By Nicholas Bender
A family-oriented film festival will soon give local filmmakers the chance to show off their cinematic skills.
'Film is a huge part of the culture here in Utah thanks to Sundance and other film festivals,' said Sarah Bell, a festival co-chairperson. 'We just wanted to bring it more into the family sphere.'
The First Night Film Festival will allow moviemakers of all ages to compete in five different categories including youth comedy, youth drama, general comedy, general drama and documentary.
The idea for the festival developed as interest in the film industry in the region has grown, Bell said.
Recent independent film successes, such as 'Napoleon Dynamite' and 'Saints and Soldiers,' have sparked new interest in filmmaking among young people, said Gideon Burton, a BYU professor of literature and film.
'These sorts of things are cropping up all over the country,' Burton said. 'I...think that we''ve got a lot of 16-year-olds out there with video cameras, and they''re eager to show off what they can do.'
Festival organizers agree and have concentrated on attracting teenagers, providing them with a unique forum to compete with peers.
'We really wanted the younger kids to have an opportunity to show what they''ve done,' Bell said. 'A lot of times, they''re just not able to compete, especially here in Utah with the older crowd. So we have a couple of special categories that are just for the under-17-age kids.'
Festival judges will focus on originality and quality, but organizers don''t want any films with religious connotations.
The festival will take place Dec. 31 at the Provo Arts Center on 425 W. Center St. Films must be submitted by Dec. 20 with a $5 submission fee.
'If would like the opportunity to network,' Bell said, 'this is the place to be.'