Student filmmakers recently presented their 5-minute shorts to the campus community at the “Last Looks” film festival held in the Philip Weltner Library.

With 29 films on the marquee, the festival showcased a variety of genres and cinematic styles.

An open call was put out to all Oglethorpe students to submit their short films, but the festival was also a way to present films created in several Film and Media Studies courses, including “Intro to Multimedia/Video Production,” “Digital Storytelling,” and “Experimental Video”, as well as Special Topics classes such as “Sound Design” and “Short Film Production.” The only requirement was that films were no more than five minutes.

This year’s “Last Looks” film festival had a full house — complete with snacks and refreshments.

The festival is an annual event that allows student filmmakers to share their talents with fellow students, staff and faculty. The first festival was held in 2019. Though “Last Looks” was put on hold last year due to the pandemic, this year marks a return to form for the popular film event.

“My favorite part of teaching production classes is when the students get the opportunity to use the skills and techniques that they have learned in a way that expresses their singular interests and ideas,” says Ronald Burgess, a lecturer in Film and Media Studies and one of the organizers of the event, “I’m always excited to get the chance to enjoy these student films with the Oglethorpe community as a communal experience.”

Film students at Oglethorpe have the unique opportunity to work just down the road from several major film studios in Atlanta, which has been dubbed the “Hollywood of the South.” Film and Media Studies majors have interned at Third Rail Studios, Cartoon Network, CNN, People Store Atlanta Talent Agency, Sim Digital, TBS Viacom and more.