Over the summer, four CTE/AVPA Film students and one alumnus were selected to participate in Film Independent’s highly regarded Student Curator Fellowship.
Film Independent, a nonprofit organization best known for producing the annual Spirit Awards, is dedicated to championing creative independence in visual storytelling and fostering a culture of inclusion. For the past five years, Film Independent has collaborated with CTE/AVPA Film, providing students with access to distinguished guest speakers and unique professional opportunities, including the Student Curator Fellowship.
“As part of the Youth Curator Fellowship, students received the rare opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at how a film festival is run, as well as training from film programmers and curators,” said Holly Gable, Creative Director of CTE/AVPA Film. “Film Independent continues to be an invaluable partner in providing authentic industry experiences that inspire and challenge our students. We are grateful to Sony Pictures Entertainment for fostering the relationship between AVPA and Film Independent.”
Participants evaluated hundreds of short films submitted by high school filmmakers from around the world. The following week, they joined Film Independent at Inner-City Arts, where they introduced the festival, screened the selected films at The Rosenthal Theatre, and took part in an on-stage Q&A about the curating process. Students also engaged in networking sessions with film industry professionals and attended a discussion with a director about his career trajectory.
“I am deeply grateful for this experience,” said Randy De Paz-Calderon, AVPA Film Co-President. “The fellowship gave us the chance to connect with professionals in the field, hear directly from filmmakers, and gain inspiration from the remarkable student films we reviewed. It was an unforgettable opportunity.”
Academy of Visual and Performing Arts
Participants were from Culver City High School: (3rd from the left) Juliet Siegel, Randy De Paz-Calderon, Annabelle Andreone, and AVPA alumnus Mason Fujikami. Anna Eppe is not pictured.
