"NEVER EVER" - 2012 Best of the Festival from Surrey International Film Fest. on Vimeo.
It was 2006 that a pair of budding Surrey filmmakers started the Surrey High School Film Festival.
Founders Glen Chua and Tim Reyes had a vision: To not only nurture emerging filmmakers from local high schools, but provide a venue where they could exhibit their work.
Six years later, the pair must feel like they're in their own after-school-special.
The festival, now called the Surrey International Film Festival, has grown from a single evening event to to a two-night showcase that includes everything from high school to professional short films.
This years submitted films came from France, Germany, the UK, India and the U.S.
The international work, as well as that of young filmmakers from Surrey and around B.C. was showcased June 29-30 at the Surrey Arts Centre.
Prizes were awarded to:
• Neil McAlister, Earl Marriott Secondary - Best Screenplay for "Socks"
• Matthew Furtado, Fleetwood Park Secondary - Best Editing for "The Drink"
• Alicia Mantei, Enver Creek Secondary - Best Cinematography for "Drain"
• Katelyn Mager, W.J. Mouat Secondary - Best Actor for "Never Ever"
• Nicole Provost, W.J. Mouat Secondary - Best Director for "Never Ever"
• Nicole Provost, W.J. Mouat Secondary – Best Film (high school) for “Never Ever”
• Marly Reed, Simon Fraser University – Best Film (post-secondary) for “Beans!”
“Never Ever” from W.J. Mouat won the 2012 Best of the Festival Award.
This year, the winning films will be premiered at the Charles Aidikoff Screening Room in Beverly Hills CA. The Charles Aidikoff Screening Room is a state of the art film theater which, this year, screened the 75 Oscar nominated films for the 2012 Academy Awards. All the showcased high school films will also be a part of the HotchKiss Film Festival next year, taking place in Lakeville, Connecticut.
For more information, check surreyfilmfest.ca