Dawson Film Festival May 24

Whether it’s filming, dancing, singing or planning, smiles are always beaming in Kim Simard and Terryll Loffler’s Integrative Activity classes. These graduating students took it upon themselves to change Media Night to the Dawson Film Festival, which is a “necessary change” according to the graduates.

Since the early 1990’s, Media Night, the biannual, consistently sold-out festival is where Dawson College students have the opportunity to showcase their best films and win prizes. Although the Dawson Film Festival is similar to the cherished Media Night, this innovative change includes singing and dancing to give it more of a musical feel.

Although Media Night has had its fair share of changes since its first appearance when Simard was a student in the 1990’s, as the current co-chair of the department, she welcomes yet another change to ensure that students can “celebrate in the most extravagant way possible.”

Currently, ticket holders can watch the festival in Dawson College’s theatre located on the corner of Atwater and de Maisonneuve Boulevard. However, as the theatre was only opened in 2007 students like Simard in the late 1990’s watched their films in venues outside of the college walls.

Maggie Fortin, a student organizer, explains the motivation for the rebranding and says “we wanted to make something truly unique and special… to move away from ‘Media Night’ and create a genuine show.” Fortin also indicates that changing the name of the festival would add to its “uniqueness.”

Juliana Salerno, another student organizer, agrees with Fortin, yet is also excited for the memories and nostalgia that this festival will provide for its audience. She added that it will not only be a fun and comedic night, but she also describes this festival as being nostalgic. Salerno explains the motivation behind this decision as being “fun to go back and reminisce on everything we’ve done including where we started from as we’re graduating and growing up.”

The co-chair of the department, Kim Simard, wishes to congratulate her students. She is amazed by the efforts that they are making. “Their talent, teamwork and passion will surely be spoken about for years to come,” she states.

– By Brendan Schwartz, student in the Cinema | Communications profile of Arts, Literature & Communication  

Image by Kai Frare and Terryll Loffler