OC film professor and students receive awards and nominations at multiple film festivals
Oklahoma Christian University’s Communication Program can now claim to have the 2022 Film Educator of the Year on faculty. Assistant Professor of Communication Dave Jurney received the award from the Austin Revolution Film Festival last month in Austin, Texas, where he participated in an Educating Filmmakers panel discussion.
In addition, Jurney’s students have also found recent success through participation at ARFF and the Simply Indie Film Festival, earning multiple nominations and awards for the films “Assisted Living,” and “10 Minutes.”
ARFF is in its 10th year, but this is the first year it has honored a film educator. The award recognizes a college-level film educator who exemplifies excellence in all facets of higher education – teaching, mentoring and film production.
At the Simply Indie Film Festival in Edmond recently, OC’s film “Assisted Living” received three nominations, including “Best Oklahoma Film.” The film is about a college student who faces an unfortunate circumstance that leads him to move into an assisted living facility with a cranky, old man.
Two of the actors, David Lee Anderson and Ben Richardson, were nominated for the title of “Best Acting in a Supporting Role” and “Best Acting for a Short Drama,” respectively.
Jurney reacted positively to the nominations for “Assisted Living.”
“I'm so happy to see David Lee Anderson and Ben Richardson get recognized for their work,” Jurney said. “They made the short film, and were fantastic to work with, too.”
Additionally, the film “10 Minutes” had its world premiere at the ARFF. It was one of only 150 selected from 3,000 entries to this prestigious film festival. There, Jurney also participated in an Educating Filmmakers panel discussion, and “10 Minutes” was nominated for “Best U.S. Drama Short.”
“10 Minutes” is about a college student with a bright future who meets a woman who’s long anticipated her death, moments before the world ends. They are both suddenly forced to deal with the weight of mortality while an extinction event kills them and everyone they know.
Jurney also expressed admiration for the OC director of “10 Minutes.”
“I'm happy for everyone that helped make it, but I'm especially happy for Adyson Wessel Engle,” he said.
The film “10 Minutes” will next show at the Sunny Side Up Film Festival, and the film and director have been nominated in six categories.
OC is proud of its successful film students and faculty.
For more information, visit the websites for Simply Indie, Austin Revolution and Sunny Side Up Film Festivals.