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St. Andrew's Film Festival
It's Showtime!
Austin is home to many renowned
festivals: the Austin Film Festival, South by Southwest, Austin City Limits – but this May, the festival at the center of attention on Southwest Parkway was the St. Andrew’s Film Festival. Select St. Andrew’s film students had their works screened at the St. Andrew’s Film Festival on May 20. From experimental to documentary to comedy and drama, all kinds of genres were showcased - there was truly something for every audience member. Film teacher Rommel Eclarinal headed up the festival, hand-selecting each film to make for the most memorable screening. Student filmmakers featured in the film festival were Grace McGrath, Avery Wayne, Hanna Hutcheson, Dexter Glassco, Julia Johnson, Jacob Kruger, Kelly Carolan, Emaline Davis, Marshall Harrell, Charlie Cahoon, and Ben Stapleton. Charlie Cahoon ‘24 drew inspiration for his film from the St. Andrew’s campus itself. “I was in an instrument room in the music hall with Mr. E and Grace McGrath. I enjoyed how the room looked so I decided to make a film with a plot that was surrounded by the vibe of the room.” Though Charlie ran into some challenges while shooting his film, primarily working around the different schedules of his many actors, he was thrilled with how the film turned out and was honored to be featured among so many student filmmakers that he admires. “My favorite part of the entire festival was getting to spend some of my last hours with the senior film students who had some of the best films in the festival. I loved hearing them talk on stage about their experiences in film over the years and what they plan to do after graduation,” said Charlie. The festival was not only a memorable send-off for the senior filmmakers to celebrate their film accomplishments at St. Andrew’s, but also an inspiring event for younger film students as they look ahead to their career at school.
Upper School film students before the St. Andrew's Film Festival.
Select Choir, cont.
concert) on the Natchez Steamboat, and braved a historic Ghost Tour in the French Quarter.
Being an artist means you are constantly learning – the Select Choir Tour allows choral students to learn from seasoned professionals, experience new places, and engage with different perspectives. Ms. Gasco hopes that after every tour, Select Choir “leaves with a reinvigorated love of music and love of serving their community through music. I hope they gain new skills and a new understanding of their repertoire through collegiate clinics. I hope they gain an appreciation for their ability to touch the lives of others through song, and that they look for ways to continue to use their gifts and skills to help others.”
For Lori Hahn, the tour has similar effects on students. “I hope it helps our students discover a passion for sharing the joy of music outside our local community. I hope it gives them compassion for others in communities different from ours. I hope it gives them confidence in their abilities, responsibility to operate as a team, and maturity in their interactions as guests of new communities. We have the best students to teach and guide through their high school years and including this tour in our curriculum ensures amazing lifetime memories!”
