Five Palm Beach County Schools Among Finalists In 16th Annual International Film Festival

The Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission has announced the finalists of the 16^th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival’s Student Showcase of Films (SSOF). The SSOF is the largest statewide film competition for Florida students with more than $10,000 in cash and scholarships awarded to high school and college students enrolled in film and television programs. 

Entries are judged by industry professionals from around the United States and winning student films will be screened in their entirety during the film festival on Sunday, March 27 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at The Movies of Delray. 

“Entries are at an all-time high; with 287 entries in this year’s competition, we have exceeded not only past submission records by 50 percent, but also all our expectations for this year’s competition,” said Chuck Elderd, film commissioner of the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission. 

The placements of the winners for the Feature/Short category will be announced at the March 25 awards ceremony. The finalists from Palm Beach County are: 

Feature/Short, High School

Chaunesey Clemmons, G-Star School of the Arts, Code Red

Elizabeth Shapiro, Spanish River Community High School, The Dark Room 

1^st Place Commercial/PSA (tie)

Phillip Goldman, Spanish River Community High School, Silly Bandz

Amelia Roslund, Boca Raton Community High School, Elimination of Discrimination 

1^st Place Animation

Tyler Rabinowitz, Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts; Blackbird 

1^st Place Screenwriting (tie)

Jack Healy, Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts; Daniel’s Song

Armaan Uplekar, Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts; The Lost Ones 

1^st Place Poster

Kiaralisse Rivera, South Tech Academy. 

Honoring the legacy of Burt Reynolds, the festival presents an annual scholarship bearing his name, and this year’s finalists for the $5,000 award are Tyler Rabinowitz and Armaan Uplekar, both from the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Presented through Film Florida, SSOF will also award a $500 Sara Fuller Student Scholarship. 

The public will have its own chance to become judges through an additional “Audience Award,” which is given to the film that receives the most votes through online voting. The eight top-scored, eligible films are now available for public viewing. 

Please vote at www.PBFilm.com/studentshowcaseoffilms 

The winners will walk the red carpet and receive awards in front of more than 700 attendees at the professionally produced, live SSOF awards ceremony on Friday, March 25, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Keith C. & Elaine Johnson World Performing Arts Center at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. 

For more information contact Kristi Peacock via e-mail at kpeacock@theodonnellagency.com

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 Public Affairs Contact: Natalia Arenas – (561) 357-7662 – arenasn@palmbeach.k12.fl.us