Enter Your Student Film to KCET's 'Fine Cut Festival of Films'
KCET’s annual “Fine Cut Festival of Films” is now accepting submissions. Get a chance to see your film on television this fall and win package prizes in support of your filmmaking journey.
Every year, KCET searches for the best student films across Southern California from filmmakers 18 and up. These films range from documentary, to animation and narrative. Once all entries are in, a panel of industry judges select finalists, which will be fit into four hourlong episodes to be broadcast on KCET.
A tribute to “Fine Cut” founder Jack Larson, an American actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer who may be best known for his portrayal of photographer/reporter Jimmy Olsen in the 1952-1958 television series “Adventures of Superman,” the festival has been giving students an opportunity to show their work to a larger audience for twenty years.
In the late 1990s, Larson approached Southern California’s KCET with the idea of creating a student film series that would provide talented students with the much-needed opportunity to have their short films selected for television broadcast. Larson understood how difficult it was for young filmmakers to get broad exposure for their work because, typically, student work is only seen at special screenings and film festivals. Public television’s mission dovetailed with Larson’s support for emerging filmmakers and together they created “Fine Cut.” In the years hence, “Fine Cut” has been turned into competition, giving away prize packages meant to enhance and support a new generation’s filmmaking career.
In order to participate in this year’s “Fine Cut Festival of Films,” you will need to submit your film on https://filmfreeway.com/FineCut . The film must be 25 minutes or less and you must be a student 18 years and up. Submissions are accepted between April 1st to and June 5th. You will be notified in August if you are one of the select finalists to be part of the broadcast in the fall. The top winners will be announced at the series launch event in September.
You can watch the 2019 winners on kcet.org/finecut:
Jack Larson Southern California Student Filmmaker Award
“The Moon and the Night”
Directed by Erin Lau (Chapman University)
Documentary
“Delay of Game”
Documentary directed by Shaun Dikilato (University of Southern California)
Narrative
“Lalo’s House”
Narrative directed by: Kelley Kali (University of Southern California)
Animation Winner
"Shoot the Moon”
Animation directed by William Rowe (University of California Los Angeles)
Submit your film for the 2020 “Fine Cut Festival of Films” now!