Two CSULB Films Screen at KCET’s Annual Fine Cut Festival at The Montalbán
More than 20 years ago, Jack Larson approached KCET with the idea of creating a student film series that would provide talented students with the opportunity to have their short films aired on television. He believed public television to be an excellent platform for providing critical visibility to emerging filmmakers. Each year after, KCET hosted the KCET Fine Cut Festival of Films featuring short films made by top student filmmakers throughout Southern California. Now in its 23rd year, the festival returned to an in-person screening of Fine Cut finalists on the rooftop of the historic Hollywood theater, The Montalbán. Among the finalists for 2022 festival were two films produced at CSULB, I Love You, Your Kamo, directed and produced by Isaac Kau & Ian Lima and Twin Aces directed by Jozeven June and Produced by Parvathi Devi, Nayeli Quiroz, and Seia Watanabe. The two films were broadcasted on KCET in the “Pairs” programming on September 28th and on Link TV on September 29th. Films were also made available on the PBS app as well as the Fine Cut website following their broadcasting debut.
The CSULB filmmakers on each of these films were incredibly excited for the opportunity to direct a film after spending their junior year in the height of the global pandemic, with limited to no access to film equipment and adapted lessons and filming at home with self-owned equipment. The documentary film I Love You, Your Kamo tells the story of A 93-year old Taiwanese widow who recounts her love story with her late husband and the sacrifices they made for their children while 6,891 miles apart. This story was incredibly personal to director and producer Isaac Kau as it was his own grandmother who was at the center of the story. Kau shares “It is such an honor for our film to be included among talented peers’ works all around SoCal. I hope our film can help embolden other BIPOC student filmmakers to understand and tell their own families’ stories.”
The narrative film Twin Aces depicts the story of fraternal twins who in desperate need to pay for their mother’s surgery, attempt to con an underground poker game run by a dangerous crime family. Director Jozeven June and Producer Parvathi Devi share that the acceptance to film festivals is “such an honor, we both started from the very beginning when it was just an idea. The overall production felt incredibly professional- a credit to the crew and people on set who were passionate and knew what they were doing. It feels great to be seen and have our film be recognized.” Jozeven and Parvathi shared a special bond in making this film as they were friends since their first year of film school at CSULB and had a lot of experiences filming together on other student productions previously. Overall, their cast and crew consisted of individuals who knew each other from their first day in the department, a testament to the importance of collaboration and the bonds formed in film school. Parvathi recalls production of the film where “everyone came to set with 100% readiness and all equally passionate about the project.”
The ability to produce a short film in film school is an incredible opportunity for emerging filmmakers and artists eager to tell their unique stories and share them with the world. To be acknowledged for their work and accepted into film festivals is an incredible honor and represents hours and hours of hard labor and dedication to complete a film successfully. At the Film & Electronic Arts Department we continue to celebrate our students and alumni, their successes and the change and unique perspective they bring to the industry and the world in which we live.
