Film training starting soon for LAFFF Youth Short Film Competition

Film-in-a-day training is headed to Lambton schools this month.

The annual crash course on film production from Never Too Short productions is expected to provide training to nearly 170 students at six or seven elementary and secondary schools in Warwick, Petrolia, Sarnia and Lambton Shores, said Scott Ferguson with the Optimist Club of Forest.

We “try to make sure that we get to a variety of schools” between all local boards, he said.

“That way, we make sure … that kids across the county have access,” he said.

The annual training program was held in different schools, in-person, for the first time last year, after virtual instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pre-pandemic, youngsters age 13 to19 were asked to sign up on their own for a film training workshop in Sarnia.

“Last year’s went very well,” Ferguson said, estimating 150 students across four or five schools received instruction.

“In terms of results, we ended up with over 30 films for the competition,” he said.

The club partners with Forest Kiwanis to host the annual Lambton Food and Film Festival, and every year the event kicks off with the Youth Short Film Competition at Forest’s Kineto Theatre.

Typically, it features entries from participants in the film training.

“They’re very, very good,” Ferguson said.

“Some kids get quite involved in it.”

Categories include comedy, drama, Franco Fier, animation and Mino Bimaadiziwin. Films can be entered in any language, including French, English and Ojibway, organizers said.

Details about the May 25 screening and submission details are available at kineto.ca/youth-film-festival.

The festival’s return last year, from a COVID-19-related hiatus, also went well, Ferguson said.

“I think people were happy with it,” he said. “I would say that was kind of the first step in terms of getting back to something more normal.”

This year’s May 25-28 festival features high teas, mural walks, street music, a town-wide garage sale, street festival, restaurants and shopping.

Nine films are being screened during the three days. Details are at kineto.ca/lafff.

“We’re building up this year … trying to make it something that really brings the whole community together,” Ferguson said, noting one of the new additions are blocks for chalk drawing in the middle of a closed-off main street.

Artists also will be on hand to sell their wares, and some are creating murals featuring historical and cultural details about the community, he said.