B&B Theatres calls for student film festival submissions

Students aspiring to be the next Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese can get their shot by entering the B&B Student Film Fest: Shorts. The inaugural student film festival, sponsored by B&B Theatres, is open to students in high school through senior year in college. Films may be any genre – feature, documentary, short subject, etc. – but they must be family-friendly and 15-minutes or less in length. All submissions must be postmarked by Sept. 10.

The student film festival will take place on Sept. 27 at six B&B theaters located throughout Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri – including the B&B Wildwood 10 – from 7-9:45 p.m. Admission is $5.

All entries will be judged and selected for screening by a festival committee at the company’s headquarters in Liberty, Mo., but students select the theater to which they submit their works. This means that the films shown at the Wildwood location will most likely be the product of students with a local connection. According to Erin Schneider, marketing assistant for B&B Theatres, creating community ties is what the film fest is all about.

“We’re looking for new ways to reach into the community and really become part of it,” said Schneider.

Students whose films are selected for the festival will be notified by Sept. 20. The number of winners depends on the number and length of the entries, as the festival runs just under three hours at participating theaters. With the deadline for submitting a film looming, Schneider wants students to know that “they can submit something that they have already made.”

“So they can even edit something down if it’s longer. It doesn’t have to be specifically for this film festival,” said Schneider.

University of Missouri sophomore, Connor Hickox, is submitting a film to the Wildwood B&B theater. Hickox grew up in Kansas City, Mo., but his parents are currently looking for a home in West County – so if his entry makes it into the festival, he can count on a local audience.

A journalism major, Hickox said working in film is “a career path that I’m shooting for.” But the 19-year-old’s motivation for producing the film is much more altruistic. Hickox’s film, which he expects will run about three minutes when he’s finished editing it, is a documentary about a nonprofit, Global Health Innovations (GHI), based in Kansas City.  The film focuses on communications technology the organization is using in sub-Saharan Africa to help mothers and babies at risk for HIV/AIDS get the preventative and ongoing treatment they need.

“A lot of people get lost in the system,” said Hickox. “And despite free treatment being available all throughout Africa, a ridiculous percent of these people are not being treated because they’re falling through the cracks.”

Hickox said he first heard about GHI during a presentation by its founder at his hometown church. He said that presentation motivated him to “help where I could,” and he is hoping his film will bring more awareness to GHI and its mission.

“It’s nice to find a way to use what you love to do in small ways to help out,” said Hickox.

Students may register for the festival at regonline.com/bbstudentfilmfestival2012.