Lander University Film Festival and Short Film Competition

Lander University will present its 15th Annual Lander University Film Festival from March 18 – March 22, 2025. The festival celebrates film and encourages all aspects of filmmaking. The 2025 event includes a short film competition, which kicks off with a workshop on Thursday, February 27. SC Humanities supported the festival with a Mini Grant.

For 14 years, the Lander University Film Festival has brought an array of participants together to learn about film and tell stories about the South. The 2025 festival will continue in this tradition and enhance knowledge about how film is a key aspect of the humanities and storytelling.

As part of the festival, Lander University is pleased to offer the Short Film Competition. This competition provides today’s filmmakers with an opportunity to push their storytelling boundaries while showcasing their love of cinematography. A required kickoff workshop for entrants will be held on Thursday, February 27, at 4:30 p.m. on the campus of Lander University. While at the kickoff, participants will receive a unique line of dialogue that they are required to use in their five-minute film. Filmmakers will then have ten days to produce, edit and perfect their submission, which is due by March 9. All participants must attend the kickoff to be eligible to compete. This will provide competitors with the information they will need to create their films and allow them to discuss their passion with professionals in the filmmaking business. There will be three divisions of competitions, which include a High School, College and Open Division. The registration fee is $20 for the College and High School Division and $25 for the Open Division. Filmmakers interested in participating can visit the official Lander University Film Festival website for detailed guidelines and to sign up: www.landerfilmfestival.com.

The festival events include:

Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | 6:30-8pm
Dr. Dan Harrison, Sociology professor, will present and discuss a short, older “Southern” film
Lander University, Barratt Hall 126
This session will feature a showing and discussion of the film-noir classic, The Big Sleep (1946, directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall). Dr. Daniel Harrison, Lander University Professor of Sociology, and founder of the Greenwood Film Society, will host and moderate the event.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 | 4-5:30
Dr. Walter Iriarte, Media and Communication professor, will present on “Drones and Film”
Lander University, Barratt Hall 126
Dr. Iriarte will present on drone cinematography.  Specifically, his presentation will demonstrate how camera technology began as an artistic/creative endeavor in contrast to drone tech harnessing political, tactical, and algorithmic calculations.  Dr. Iriarte’s continued work in using drone films continues to challenge and, possibly, reverse the usage of drone cinematography as a way of bringing the innovation of cameras back to its creative roots.

Thursday, March 20, 2025 | 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Dr. Misty Jameson, English Professor, will present: “Monster Culture, Drive-Ins, and Roger Corman.”
Lander University, Barratt Hall 126

Dr. Misty Jameson’s presentation, “Monster Culture, Drive-Ins, and Roger Corman,” will discuss the rise of monster culture and drive-in theaters in America and explain how these two cultural phenomena intersected with the early career of filmmaker and producer Roger Corman (1926-2024). Through examining Corman’s films such as It Conquered the World (1956) and Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957), along with later selections such as The Wasp Woman (1959) and X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes (1963), her presentation will look at how Corman’s films participated in the new monster culture of the time, helped shape the drive-in aesthetic, and also helped set the standard for independent science fiction and horror to come.

Thursday, March 20, 2025 | 6:30-7:30
Gui Agustini will present on Voice Over acting for XMEN ’97
Lander University, Barratt Hall 126
Agustini, an actor, director and producer who attended Lander University, will present his experiences and knowledge on filmmaking, acting and voice-over acting. He will primarily focus his discussion on his recent role as “Sunspot” in XMEN’97. “Gui’s performance adds a dynamic layer to the timeless saga, promising audiences an unforgettable journey into the heart of heroism and resilience.” (pop-culturist.com)

Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 4:30 – 6 pm
Short Film Screening and Reviews
Lander Cultural Center Auditorium
Selected films from the Short Film Competition will be shown on Saturday, March 22, at the Lander University Film Festival, allowing filmmakers to showcase their films to the public. First place winners of each division will receive a cash prize of up to $200, with smaller cash prizes for second and third place.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c)3 organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos, and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually. South Carolina Humanities receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors. The National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.