Exciting news! The first member of the 2013 MWFF jury panel has been announced.
Director Elizabeth Allen will be a part of this year's jury and we're very excited to have her as a key part of the event. There's some more info on her and her career at the MWFF panel page.
Other jury members will be announced soon and we'll unveil our "2013 Call for Entries" poster in February. If you have a film ready don't hesitate to submit it here.
We are proud to announce that we are open for submissions! Our 6th annual fest will be held on August 3rd, 2013 and we're excited for all the new films we'll get to screen this year.
If you are interested in submitting your work, please take a moment to check our 2013 MWFF submission info page. It has all the details and submission deadlines. Remember that all films and submission forms are due in by June 15th, 2013 at the latest.
We hope you can submit your work and attend the 2013 Mosaic World Film Festival!
Your College or High School: Harvard-Westlake High School
Your Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Who are your film influences? I really respect Christopher Nolan. It seems like he always puts so much effort into his projects, like in Memento. The Dark Night movies are also a wonderfully fresh look on a superhero, as well. He definitely inspires me to work very hard on my films. When it comes to comedy, I love modern TV shows like 30 Rock and the Office. Tina Fey is a wonderful writer and actress, and really proves that you don't have to stick to one medium in the Entertainment industry.
What is your favorite movie and why? I love Inception, for many reasons. First of all, the amount of work that went into this one film is tremendous. I really respect all the planning that not only Christopher Nolan did, but the special effects people, the actors, and everyone else who worked on it. I also respect the dedication to produce a movie with such a complicated storyline, and have it work out so well. Lastly, Inception is truly incredible to me because, while it involves big ideas and expensive special effects, it is really about a man trying to reconnect with his family and let go of his lost love, and manages to have deep emotional roots.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? I actually started as an actor, but realized that actors and actresses don't really have a say in how their future is going to pan out. Most actors must wait for a director or casting director to choose them, instead of plowing their own path in life. So, I decided that I would be an actor and make movies, so I can do what I really love. While making Bookstore, however, I discovered a passion for filmmaking that made me want to pursue it for the rest of my life. I love making films that will affect the audience in different ways, such as laughing, or crying. I also love making films that the audience will be able to connect to. To me, filmmaking is a way to unite people through different emotions, which is a wonderful challenge when producing a new project.
What was your inspiration for the film? I love the film genre of Mocumentary. I think that it is an incredible way to tell a story, and it's not used as much as other genres are in movies. You must try to make it seem unscripted, and at the same time, tell a compelling and interesting story. Also, in other movies, you have to find a way to show what the characters want through their actions, or dialogue with another character. However, In Mocumentaries, the characters can just tell the audience what they want!
Come see Alexander's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Your College or High School: Interlake High School
Your Hometown: Bellevue, WA
Who are your film influences? I love the Coen brothers, Zack Snyder (WATCHMAN), and Peter Jackson.
What is your favorite movie and why? I don't know if it's my favorite, but I love THE PRINCESS BRIDE because of its humor and heart.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? In sixth grade, I premiered a film at the Seattle International Film Festival via a newspaper contest. I'll be a high school senior next fall and I've never stopped making films. My nine films have screened as far away as India and Guam and have won more than 50 awards. Filmmaking seems to be who I am. After high school, I plan to pursue a university film degree.
What was your inspiration for the film? Unrequited love!
Come see Ben's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Your College or High School: Home schooled and Rock Valley College
Your Hometown: Rockford, IL
What is your favorite movie and why? The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are my favorite. I've always wanted to be a pirate.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? I want to contribute to the film industry through impactful projects containing ideals that I believe in; throughout my life, I want to improve and use that talent and my passion to do more than make a name for myself.
What was your inspiration for the film "Overcomer"? My teacher challenged each person to find a topic by which we were directly impacted. While brainstorming one evening, my dad suggested the Reformers Unanimous Program. The program had truly had a major influence on my family, as well as the people. My partner Christiaan brought it all together with his talent and ideas. We both wanted something heartfelt and with meaning. He challenged and inspired me on my end of the work to create the best product possible.
What was your inspiration for the film "Captivating"? N/A
Come see Julia's films and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Your College or High School: Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Your Hometown: Rockford, IL
Who are your film influences? Currently: The Duplass brothers, Joe Swanberg, and Frederick Wiseman. Anyone trying to capture something real.
What is your favorite movie and why? Too many to only choose one. "The Puffy Chair" by the Duplass brothers or "Nights and Weekends" by Joe Swanberg. On the opposite side of the spectrum, I have probably watched "Halloween" and "Robocop" hundreds of times each.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? It was a complete accident. I have always loved movies, but it never occurred to me to try and make them. I started going to college for music and ended up studying film. It seemed like a natural progression.
What was your inspiration for the film? I just wanted to show my frustrations with film and art in general.
Come see David's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Your College or High School: Damelin College - Bramley
Your Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa
Who are your film influences? I would have to attribute my entire style to a fairly unhealthy obsession with films of the french new wave (La Nouvelle Vague) with special mention of the work of Jean-Luc Godard. I have always been intoxicated by the style and structure of his pictures as well as the themes and writing style. Although, I must say the glamour and romance of old hollywood is a big part of my love affair with cinema.
What is your favorite movie and why? Wow... thats a difficult one. Don't think I have a definitive favorite film but currently I have been doing a lot of studying and viewings of Godard's "A bout de souffle". I feel that the picture embodies the spirit of La Nouvelle Vague perfectly, more than that I am continuously flawed by the genius of the writing , the elegant simplicity of the cinematography and of course the beauty of Jean Seberg. I would say (minus the film noir undertone) the film and Godard's definitive voice in it, is everything I aspire to achieve as a filmmaker. If I can make something that iconic before I die... ill be content for sure.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? Ummm... I can't tell exactly. I think mainly out of necessity... For as long as I can remember I have played musical instruments, written short stories and taken pictures. So the older I got and the more I felt compelled to create in a multitude of platforms film just made sense as a way to kinda umbrella all the things i love to do. Basically out of avoidance of being a schizophrenic with no direction. But I think at this point its purely because I see the cinema as the most powerful tool available to say anything. When reading up on the dogma 95 manifesto when I was about 17 or so I came across a quote that read "Truthful cinema is a reflection of God".... This is how I feel for the most part.
What was your inspiration for the film? For the picture, I drew from a lot of vignettes into the cinema I have loved. In regards to the narrative.... ummm... I at first wanted to create a love story with a distinctly realism based style but a nouvelle vague sensibility. While writing the script I had realized that I had never seen a picture from that time that depicted a relationship between lovers of the same gender, so that was definitely the jumping point. But the further into thinking about how to depict the relationships I realized that in all the classic romances I adored there existed a gender dynamic where the female is always dominated more by emotion than rational discourse and the male is generally a very cold and withdrawn tribute to conventional masculinity. This got me thinking about modern society and gender conventions, which brought me to the realization that both men and women are a collision of both of these stereotypical gender conventions. Its situation and emotion that guides us... and this is pretty much what I used to direct the emotive core of the picture.
Come see Sibs's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Your College or High School: Florida State University
Your Hometown: Palm Coast, FL
Who are your film influences? Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, and Edgar Wright are my main influences.
What is your favorite movie and why? Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This is my favorite movie because of its place in my heart. I was a really imaginative child when growing up. Many things inspired me. My dad brought home Close Encounters when I was 11 and I became captivated. It was as if everything I imagined was put straight into a film. I knew after watching that movie that I wanted to invoke the same emotion in others. Watching that film made me want to become a filmmaker.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? I wanted to become a filmmaker to express my imagination and to make films that inspired people. Film-making itself is also just a lot of fun. I do what I love and enjoy every second of it. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.
What was your inspiration for the film? Dance Marathon is a philanthropy at my university. I participated as a dancer my freshman year and when the FSU Film School tasked us with documentary projects I knew I had to make it about this wonderful philanthropy. I wanted to promote Dance Marathon outside of FSU to show audiences everywhere just how beneficial the event was for families and children.
Come see Josh's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Here is this year's press reel featuring a sneak peek at this year's films.
Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 Press Reel from Mosaic Film Project on Vimeo.
It is now posted on our vimeo page and you'll be seeing it as we make our rounds on the morning TV stations next week. Thanks again for the support and make sure to invite people to Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012, it's going to be great!
Your College or High School: Rock Valley College
Your Hometown: Lynwood, IL
Who are your film influences? Disney, Pixar, and foreign films have had a great influence on the way I do filming; from Aladdin and Lion King, to Finding Nemo and Cars, to La Haine and Persepolis. Films such as Slumdog Millionaire and documentaries including Born into Brothels, Invisible Children's Grey is for Rescue, War Photographer, and Devil Came on Horseback have had a huge impact on what I film and how I film.
What is your favorite movie and why? Toy Story. I can not give a simple answer to why it's my favorite movie, but I would say that it grew my curiosity, encouraged me to never stop being a kid, and even be inspired by the little adventures. After watching it countless times over the past 17 years since its release, I can still say that I at home when I watch it, and that it's okay to be childish.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? I want to show people aspects of the world that they may never have seen or considered before; there are people and places that are beyond beautiful that need to be shared. There are situations that need to be addressed, and I want to help spread the word and make those changes happen.
What was your inspiration for the film? I would say that my family inspired this film. Growing up around much of my Palestinian family has been an incredible gift, one that has taught me what is truly worth fighting for, that the bonds of a family and love are the strongest there is. Visiting refugee camps that much of my family grew up in humbled and inspired me to speak for those who have no voice and to seek beauty even in hideous darkness.
Come see Dana's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Your College or High School: McNally Smith College of Music
Your Hometown: Stillman Valley, IL
Who are your film influences? James Rolfe and all the other people whose tutorial videos I watched to learn about stop motion animation.
What is your favorite movie and why? American Movie. It's funny, quotable, and you can't help but love the characters in it.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? I wanted to make a video for this song.
What was your inspiration for the film? Another stop motion animated music video that I saw.
Come see Derek's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
Your College or High School: Cibola High School/Rock Valley College
Your Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Who are your film influences? Terry Gilliam, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, Robert Rodriguez
What is your favorite movie and why? Terminator 2: Judgement Day - a slick Sci-Fi story loaded with action and humanity.
Why did you set out to be a filmmaker? I've been obsessed with films my whole life. My Dad showed me a video camera at a young age and ever since then I've been writing and directing.
What was your inspiration for the film? The inspiration for "Verbatim" was really a culmination of how I personally felt at the time and my love for showing an audience member one thing, before turning it into another.
Come see Eric's film and all of the selected student films at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event!
The Mosaic Film Project is very proud to announce the selected films for the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012:
Thank you to all of the filmmakers who submitted their works this year. We will start posting a quick synopsis of the selected films and our filmmaker's profiles on the website and facebook page later this week.
We hope to see you at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event on August 4th, 2012!
Our graphic designer (and MSFF founder) Nate Pyper has delivered this year's poster! If you'd like one to post at your school or business please drop us a line. Or please share this image on your facebook/twitter account!
Many thanks to him on the poster and we hope to see you at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event on August 4th, 2012!
Today 2012 MSFF panel member Dan Lindsay (left) met with MSFF director Jerry LaBuy (right) about this year's fest and what the future holds for the MSFF. Things are just about set for the film judging, as all films must be submitted by June 16th, 2012.
Dan will be out-of-the country working on something great the weekend of this year's MSFF, however we are cooking up something very cool with him to show everyone at the fest! He also said he really enjoyed watching the films as a judge last year and is looking forward to it again this year!
Come see all of the selected student films this year at the Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 event which is on August 4th, 2012!!
They are the three Rockford, IL area students who produced this year's TV ad for MSFF 2012!
Mosaic Student Film Festival - 2012 Promo from Mosaic Film Project on Vimeo.
It is now posted on our vimeo page and we'll be sending it out to TV stations and hopefully you'll see it at the area movie theatres as well. Thanks again guys, it looks great!
Filmmaker and Mosaic Student Film Festival panel member Dan Lindsay is a Rockford, IL native who won an Oscar this year! Here's a picture after the big win (L-R Producer: Rich Middlemas, Director: TJ Martin, and Director: Dan Lindsay Inset: Dan Lindsay)
He co-directed the film entitled "Undefeated", which is a documentary about the Manassas Tigers 2009 football season. They followed the team as they attempt to win their first playoff game in the school's entire history.
Congratulations to him! Please check our panel page for all the details on Dan and our full 2012 event.
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