In August, PBS SoCal announced the 33 student finalists for the 25th season of the Fine Cut Festival of Films, showcasing the talents of emerging filmmakers from across Southern California. This year’s program includes eight films created by CalArts students in the School of Film/Video: Christina Wu (BFA 26), Huayi Yu (BFA 26), Matthew Lei (BFA 27), Mina Chacko (BFA 25), Erika Adriana Salazar Gutierrez (Film/Video BFA 26), Jaimi Qiu (BFA 25), Victoria Basadre (BFA 25), and Sumin Ha (BFA 25).
PBS SoCal’s Fine Cut offers a chance for student filmmakers to have their work broadcast on television while also providing invaluable professional development opportunities. This year’s festival is particularly significant, as it marks the 25th anniversary of the show.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Landmark Theatres Sunset in Hollywood, California. Co-hosted by Michael Schneider, Variety‘s television editor, and Angelique Jackson, senior entertainment writer, the event will showcase the winners in three categories: Documentary, Animation, and Narrative Short Films. In addition to these honors, one student will receive the prestigious Jack Larson Southern California Student Filmmaker Award, which recognizes outstanding storytelling. The winning films will be screened during the ceremony.
In keeping with its tradition of fostering emerging talent, Fine Cut will also host its 5th Mentor Workshop on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Warner Bros. Entertainment. This workshop, designed in a roundtable format, will include presentations on topics such as financial guidance in the entertainment industry and one-on-one portfolio reviews.
The Fine Cut Festival of Films will be broadcast as a weekly series of six one-hour episodes, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10 pm on PBS SoCal Plus. Viewers can also stream many of the Fine Cut films online and through the PBS app.
See the programming dates of CalArtian films below.
