Joshua Willis, Campus Carrier Staff Reporter
This year, the Rome International Film Festival (RIFF) will be featuring several short films produced and directed by Berry students.
The student film block on Saturday, Sept. 7 will showcase a wide variety of writing, acting and filming abilities.
Since 2004, RIFF has presented independent films from Rome and around the world over a two-day period. Headquartered downtown in the historic Desoto Theater, RIFF draws crowds of film lovers and curious onlookers alike with film screenings, filmmaking workshops, parties, makeup competitions and more.
A regional favorite for years, the festival also attracts tourists, bringing in revenue and garnering strong support from local businesses. Many of the films shown at RIFF have gone on to win major awards elsewhere.
RIFF will be held this year from Sept. 4-7. “Paper Clips,” a documentary about middle school students from Whitwell, Tennessee and their attempts to collect 6 million paper clips to symbolize the number of Jews killed by Nazis during WWII, will be the opening film when it starts the festival off Thursday at 7 p.m. The film screened in Rome nine years ago and was later nominated for an Emmy. The closing film will be “25,000 Mile Love Story,” a film about Serge Roetheli, an endurance athlete who tries to raise awareness about impoverished children by running a distance equal to the earth’s circumference, and his wife, Nicole, who accompanies him on motorcycle.
Between these two films, there will be dozens of others, ranging from Southern Gothic fairy tales (“Red”) to bizarre documentaries about cardboard boats (“Cardboard Titanics: Smart People Being Stupid”).
Of special interest is the student film block. From 1 to 3 p.m. at the Rome Area History Museum, RIFF will be highlighting short films created by students, many of whom attend Berry.
One such film by Berry students is the romantic comedy “Meeting Mufasa,” a tongue-in-cheek tribute to 1980s John Hughes movies. Other student titles include “Storage,” the tale of a strange home invasion, “Missed Connection,” a love story involving cellphones, and “Coffee, No Sugar,” the reflections of a young lover.
RIFF is a very entertaining, yet affordable event to attend. In fact, it was selected as one of “20 film festivals worth the entry fee” by MovieMaker magazine. General admission to a single block of films is $6, though students get in for $2. All-day passes sell for $25.
There are also many free workshops such as the Actor Workshop & Roundtable, the Independent Film Producing Workshop and the Film Composing Workshop. Each is taught by seasoned veterans who are well-respected in their fields.
If you are a film buff, aspiring director or actor, or you just want something fun to do this weekend, go downtown, take advantage of the student discount, and watch some unique independent films at one of the most applauded film festivals in the Southeast.
Tickets to the Rome International Film Festival can be purchased either online from http://www.romeinternationalfilmfestival.com/ or at each venue during the festival.