Nobis Project Announces Annual Film Festival

Christen Higgins Clougherty, PhD, founder and director of the Nobis Project (and a Bridge Film Festival Judge), announced the first annual Nobis Project Film Festival, which celebrates the use of digital media as a tool for youth to explore social issues that affect the community, locally and abroad. The festival gathers entries from Savannah students, grades K-12. Genres include animation, documentaries, narratives, music videos, digital slideshows, public service announcements and more. The judges for the Nobis Project Film Festival include educators, community leaders, and experts in the field of digital media. A screening event will be held in the Spring of 2011, in Savannah, Georgia. 

BFF - The Nobis Project is a non-profit organization that supports educational and community leaders and youth in building skills to analyze issues that impact our society and take actions towards initiating positive change.  Why do you think holding a student film festival will help your organization meet its mission, and where did you get the idea?

Christen - The idea for the Nobis Project Film Festival came from the AMAZING work that I witnessed coming out of the Bridge Film Festival! I found myself telling everyone I know about the festival and many people commented that they wished there was a similar opportunity for youth who don't attend Quaker schools. And I feel that the important messages explored by youth in their Bridge Film Festival films are important for people to see outside of the Quaker community, specifically in my community of Savannah, Georgia. As for our mission, I believe that the medium of film can be a powerful tool for youth or adults to use to advocate particular viewpoints and to disseminate information in a persuasive manner. This is clearly evident in entries from past Bridge Film Festivals. 

BFF - What are some of the challenges of organizing this kind of event?

Christen - As I'm sure your student organizers are aware, there are quite a number of challenges when organizing a film festival. In year one, the trickiest part will be recruiting student entries. I have to find ways to let students know about this exciting opportunity AND find ways to convince them that they have what it takes to create the masterpieces I know they are capable of. In addition, I have to locate a venue, find sponsors for prizes, and advertise to the public to come to our event! My best word of advice to other organizing screening events is to ask for help from friends and family - many hands make light work! Another tip would be, if you think you want to host the event annually, make sure to collect your guests' contact information (emails) so you can let them know about the event in future years. 

Photo Credit: C. Clougherty

BFF - What do you hope to achieve in the first year of the event?

Christen - My goal would be to have 25 entries and 75 people at the event. And I hope that viewers leave inspired to take action, in one form or another, at home, school or in the community.

BFF - What are some of your long term dreams for the festival?

Chirsten - My long-term vision of the festival is for it to expand nationally or even internationally, so that students who make films for the Bridge Film Festival can ALSO submit their work to the Nobis FIlm Festival. More festivals and screening events means more people see the important messages of the students' imaginations!

BFF - What kind of screening event are you organizing?  

Christen - I am hoping to hold our "red carpet" event at the local art museum's fancy new auditorium. I think it would be fun to actually have a red carpet, and maybe I can find some students to be the paparazzi and take lots of fake pictures of people as they arrive. For the first year, I plan to screen all the entries and to announce the winners at the end, and present them with prizes. We haven't figured out what the prizes will be quite yet - any suggestions?

BFF - Can you see any relationship between the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, and equality and the mission of your film festival?

Christen - I see ALL of the Quaker testimonies you listed in the mission of the Nobis Project Film Festival. From our mission to "analyze issues that impact our society and take actions towards initiating positive change," I see the following parallels:
Simplicity - I define simplicity as "simplifying your life so that every action deliberately supports what you are most committed to." When I watch Bridge Film Festival entries that explore simplicity or use simplicity as a creative technique, I find I am reminded to live my life to the fullest. I hope some of the Nobis Project Film Festival entries will use simplicity as a technical tool to help emphasize their message.
As for peace, integrity, and equality - when actions lead to positive change, peace, integrity and equality are in motion.
Community - community is at the crux of the Nobis Project Film Festival - using film to explore social issues that affect the community, locally and abroad.

BFF - Please add anything else you would like the student filmmakers and screening event organizers to know.

Christen - I think your question prompts hit about everything - I'd just add that I'm looking forward to judging the new entries for the Bridge Film Festival. After viewing each film, I find that I am inspired to be creative and to live out the Quaker testimonies every day! Keep up the great work!

- Show quoted text -