Thank you to all of the friends, family, and Mason community who supported our students during the first ever Virtual Mason Film Festival. Our online festival began with an all-day screening of student films ranging from Beginning Video Production, Advanced Fiction Film, Visual Effects, and Senior Projects. Students participated in live Q&As with audience participation. Monetary awards were donated by Advisory Board members Erik Muendel (Brightline Interactive) and Jack Kehoe. These prizes help support student filmmakers with the costs of post-production and preparing films for the festival circuit. Monetary prizes were also given to our FAVS 498 students who participated in the pitch competition to help fund their senior films in the upcoming semester. Congratulations to our winners and all of the student directors, writers, production, and post-production crew who made films this semester. We are so proud of you.
Academic Awards
Academic Excellence (Goes to 4-year students who have excelled in their academic work)
Hannah Harmison and Alicia Rodriguez
Academic Achievement (Goes to transfer students who have excelled in their academic work at Mason)
Adrianna Carter
Professional Achievement Award (Goes to filmmakers who are recognized within the industry)
Alaa Zabara, Alicia Rodriguez, and Taylor Spears
Service Award (Goes to students who have made an impact within our community and department)
Nicole Clavel and Elisabeth Angeley
Capstone Awards
Distinction in Screenwriting
Leonard Collins and Fox Kier
Distinction in Producing
Fabrizio Alberdi and Taylor Spears
Distinction in Cinematography
Malcom Villanueva
Distinction in Editing
Marcus Phoon and James Stemple
Distinction in Sound
Christopher Porter and Sayf Turkomani
Pitch Awards
Best Overall Pitch
Mohammed Saffouri
Joy Hughes Documentary Pitch Award
Dominique Bernardino
Style in Pitch Presentation
Moamen Ahmed
Lookbook Presentation
Jack Mullen
Technical Awards
Best VFX
Dounia Sabah, Harra and the Donkey
Best Producing
Megan Hajdo, Mushroom Soup
Jack Kehoe Award for Best Short Screenplay
Zachary Crooms, BURST
Best Narrative Editing
David Biggs, Chopped & Stacked
Best Documentary Editing
Dennis Kramer and Sara Wolfley, Battle Buddy
Best Cinematography
Malcom Villanueva, Battle Buddy
Best Sound Design
Justin Ueberhorst, A Friend Named Park
Best Production Design
Sumona Banerji, Mushroom Soup
Best Animation
Celia Rico Sanchez Mateos & Jeremy Hodge, Harra and the Donkey
Faculty Awards
Brightline Interactive Award for Stories that Matter
Devin Easley and Avannti Sridhar
Jack Kehoe Award for Boldness in Filmmaking
Billy Ferguson
Brightline Interactive Award for Best Fantasy/Young Adult Film
Christopher Silva
Excellence in Directing
Alaa Zabara, Selahy
Special Faculty Award for All Around Filmmaking
Alaa Zabara, Selahy
Jury Awards
Brightline Interactive Award for Best of Fest Fall
Reinaldo Arzola, Trasnochado
Brightline Interactive Award for Best Drama
Mykael Wood, Chopped & Stacked
Best Documentary
Dennis Kramer, Battle Buddy
Jack Kehoe Award for Best Comedy
Christopher Malone, Harra and the Donkey
Jack Kehoe Award for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Sungtaek Lim, Mushroom Soup
Brightline Interactive Award for Socially Relevant Filmmaking
Summer Fields, Clown Town
Jack Kehoe Award for Best Directing
Bryan Steger, A Friend Named Park
Brightline Interactive Award for Best of Fest Spring
Dennis Kramer, Battle Buddy
Audience Award
Mykael Wood, Chopped & Stacked
By Cynthia Fuchs, Interim Director, Film and Video Studies