Film festival at Florida Tech showcases short films from around the world

Christina LaFortune, Florida Today
·3 min read

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Every April, students from Florida Tech host a film festival to introduce student and independent films to the community. This year, more than two dozen short films from the United States and around the world will be featured.

The 5th Annual FITV Film Festival will take place at the Gleason Performing Arts Center on the Florida Tech campus and online on April 15-16, 2022. The free festival is run entirely by students from the Florida Tech Video Productions (FITV).

Consisting entirely of short films, each shorter than 21 minutes, the festival includes selections from Italy, Spain, Chile, France, Dominical Republic, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Israel and the United States.

Filmmakers discuss their work at the FITV Film Festival. This year's festival will take place at Florida Tech's Gleason Center and online on April 15-16, 2022.
Filmmakers discuss their work at the FITV Film Festival. This year's festival will take place at Florida Tech's Gleason Center and online on April 15-16, 2022.

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According to a news release, the lineup includes 18 student entries and eight from professional filmmakers. Florida Tech is not represented this year among the student films.

The selection of student films includes:

  • "A Conversation With E," Dir. Esabella Anna Karena Strickland, Taylor Mitchell and Skyler A., Canada

  • "Deathzone," Dir. Adrian Shun Fai Kwan and Will Turner, United Kingdom

  • "Destination Disquiet," Dir. Isabella Sofia Calderon and Victoria Thompson, United States

  • "Dûr (Far)," Dir. Ahmet Hakan Vergi, Turkey

  • "I Catch You," Dir. Ekaterina Izmestyeva, Germany

  • "It's Getting Bad Again," Dir. Sarah Reyes, United States

  • "Mi Sueño, Estudiar Cine," Dir. ShiJie Weng, Spain

  • "Moniker," Dir. Griffin Neault, United States

  • "Onvoltooid Verleden Tijd (Simple Past Tense)," Dir. Aron Quadu, Belgium

  • "Pao Zhang De Gu Shi (A Firecracker Story)," Dir. Zhizi Hao, China

  • "Rising in a Spiral," Dir. Débora Mendes and Elmano Diogo, Portugal

  • "Road Tales," Dir. Munsef Abdulhamid Mansurey, Libya

  • "The Face Off," Dir. Jose Miguel Martinez-McIntosh, United States

  • "To You and Godard," Dir. Walter Guozheng Zou, United States

  • "When You Were Young, You Walked Where You Wanted," Dir. Olga Bejm, Poland

  • "Cop," Dir. Roman Sinitsyn, Russia

  • "Bloodtie," Dir. Raz Hemed, Israel

  • "Passenger," Dir. Mahdi Mousavi, Iran

A scene from "El Niño y La Montaña," directed by Chilean filmmakers Santiago Aguilera and Gabriel Monreal. This year's FITV Film Festival will take place at Florida Tech's Gleason Center and online on April 15-16, 2022.
A scene from "El Niño y La Montaña," directed by Chilean filmmakers Santiago Aguilera and Gabriel Monreal. This year's FITV Film Festival will take place at Florida Tech's Gleason Center and online on April 15-16, 2022.

This year's selection of non-student films includes:

  • "Ali in Gabbia (Caged Wings)," Dir. Valentina Galdi, Italy

  • "Dajla: Cine Y Olvido," Dir. Arturo Duenas Herrero, Spain

  • "El Niño Y La Montaña," Dir. Santiago Aguilera and Gabriel Monreal, Chile

  • "Freedom is Mine," Dir. Mahmoud Salmeh, France

  • "Martha's Day," Dir. Sofia Monzerratt, United States

  • "The Blessing," Dir. Per Gunnar Økland, Norway

  • "Tokyo Capsule Hotel," Dir. José Germán Ariza, Dominican Republic

  • "We Are Champions," Dir. Danjin Malinovic, Rex Brådhe and Michaela Hennig, Sweden

The festival begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 15, with 12 films, followed by 14 films on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. On each night, screenings will last a bit longer than 2 ½ hours, and there will be three 10-minute breaks. Saturday will end with a 20-minute awards ceremony recognizing the best student and non-student films in multiple categories including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Other elements of the festival include a red-carpet photo booth, panel discussions and free festival merchandise while supplies last.

Organizers are encouraging guests to dress in formal attire.

If you go

FITV Film Festival

Where: Gleason Performing Arts Center, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne

When: Friday, April 15 at 7 p.m, and Saturday, April 16 at 6 p.m.

Admission: Free. Tickets are not required, but guests are expected to check in at the front desk in the Gleason lobby.

Streaming: All of the festival’s films and several related events will be streamed via FITV’s YouTube channel.

Info: Email fitvstation@gmail.com

On the web: fitv.fit.edu

Christina LaFortune is the Entertainment and TgIF Editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/christinalafortune, on Twitter at @lafortunec, or send her an email at clafortune@floridatoday.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida Tech's free film festival runs April 15-16