Students to showcase award-winning films

After nearly a year of working behind the scenes in her video production class, Sophia Raphael has found a new passion on the other side of the camera.

"I liked performing and I liked seeing myself on screen," she said. "It was really different than anything I've ever done before."

And she's good at it.

Raphael, 17, won Best Actress for her role in two student films at this year's Lumiere Film Festival, the educational portion of the Reno Film Festival.

She also worked with fellow students Haley Simpson, 17, and Samantha Valerius, 16, to produce "A Classic Love Story," which won Best Silent Film.

Bud Kop, 16, Jake Newman, 16,

and Logan Ahl, 16, won Best Science Fiction Film for their creation, "Lord of the Matrix."

"We took characters from the "Lord of the Rings" and "The Matrix" and just kind of put them together," explained Ahl.

Students in Carson High School's video production class submitted 38 entries to the film festival.

"It was a lot of fun to shoot the video," Kop said. "It was probably the most fun that I've had in this class."

Fifteen of them were selected to be among the final 50. They were also awarded Overall Achievement for having the most submissions of any school and the most finalists.

Teacher Brian Reedy said the highlight was seeing the audience reaction to the films.

"People laughed at the right moment and applauded," he said. "People really got into the music video. It was really good for the students to see that."

The community will also have an opportunity to see the students' work at a special showing Wednesday at Western Nevada Community College.

"We want the home folk to see what the kids have done and see their reaction," Reedy said.

The evening will feature the 38 entries as well as a public-service announcement and the video of last year's "Every 15 Minutes" production. The entire showing should last about 90 minutes.

An entrance fee of $2 for members of the public and $1 for students will go toward and end-of-the-year pizza party.

Contact Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or at 881-1272.