

Ohio Shorts YOUTH DIVISION 2010 is presented with support from Cardinal Health Foundation.

The preferred airline of the film/video program is American Airlines/American Eagle.

All film/video programs and events also receive support from the Corporate Annual Fund of the Wexner Center Foundation and Wexner Center members, as well as from the Greater Columbus Arts Council, The Columbus Foundation, Nationwide Foundation, and the Ohio Arts Council.