The Pilgrim’s Protest

By Tommy Broadway

You thought it could never happen! You swore it didn’t exist! But you were wrong!
On March 23, CIU Film Fest crawled from its greasy lair and bit you in the hindquarters without so much as taking you to dinner first! From zombies to Power Rangers to Strnad, the films dealt with all sorts of fantastic and mythical beings. It was a night of great intrigue and excitement. There were surprises, plot twists if you will, within the fest itself.

As I walked into the affair I was greeted with the music of mewithoutYou as well as a whole cast of characters that had already filled the Chapel. Though the numbers seemed fewer than last year, the mood was no different. The spirited attendees were attired with self-made masks and they murmured in anticipation. The atmosphere was akin to that of a prohibition-era speakeasy before the booze arrives. And as I took my seat I found myself wiping the palpable tension off my very brow, for I myself had helped in the making of one of the films that had been entered.

Lugi, a most apposite emcee, ascended to the stage to introduce the first half of the films to be shown. West 1 got the party off to a bang, not only literally but nearly lethally, with a video showcase of their wild camping antics. The festival moved briskly forward, with seven of the eleven films entered being somehow associated with West 1. The audience had the privilege to behold “Strnad Has No Idea,” a practical joke that was months in the making. Though much of the comedy of the piece was at the expense of its subject, the video was void of malice and endlessly endearing. West 2’s “Robot Chicken” style farewell video drew many laughs also. After a short and rather awkward intermission, the rest of the films were shown, ending with Memorial 2’s hall video. The piece, structured as a freshman’s video blog to his parents, definitely had its “laugh-out-loud” moments. And, in the end, it was M2’s video that took first place with “West 2 Randomocity” coming second (which, I must confess, came as a surprise to me). There was some dissent, chiefly among West 1 residents, over the judging.

Though the Film Fest was a great deal of fun this year, I must confess that overall the films felt “rushed” in production and editing. Many seemed “thrown together.” And with just one short dramatic piece, the overall mood of the films bordered on the inane (not that there’s anything wrong with that). No films were presented that were comparable to “Owl Creek” (which, if I’m not mistaken, took first place last year). Still it is clear that CIU possesses a veritable bevy of film making talent. And though it is but a small creature now, I know this talent will grow into a great pulsating monstrosity that might shake Hollywood itself with its fiery breath! The end.