Bensalem High hosts annual Ryan K. Wilson Memorial Owls Television Network Film Fest
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
It was the next best thing to the Oscar Awards on the evening of Tuesday, April 9, when the community convened in Bensalem High School’s auditorium for the 15th annual Ryan K. Wilson Memorial OTN Film Fest.
While guests weren’t donning the latest fashion-forward ball gowns, each arrived bearing something else — the unforgettable memory of Wilson, an avid film buff and member of the school’s Owls Television Network who passed away in 2007, three years after graduating.
“His parents asked us to always keep his name alive, so that’s what I did,” said OTN teacher/director, CJ Mills, on beginning the Film Fest 15 years ago.
After Wilson’s passing, his parents started the Ryan Wilson OTN Scholarship, a $500 award that’s gifted annually to a BHS student who shares the same, unbridled passion for the art of filmmaking. A portion of proceeds from the Film Fest are donated in his honor.
“It goes to a student like Ryan, who goes above and beyond all the time,” Mills said. “All of the money that was raised at the snack bar, the 50/50, the door, all goes to the Ryan Wilson Scholarship, and then also to the Owls Television Network, for us to buy equipment and anything extra for the kids.”
Cost per ticket was $5, which granted attendees access to view 15 student-made films beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Film Fest is ultimately a competition, open to all Bensalem students who enjoy acting, directing, and editing their own independent films, which this year ran the gamut of genres.
According to Mills, the students began preparing for the Film Fest at the beginning of the school year. They brainstormed ideas, created storyboards, and wrote scripts.
After the audience enjoyed the 15 works, a panel of 11 judges was tasked with the difficult decision of choosing the top five based on a five-category rubrik.
“A lot of them are in the industry,” Mills said of the judges. “I have some guys who are back from L.A., I have some that are working for television stations, doing all that kind of stuff.”
Coming in first place was Happy Anniversary, created by Ethan Fan, Alexis Finazzo, Troy Tevelson, Punit Chudasama, David Phiri, Myka Hoang and Tyler Hoang. The film is a silent movie that chronicles a teenage boy’s quest to surprise his girlfriend on their one-year anniversary. However, when he arrives at her house with the present he bought, he discovers some fishy business — she isn’t being faithful to him. Still, that’s not the craziest twist in the production.
“Turns out, he was cheating on her, so pretty absurdist comedy,” said Mills.
Second place went to Glimpse, made by Rex Zeka, Cierra Jakimowicz, Tara Birnbaum, Alyssa Groves, Taylor Haffner and Aidan Manna. This film shows the regular life of a teenage girl, while exploring what she feels on the inside, battling heaps of anxiety and outbursts of panic. It promotes the message that what you see on the surface isn’t always what’s hidden beneath. You never know what hardships someone is experiencing behind closed doors.
I’m Okay, by Sydney Gold, Dana Lynch and Mayah Henriques, finished in third place. The trio decided to go in a different direction for the competition and film a music video, which showcases the roller coaster we call life through the eyes of the main character. Viewers see her struggles and how she overcomes them.
“That was actually pretty cool,” said Mills. “It was a music video that was written by Sydney Gold’s brother, Matt Gold, who was one of my students and a Film Fest winner when he was here. So he wrote the song, and she did the video for it.”
In fourth place was Blackout by Ashley Hinshaw, Taylor Leonhardt, Kaitlyn Frankowski, Ashley MacQuaid, Kylie Smith and Jayme McVeigh. This story follows a young girl who gets into a car accident and is diagnosed with amnesia, whose friends work tirelessly to help her regain access to her memory.
Last but certainly not least, The Unheard Lifestyle, by Sophie Roberto, Danica Sumbillo, Amber Octaviano and Imani Simmons, finished in fifth place. There are approximately 70 million people who are deaf or hard of hearing all around the world, but many of them go unnoticed. The Unheard Lifestyle follows Roberto, who is deaf, through an average day. It shows Roberto having to text her coffee order at Starbucks and turn on the subtitles while watching a television show.
“She has gone to deaf film camp a couple of years, and this is her first year in a non-deaf high school,” explained Mills.
The students behind the top three films were each awarded a trophy and gift certificate. First place won $150 to Texas Roadhouse, while second and third place won $100 to Applebees and Carrabas, with second place choosing their preference. Also, Fan won best actor for his performance in Happy Anniversary, and Roberto won best actress for her appearance in The Unheard Lifestyle.
In addition to the gift cards provided by the restaurants, Tony’s Pizza in Bensalem and Philadelphia Pretzel Factory both offered discounts at the snack bar.
“The community all chipped in as well,” Mills said.
Each of the Film Fest productions has been submitted to the Greenfield Youth Film Festival, where Bensalem students will compete against more than 300 films at Upper Dublin High School on Wednesday, April 24. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at [email protected]
