Budding filmmakers got the chance to show their talent and get some recognition recently at the Santa Fe Youth Get Awesome Film Festival.

The June 3 event at Warehouse 21 was created to provide a supportive and rewarding environment for young Santa Fe filmmakers, said Madeleine Blake, one of the organizers. She, along with a group of students from Santa Fe Preparatory School, worked to make the festival happen.

"It's really exciting seeing it all put together, and we have just been working on it for so long," Blake said.

The group created and organized the community-service project to recognize youth filmmakers. The film festival includes 3- to 8-minute films produced by Santa Fe youth.

"It's a good encouragement for people to get out there and film movies," said Jebb Norton, a student attending the festival. "I wanted to get some sweet flicks for free."

Norton was among the audience — made up of both students and adults — that filled the main room at Warehouse 21. It was so full, extra chairs needed to be brought in.

Organizers picked 20 films out of 40 submitted to show at the festival. The chosen films were "a good mix of schools for objective judging and giving more exposure for the schools involved," said Jesse Myers, the faculty sponsor of the program. For those submitting films, the festival gave them a venue to showcase their own films.

"It has its own flavor," Lindsay De May said. "I think definitely everyone will get their own kick out of it."

De May and her friend Sarah Fippinger submitted a film called Easter Bunny that was voted the best film at the festival by the audience after bringing many laughs about the life of the Easter Bunny.

"It lets people see visual mentality from youth, so I think its pretty important," said Colin McAvinchey, a soon-to-be senior at Monte del Sol high school and a member of the film program.

And while it was free entertainment for some, Clay Wilwol one of the student organizers summed up the festival as, "An opportunity for the youth of Santa Fe to express themselves through the art of film."



Alex Wirth is a junior at Santa Fe Prep. You can reach him at AlxWirth@gmail.com.