heightened the buzz and anticipation surrounding BWFF, in turn, Arts Center and Black Warrior Brewing Company. The locations and influencing the caliber of work produced within the university’s schedule for the 2017 festival will be released closer to the festival filmmaking program. weekend in March. “As with any hometown film festival, you want to be a part of it,” Carlson is interested in arts advocacy, and has been pleasantly Corrao said. “I know my students are thinking about it at the beginning surprised with the level of involvement with the film community here. of the fall semester, plotting and “I’m just impressed,” Carlson said. “I planning the project that they will try didn’t expect to find what I’ve found here, to have completed for submission in the in Tuscaloosa, especially.” spring.” Films in the festival are also eligible to BWFF engages the community win a handful of awards, which include “Black Warrior Film through their partnerships and the typical “bests” for story, sound design, Festival has helped sponsorships as well, which have performance, editing, directing and included the likes of UA Honors cinematography. There’s also an audience cultivate passions I College, the College of Communication award and a few others, recognizing didn’t know I had.” and Information Sciences, New narrative and documentary works. College, Creative Campus, the But the top prize, recently added to the Telecommunication and Film festival last year, is the Holle Award for Department, Steel City Pops and Glory Excellence in Filmmaking. The prize – a Bound Gyro Co., amongst others. healthy $10,000 – is part of the group Although Carlson doesn’t consider of Holle Awards for Excellence and himself a filmmaker, he hopes to work Creativity in Communication presented within arts advocacy. by the College of Communication & Information Sciences. It is selected “[BWFF has] helped cultivate passions I didn’t know I had,” Carlson by a separate panel of professors and industry professionals. Last year, the winner was Julius Damenz, a senior at Lindenwood said. “I hope that I’m helping bringing something to the campus and the University in St. Charles, Missouri, who submitted the short film, community that is needed.” Infinite. An award of this size, rivaling those at other festivals, has
42