University of Texas RTF Screenings Highlight Talented Student Filmmakers

By Eduardo Meza-Roquebert

The end of the semester means the start of the University of Texas’ Radio-Television-Film screenings, a showcase of all the work film students have been doing for the past few months.

Free for anyone to attend, the screenings highlight films, games, and animation work from more than 20 classes and allow students to display their work and receive recognition from their peers. The screenings and showcases take place over the course of 5 days and are held at theaters and auditoriums across campus. This semester, they took place from May 2 through 5.

This year, the entries ranged from a comedy about a drum player oblivious to the zombie apocalypse around him to a coming-of-age story about accepting the realities of graduation. Some are emotional and heartfelt pieces from the director, others just something to sit and laugh at.

Each showcase begins with an introduction from the professor of the class before the student films. Every film is played out in its entirety, in a setting mimicking that of a real movie theater, before an audience of family, friends, crew members, and anyone else interested in viewing it.

Afterwards, the filmmakers are brought on stage for a quick Q-and-A session where they’re able to discuss their inspirations and goals with the project and give their thanks to anyone that worked on them.

While the screenings have already wrapped up for this spring, a new batch of films will be ready to be shown this upcoming December for the fall semester.