Student Film Festival A Success

The Eighth Annual MGA Awards featuring the finalists in the Movie Gallery Student Video Competition gave more than $3,750 in prizes to worthy young filmmakers on March 16, 2005. The awards went to college and high school student directors. Daria Matza’s moving documentary, Keep on Moving, took home first place for the college division and Diana Miernik’s documentary, Keepers of Light, took home first place in the high school division. The students were excited to win not only the monetary prize and the distinguished MGA award trophy, but also the opportunity to have their movies screened before professional filmmakers. Film Festival Director Danielle Williams stated, “The competition this year was unprecedented. Almost 200 students from Nigeria to Alabama entered in hopes of making the final 10.”

The festival kicked off at 5 p.m. with a VIP reception honoring the finalists, judges and others who helped make this year’s film festival a success. The final competition films were played before a packed audience at 7 p.m. Movie Gallery’s continued support of student filmmakers was much appreciated by the winners, the Auburn Film Society and the Department of Communication and Journalism.

The complete list of winners is below.

High School Division:
First Place: Diana Miernik, Keepers of Light, Allen, Texas
Second Place: Jesse Newman, The Recluse, Lecanto, Fla.
Third Place: Tony Nguyen, Lost and Found, Miami, Fla.
Honorable Mention: James Dickson, Diving with the Dead, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Honorable Mention: Sohee Koo, Present, Staten Island, N.Y.
Honorable Mention: Lewis Lehe, Charity, Homewood, Ala.
Honorable Mention: Nathan Lundquist, Upon a Time, Hilliard, Ohio

College Division:
First Place: Daria Matza, Keep on Moving, San Diego State University
Second Place: Matthew Page, Pumpkin, College of Santa Fe
Third Place: Hilton Carter, Love Letter, Art Center College of Design
Honorable Mention: Turner Clay, Lightfoot, University of Kentucky
Honorable Mention: David Daneman, Upward Ho! University of Kansas
Honorable Mention: David Daneman, Room Tone, University of Kansas
Honorable Mention: Robert Dastoli & James Dastoli, Automated Assets, University of Central Florida