coming to life
Saturday, April 12
10:00 - 10:45 aM
Canady Creative Arts Center
Bloch Hall Theater
Ursa minor
Sophie Schmid | United States
School: Chapman University
Year: 2024
Run time: 4:14 min.
Synopsis:
After struggling to be vulnerable with her overextended mother, Hazel's drawings help her express what she isn't able to say out loud.
”Our film is meant to encompass that it is okay to be a kid -- to learn, to grow, to play, and experience life one step at a time. We want everyone to feel like they are allowed to take up space and to be loved unconditionally for being who they are, no matter the situation in which you grow up in.”
Bio:
Born and raised in a small town in Colorado, Sophie dedicates her time to creating art, fostering community, and telling stories that will impact our future generations. She recently graduated from Dodge College Film and Media Arts at Chapman University, and now works at DreamWorks Animation. She strives to one day contribute to the impactful animations that inspire her and in doing so, hopes to empower female artists to pursue careers in entertainment and never give up on their dreams.
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Marionette Nez Rouge
Ella H. Duffey | United States
School: WVU
Year: 2024
Run time: 5:56 min.
Synopsis:
While a young woman cleans her unfinished basement, she comes across a puppet zip-tied to a piece of furniture. She makes the mistake of freeing the mysterious toy. After cleaning some more, she realizes.... the basement door is locked... and the puppet is gone.
”Marionette Nez Rouge was an experiment. I had never done film before, but the reaction I received was truly encouraging. This film has taken me on a journey and given me opportunities that I wouldn't have had without. I cannot wait to continue into the world of theatre and film. Here is my first-born film- Marionette Nez Rouge.”
Bio:
Ella Duffey was born in 2006 and was raised in Charles Town, West Virginia. She discovered the world of theatre and film in High School. She is now an undergraduate freshman at WVU. She is majoring in BFA Acting and double minoring in Marketing and Dance.
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Crac!
Dimitri Martin Genaudeau | France
Year: 2024
Run time: 14:59 min.
Synopsis:
A beetle abandoned by his colony lives in the heights of an oak tree. Under the intrigued eye of the insect, a hiker pitches her tent at the foot of the tree to spend the night, while a group of forest rangers mark the trees to be cut down with a red stroke.
”From the insect, only fragments reach us – furtive buzzing, impetuous flights, insensible caresses of its legs on our skin. “He is so small, wrote Jules Michelet, that with him, we are not bound to be fair”. What if to hear the beat of the microcosm we had to imagine, like in a tale, that the insect could fall in love? Would we not discover, in return, that imagination is lacking the insect when its echo weakens in the countryside?”
Bio:
Dimitri Martin Genaudeau studied philosophy and film history at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and at the City University of Hong Kong. He was then student at FAMU (Prague) in the Directing department before joining the SACRe PhD at La Fémis in 2018.
The Last Puppet Show
Lonnie Frazier | United States
Year: 2023
Run time: 22:19 min.
Synopsis:
When WVU’s Puppetry Program faced closure after forty years, its students and their beloved puppets staged a bold performance of Hamlet to fight for their survival. This film captures their journey—an inspiring blend of creativity, determination, and the unique magic of puppetry. As the students brought Shakespeare to life in a way only they could, their passion for the arts became a powerful statement about the value of creative programs. Through their struggle, the students and their puppets show how art can inspire perseverance, build community, and spark change, proving that the fight for creativity is as vital as the art itself.
Bio:
Lonnie Frazier is a Director and Impact Producer with many years of experience in the film industry. A Maryland native, she started her film career in the San Francisco Bay Area and has dedicated herself to sharing powerful, untold stories through documentary film. She has been fortunate to work with many talented artists and enjoys collaborating on films that shine a light on unique stories with social impact.
Kyle Frazier: Producer
Kyle, a proud alumnus of West Virginia University, has an eclectic career in the entertainment industry. Based in the DC area, his journey began in San Francisco and Los Angeles, where he discovered his passion for podcast production and filmmaking. With a deep dedication to the art of storytelling across all mediums, Kyle brings creativity and vision to every project he undertakes. Outside of work, Kyle is celebrated among his family and at chili cook-offs as a chili mix-master. In his downtime, he enjoys chess matches, exploring the great outdoors with his family and dogs, and is a devoted aficionado of the unique genius that is Weird Al Yankovic.
