LOS ANGELES–The inaugural Los Angeles Student Media Festival – set to become the premier awards show for Southern California’s High School students – will take place Saturday, February 12, at the Beaudry Theater, 1201 W. 5th St., Los Angeles from 4 to 8 p.m.
For the first-ever festival, Councilmember Paul Krekorian’s office received more than 100 submissions from schools throughout the city of Los Angeles, from Verdugo Hills High School in north Los Angeles and San Pedro High School in the south, to Taft High School in the West San Fernando Valley and Grant High School in the East San Fernando Valley.
The final 26 films will be shown in the theater with presentations from Councilmember Krekorian, winning students and judges, including: Adam Belanoff, (writer and co-executive producer of TNT’s The Closer), Alex Kalognomos (director of the Arpa International Film Festival) and Carla Garapedian (documentary filmmaker and former host, BBC World News). Other judges include Claire Knowlton (Executive Director of the McGroarty Arts Center) and Lindsay William-Ross (editor, LAist.com).
Free tickets for the festival are completely allotted, but seats have been reserved on an RSVP basis for media.
“Though we live in the entertainment capitol of the world, our high school students have never before had the opportunity to show off their work in a setting befitting their great talent,” Krekorian said.
“As we work to keep Hollywood in California, we should also cultivate the next crop of filmmakers whose innovation will lead the way into the next generation of entertainment and story-telling, which is just what the Los Angeles Student Media Festival will do,” he added. “I am thrilled to showcase our city’s next crop of media producers, and am proud that this festival will play a role in the start of their promising careers.”
The LASMF is an offshoot of the popular FilmFest 43 – a high school film festival Krekorian created and ran for two years while a member of the State Assembly. At that time, Krekorian also worked to pass the state’s first successful bill to incentivize production jobs in California and chaired the Assembly’s committee on stopping runaway production.
Councilmember Paul Krekorian represents Los Angeles’ Second Council District, which includes the east San Fernando Valley and the foothills. His website is cd2.lacity.org, where you can sign up for news updates or visit him on Twitter (@PaulKrekorian) or Facebook.
Film Festival Schedule:
4 p.m. Pre-Show Reception
Students, parents and teachers arrive.
Student filmmakers check-in and receive festival badges.
Attendees take pictures on red-carpet.
Student filmmakers receive festival goodie-bags.
Light refreshments and snacks served.
5 p.m. Welcoming Remarks & Screening
Councilmember Paul Krekorian welcomes the audience.
Special guests invited for brief remarks
26 official selections screened
7:30 p.m. Award Ceremony
Councilmember Krekorian and festival judges announce award winners and invite them to the stage.
8:00 p.m. Festival Concludes
Times are approximate and subject to change.
