The Cougar Chronicle Staff

Thirteen films by Cal State San Marcos students will compete May 10 at the eighth annual CSUSM Student Media Festival.

The festival, held in Arts 111, is free to the public and there will be free refreshments served. About 120 people are expected to attend.

Film professor Jonathan Berman, who is coordinating the festival with fellow VPA professors Minda Martin and Kristine Diekman, said that while most of the student entries come from arts and communications departments, the festival is open to all.

“We’re looking for entries from all across the campus,” he said. “Students should really know how to read and write video as much as they know how to read and write with words.”

Berman said many former CSUSM student filmmakers have gone on to successful careers in the entertainment business. And one film featured at a past Student Media Festival on the Wounded Warriors Project at Camp Pendleton was later featured at a film festival in Washington, D.C.

“We’re open to all kinds of films,” Berman said. “We’ve seen personal work, documentaries, immigration films and even some fun little chase movies. But I prefer films that are more personal … that have the imprint of the maker in them.”

Each year, the festival jury receive about 40 to 50 student submissions. This year’s official entries include a music video, documentaries and two experimental pieces.

 Featured films are Sarah Attie’s “Overthinking Over Thinking” and “The Useless Box,” Andrew Reed’s “Give Me a Jump,” Brittany Duncan’s “Can Megan Dunk?,” Kristine Kirchmeier and Matt Unwin’s “Looking for Love,” Kirchmeier’s “Film Fatale,” Paul Crim’s “Confessions of a High-Art Street Vandalist,” Michael Sutliff’s “Lucky and Wild ‘Maniacs,’ ” Brandon Johnston and Ruth Rosales’ “Crystal,” Johnston’s “Lighter,” “Andi Dukelth and Heidy Lopez’s “rEvolve,” Brandon Collins’ “Blue” and Taylor Scalise and Ashley Aronson’s “Invisible People.”

The festival begins at 6 p.m. May 10 with a reception, featuring free food. Screenings begin at 7 p.m.

Students will introduce the films, which will be screened in two groups with a coffee and break in between. Afterwards there will be an awards reception, with prizes in categories that may include best narrative, documentary, social justice and personal memoir, among others. The audience can also vote for their favorite film. Past prizes have included cash awards, software, hardware and gift certificates.

This year’s jury includes Berman, Martin, Diekman and Rebecca Lush of VPA, students, alumni, and Jacob Angelo, the former director of the San Marcos Student Film Festival. The festival is sponsored by the CHABBS Dean’s Office, VPA, IRA, Communication Department, IITS, San Marcos Arts Council and more.

For details, visit csusm.edu/vpa/mediafest/.