What do burger deals, women falling in and out of love, gambling addicts and ninjas have in common? All were the subjects of films debuting at the 12th annual Seattle University Film Festival (SUFF). Hosted by the Seattle U Filmmakers Club and Media Production Center, the festival screens short films created within the last year that were written or directed by Seattle U students. Students and supporters filled the dimly lit Pigott auditorium in anticipation of themselves or their friends on the big screen.
A total of 22 films were shown, lasting slightly over an hour. Students had full creative control over their projects, leading to a wide variety of tones and plotlines. Silent, abstract horror films like “Guilt” by Hector Montes and Alec Douglass were shown alongside satirical comedies like Aman Meshesha, Navy Williams and Lisa Michelle Lewis’ “Wokeness Destroys Hollywood!” Viewers were on the edges of their seats, laughing, gasping and applauding each film.
After all the submitted films were shown, a number of awards were given out for various categories of film. Winning films were selected by a panel of judges before the screening occurred.
Best Group Production was awarded to “From Students Everywhere” by Rachel Shimabukuro and Gracie Cole, telling a heartbreakingly realistic portrayal of student mental health. Best Documentary was awarded to “SAE, the Artist” by Jenny Ho, following local rapper SAE as he prepared to release his debut album. Best Film by a Non-Film Major was awarded to “A Photographer’s Film” by Aidan Sales, depicting the solitary, complex process of photo development.
The clear crowd favorite of the night was “Tahina Made a Comedy Film,” written and directed by Fourth-Year Film Major Tahina Tomaszek. Starting with a group of friends having a simple conversation, the story quickly evolves into an epic tale of stolen lightsabers, dance parties and fake Coachella trips. The film is fast-paced and full of twists, with each joke landing perfectly.
“I wrote that script in about 15 minutes. It was such a weird day, I had pulled an all-nighter and I had so much work to do. In the midst of that, I decided to write that film,” Tomaszek said. “I reached out to my crew and my friends, and I was like, ‘Hey, do you guys want to help me make something really silly?’ And they immediately were like, ‘Absolutely.’ I cannot thank them enough because truly, without their help and them being a part of this film, this would not have been made.”
“Tahina Made a Comedy Film” took home a total of four awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Comedy, Audience’s Choice and third place for Best Picture. Though Tomaszek serves as President of the Filmmakers Club, this success came as a complete surprise to her.
“My officers were like, ‘yeah, none of us can see the results until the festival.’ Little did I know it was just me not being allowed to see it,” Tomaszek said. “I had no idea people were going to love it so much. I’m really, really happy that so many people loved it and enjoyed it, and it makes me just feel so good about being a filmmaker.”
Second place for Best Picture was awarded to Victor Ho’s “John Vic.” The action-packed adventure was, as the name suggests, heavily inspired by the “John Wick” franchise. The film’s expertly choreographed fight scenes and intense soundtrack clearly demonstrated Ho’s creativity and technical skill in filmmaking.
Taking home both first place for Best Picture and Best Solo Production was “Turning Back Turning Back” by Cole. By far the most abstract film of the night, the black-and-white piece combines scenes from 1936’s “Modern Times” starring Charlie Chaplin with recordings of Cole’s childhood. Though the film is short and silent, it leaves the viewer with a bittersweet feeling and a chance to reflect on the passage of time.
“I’m a nerd about Charlie Chaplin, so I just wanted to use something I was interested in and make something I thought would be somewhat interesting to watch,” Cole said. “[Winning] feels crazy because this is my first year submitting to the festival. It feels amazing. I’m so proud of everyone else and all the projects I worked on, and just everyone that has been helping me this year.”
For Fourth-year Film Major Raymond Carr, SUFF serves as a satisfying ending to his time as a filmmaker at Seattle U. Carr has participated in the festival since his second year and has served as the social media manager for the Filmmakers Club for two years.
“It’s very full circle, it feels like a culminating event. I just think it’s really cool to submit stuff and get awards, and it feels very fancy. Like, I’m not just doing assignments, I’m also having this fun night.”
After the screening, filmmakers and viewers mingled outside the auditorium, enjoying snacks and celebrating each other’s success. The success of this year’s festival left viewers eagerly awaiting their chance to submit to next year’s SUFF.
This year’s selection of films will be available to watch on the Seattle U Filmmakers Club’s YouTube channel.
