By: Sara Atencio-Gonzales
UNM will present 20 student-made short films during the Cherry Reel Film Festival April 22 in the Student Union Building.
The prizes come from donations and sponsorships, including $6,000 from the Albuquerque Film Office. This allowed the Southwest Film Center to be able to spend a little more on prizes this year than they were in the past.
The first place film will receive a Canon EOS Rebel SL3 with an 18-55mm lens, second place will receive a Lume Cube Studio Lighting Kit and third place will receive $300.
The festival is sponsored by the Southwest Film Center, where staff are tasked with choosing about 20 films to screen from the 130 that were submitted.
The films are selected for how well they represent the student body, how strong the story is and for technique, said Executive Director Rylee Norman.
Michael Madrigal, a third-year student at the University of New Mexico, recently received the news that one of his films got into The Cherry Reel Festival.
Madrigal’s short film, Walking Taco, about a slacker who thought he could cheat on his final exam by hiding that cheat sheet in a bathroom stall. But now has to negotiate with a delusional cowboy.
Madrigal said he would be happy to get a film into the festival but to win something would be a great thing.
The screenings will take place in the Student Union Building Theatre, using a brand-new digital projector that will give a much higher quality than past film festivals.
The Cherry Reel Festival will take place in the on April 22nd at 6 p.m. The event is free.
