This year is the 6th annual LZ95 film festival. Students k-12 will be able to submit their work that fits in one of the categories in hopes to win the competition.

Every year in February district 95 holds its annual film festival. Many students create and submit a film that fits in one of the 5 categories. Which are comedy, drama, PSA, animation, or documentary. The students are allowed to submit 1 video that they created on their own and/or one that they created with a group of other students.

The video’s are judged by people who have a background in photography or videography that are not employed by the district. This is how the district avoids favoritism in the film choosing.

“We have the best in school award, which is an award for for students in elementary school, middle school, and high school. There is also the best in show award which the judges deem on a student, that student can be either be from
elementary school, middle school, or high school. The students receive a monetary award in the form of a gift card,” Angela Fortune, Fine arts and Business Department chair, said.

The film festival has lead many kids into a great direction. “This competition was my first real experience in film. The festival made me realize that I had an interest in creating film and this discovery is what lead me into doing youtube videos.” Reese Funk, freshman, said.

There competition gives students like Funk a chance to try out their film making skills on a local level, Fortune said.

“These students get to show their creativity. I think they have many options that they can choose from. It’s a fun project where they can use technology and their imagination and creativity. Each year the event has grown larger and larger, and its really awesome to see the products to be played in the PAC,” Fortune said.

Once students put together a less than five minute film, they must share it  with [email protected] on Google Drive no later than January 26.

“I think the film festival is just part of many offerings that district 95 and this
community have to offer the students and their families.” Jean Malek, Director of Communications, said. “Students come together and can meet different minded student. That is a huge impact on how the student may see film making or give them different ideas outside of their box.”