Holy Family Academy’s new English teacher, Ellen Marino, has also taken on the task of teaching film. Now, her kids are planning to be involved in an Academy Awards-like event at the end of this month.
The idea was borne out of Marino’s past experience. Before coming to Holy Family, she had taught film elsewhere, and knew that the best way for students to learn was to make a film of their own.
First, they viewed many of the classics – WG Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” and various films by Charlie Chaplin. But the hands-on experience of writing a script, putting it on film, and editing was perhaps a lesson that would go deep into a students’ hearts in a way merely watching films might not.
The results were impressive. A number of quality films, ranging from a love story to a horror film, were created, all with something of value that was worth watching.
Some of the students were influenced by quality films such as “Gone with the Wind” or “Citizen Kane,” which they studied in Marino’s class. Others liked the classic B-movie style of films such as “Creature from the Black Lagoon.”
Academy Awards
Marino is now planning to hold a film festival – complete with red carpet and tuxedos and gowns for the stars and filmmakers.
“The idea just came to me,” Marino said. “The idea is to highlight some of these films and have them viewed by the public.”
This will be an Academy Awards like event, complete with paparazzi flashing photographs and small models of the Oscar awards to be given to students nominated for Best Actress, Best Producer, Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Film.
“I wanted to keep it simple,” Marino said.
“I wanted the film to be shocking.” – Megan Massa
___________
Five films nominated
Five films have been nominated, and all five – which range from five to 10 minutes each – will be shown at the festival.
Lauren Squillante and Sarah McCabe made a film called “Ya’Aburnee,” an Arabic phrase that means “You Bury Me,” a cultural expression that means the person hopes his or her lover dies before he or she does, so as not to feel the pain of the loss.
No, this isn’t the horror story. It’s the love story, and yes, the boy dies before the girl. But he comes back to life.
“It’s a happy ending, sort of,” Squillante said.
She said she thought of the storyline one night when she was kept up by a leaking roof.
“I had to stay awake because I didn’t want the bucket to overflow,” she said.
Hope Agresta, who made her own film, also starred in this film and has been nominated as Best Actress.
She said the hardest part for her was acting in front of people, and working with the lead male who was a good friend of hers.
“We did this at the Little Food Café, and it was hard working with people looking at me,” she said.
Squillante said she wanted to tell a nice story.
Megan Massa did a film about a serial killer called “Man in a Black Suit,” a seven-minute long film, much of which was shot in Stephen Gregg Park in Bayonne.
“I wanted the film to be shocking,” she said. “I wanted to make it seem like the killer wasn’t the killer.”
Her lead actor, however, hammed it up, coming on to the set asking where his dressing room was and why they hadn’t supplied him with food.
The film festival will be held at Holy Family Academy on March 30 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $5.