Brouhaha inspires young filmmakers
Brouhaha, an Enzian festival for short films, has become a launch pad for young Central Florida filmmakers.
Winter Park High School and Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park each have four films in the 26th Annual Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase this weekend. Lake Nona High School and Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando have one film apiece.
The lineup of 56 films will be presented in four programs at 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Enzian theater in Maitland.
“We’re excited to have four schools represented,” said Matthew Curtis, Enzian programming director. “It’s also nice to see high schoolage kids pushing the envelope a bit when it comes to story lines, interests and visual style.”
Winter Park High’s four films represent the highest level of filmmaking produced there so far, said Michele Gerber, instructor in digital video production at the school.
Nancy Pickett tells her own story of chronic illness — gastroparesis, which paralyzes the stomach muscles — in the documentary “Is Healthcare a Human Right?” In the three-minute, 38-second film she also explores what could happen if the Affordable Care Act goes away.
For her work, she received the $10,000 Mike Wallace Memorial Scholarship — named for the “60 Minutes” correspondent — last month from the Foundation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. She is attending Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and working on the feature documentary “The Golden Truth” about pediatric cancer.
The other three films “encompass creative cinematography and fantastic storytelling,” Gerber said. “All of these student filmmakers plan on pursuing careers in the film industry.” Those films are:
“The Hunt,” an action film by Justin Whittingham and Luke Sand, tells of a young man who stumbles upon $1.3 million and finds himself under arrest for a crime he didn’t commit.
“Broken,” a drama by Clay DeHart, explores a young man's battle with loss and love.
“Flicker,” which tells a story of anxiety, is an experimental film by Amanda Belawski, Abby Marcil and Zoe Heafner.
Through the years, Trinity Prep has submitted animation, dramas, horror and experimental films to Brouhaha, said Ralph Mazza, chair of the school’s Computer Science Department who teaches multimedia and film.
“To be part of the Brouhaha Film Fest gives students an opportunity to share their work as well as see what others are doing,” he said.
This year’s Trinity Prep films are:
“Ripples in the Void,” an experimental work by Joshua Gerstein, who calls it a “reflection on the nature of consciousness and reality.” It’s his second film in Brouhaha.
“Burst,” a non-traditional stop-motion film by Hayley Canal and Jessie White, who use color and black-andwhite imagery. It’s Hayley’s second Brouhaha film.
“Untitled,” an experimental work by David Escue, is not plot-driven but it’s visually appealing, Mazza said.
“Wavelength” is the second Brouhaha film by Ethan Kobrin. He tells of a man who walks down a beach and stumbles upon magical messages, stuffed inside bottles, that predict his destiny.
“More and more of our students are now going off to study and work in the film industry,” Mazza said. He noted that Ethan and Josh are pursuing careers in film, Hayley is interested in photography, and David has an interest in directing.
The film from Lake Highland Prep is “Borrowed Time” by Reese Bobo and tells of a time machine’s theft. From Lake Nona High comes “Different” by Tahneek Rahman and Derian Persaud. It won the best of show and audience choice awards at the Reel Short Teen Film Festival.
“Brouhaha is a great opportunity for these young filmmakers to showcase their talents to a wider audience,” Gerber said. “With their works shown on the big screen alongside professionals, the students are encouraged and inspired to pursue further excellence in filmmaking.”