SONscreen brings annual festival to La Sierra

The SONscreen Film Festival was held at La Sierra’s Troesh Conference Center in the Zapara School of Business April 2-4, providing Christian young adults an opportunity to share their talent, gain exposure, learn more about their craft and network with media and film professionals.

Forty-one films in the categories of drama, documentary and animation were accepted into this year’s festival including two high school students’ productions in the high school short category. Students at La Sierra, Southern Adventist University, Pacific Union College, Walla Walla University, Saddleback College, Redlands Adventist Academy and Spencerville Adventist Academy created the films.

The selected entries included films by seven La Sierra film and television students, Michelle Noland, Ryan Yrigollen, Jonathon Davidson, Ian Walker, Bryce Clifford Vails, Matthew Reeves and Erik Harty. Davidson, a screenwriting student, took home the only La Sierra award, with a trophy for his work on the team that produced a Mini-Movie Challenge film titled “The Professor.” Davidson provided the main story idea for his team’s humorous video showing a shirtless professor living in a hillside dirt hut. A documentary-style voiceover narrated the professor’s daily life in a manner that contrasted with the eccentric antics of the onscreen character who hid from his students. 

“This was my first film festival ever,” said Davidson who submitted his own dramatic short titled, “Yes, No,” depicting the power of simple words to escalate a situation. “It was a lot of fun and a great honor to even be a part of it. In addition to the wonderful films, the best part was being able to mingle with the professionals,” he said. Davidson, an alum of La Sierra’s Zapara School of Business, also has strong writing interests. After taking all the writing courses La Sierra offered, he joined the film and television program’s screenwriting class, “and I was hooked,” he said. Davidson intends to apply for a master’s degree in screenwriting. 

La Sierra communication major Walker submitted a dramatic film short titled “Such is Life.” It depicts the downward spiral of a young man whose company fired him in a round of layoffs, and who eventually became a homeless beggar. The film produces a twist when a former co-worker walks by the young man sitting on a sidewalk and appears to take his friend home. The screen then fades back to the young man as the former co-worker tosses coins in the young man’s collection jar and walks away.

Walker said he was inspired by the idea for the film after encountering a homeless man at a gas station. He wants to produce additional films through a company, ISO Entertainment, which he and two La Sierra classmates recently established. “I have this crazy idea for a film,” he said. “It would be really interesting to have La Sierra, Pacific Union College and Southern [Adventist University] in a joint [film project].” He said the festival allowed him to make a few connections and build confidence in his abilities.

Rodney Vance, La Sierra’s Film and Television program director said every La Sierra student film that was submitted to SONscreen was accepted into the festival. “I was absolutely delighted,” he said. Film and television faculty help students create films and encourage them to enter film festivals. “SONscreen is a gift to the Adventist filmmaking community,” Vance said. “It is of special value to the Adventist filmmaker.”

SONscreen festival awards are given in each submission category during a Saturday night finale with awards also given for best cinematography, sound design, screenplay, and the highly regarded Audience Choice Award and Best of Festival. Winners receive a Sonny statuette and cash prize. The winner of the high school/academy category receives a certificate and academic scholarship offer from several Adventist colleges and universities in North America.

The much-anticipated Best of Festival, a $1,000 prize, this year went to Erik Edstrom and Jesse Churchill from Walla Walla University for “The Way,” a dramatic film short on the salvation of Saul in the Book of Acts, a modern retelling that takes place in an apocalyptic future. The entry also won Best Dramatic Short.

“We didn’t expect it at all,” said Churchill, a theology major, adding that a team of about 40 people worked on the project.

“We wanted to tell the biblical story in a way that is more relevant to our culture,” said Edstrom who studies industrial design. A longer version of the film is available on Vimeo.

For a full list of SONscreen 2015 winners visit http://www.SONscreen.com/.