IN CLASS: This feature is part of an ongoing education column highlighting the various activities that engage school communities.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Island student talent was featured during a citywide public school film festival.
The sixth annual New York Public School Film Festival recently announced this year’s selections, which included a couple of films from Staten Island students.
The festival, presented by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) in partnership with the Department of Education (DOE), honors the diversity of student voices.
The event, featuring a Media & Entertainment Industry Career Expo, was held at the Museum of the City of New York in May, and was attended by over 200 public school students and educators.
Nearly 130 films were submitted for the festival this year from city middle and high school students spanning 39 schools throughout the five boroughs. A total of 30 short films were selected for inclusion in the festival.
“We are so pleased to once again be partnering with New York City Public Schools to bring the NYC Public School Film Festival to life, and to give students an introduction to our city’s world-famous film and television industry,” said Pat Swinney Kaufman, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “Thank you to our industry panelists and expo partners for committing their time to these students, who we believe are the city’s next generation of filmmakers!”
The students submitted short films, each one to five minutes in length, in five categories: Animation, Experimental, Short Feature, PSA/Advocacy and Documentary. Student filmmakers explored topics surrounding mental health, the immigrant experience, bullying, technology and AI, and genres such as horror and music.
Here are the Staten Island films presented during the festival this year:
— PS 37R — “Husky Table – Cucumber and Tomato Salad” – In this film, farm-to-table ingredients are brought to life in a refreshing cucumber and tomato salad.
— Staten Island Technical High School — “StudentFilm.mov” — This documentary recaps the experiences of three student filmmakers during the creative process of their own short films/documentaries.
“The annual NYCPS Film Festival gives our young filmmakers the chance to celebrate their creations in front of our city, empowering them to pursue careers in filmmaking, learn to harness the power of art to affect change, and facilitate a critical emotional and creative outlet as they move throughout their lives,” said Schools Chancellor David C. Banks. “I’m so proud of all the students being recognized today, and can’t wait to see all they achieve, and grateful to our partners across the city who make this festival possible for our kids.”
The festival is available for New York City audiences to enjoy online at nyc.gov/nycpsfilmfestival.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
Bold.org has announced new scholarships tailored for students facing mental health challenges are now open to students across the country, including on Staten Island.
Scholarships are exclusively available on Bold.org — all you need to do is visit the website, read about each scholarship, determine you eligibility, and apply before the deadline.
Visit bold.org/scholarships/by-demographics/mental-health-scholarships for more details.
SEND US YOUR STORIES
Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com.
