Students at Southwestern Adventist University are ready to go to the 17^th annual Sonscreen Film Festival in Columbia, Maryland April 5-7.

This is the second time that communication students and faculty at Southwestern have attended Sonscreen. Three films will be entered, two from the students and one grant-funded professional film.

The students have been preparing for over two months by writing, shooting and editing their own films to be entering in to the SonscreenFilm Festival 2018.

The two short student films that are up for competition are actually two episodes: the first, Senior Year is the pilot episode and the second Still Senior Year is the follow-up episode. The professional film entered is called Truth, an animated drama of Sojourner Truth’s famous speech.

The first episode Senior Year has already been selected to be part of the Dallas Film Festival Shutter Speed.

Kyle Portbury has entered his short animated film “Truth” at Sonscreen.

The students are from Southwestern’s film production class, taught by film director and communication professor Kyle Portbury.

“It’s a valuable opportunity for students to network with their peers from around North America,” says Portbury. “There is a perception that some students have that being from a small school is somehow a handicap, that we can’t compete as storytellers. This is a great way to change that perception.”

The North American Division (NAD) has provided grant money to several colleges and universities including Southwestern to send students who have a significant distance to travel to attend the festival.

If you want more information about Sonscreen Film Festival, go to http://www.sonscreen.com/