TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN9) — In the dimly lit corridors of the bright pink set, University of Arizona senior Linda Varela stands behind the camera with her crew. She's filming her senior thesis piece called "I'm just trying to help," which will be shown at the end of the year at the Fox Tucson Theater.
The university's School of Theatre, Film & Television was recently ranked 7th in the nation among public universities in The Wrap's sixth annual list of top 50 film schools. The school is also ranked 25 out of 50 overall.
Professor Lisanne Skyler said it's an outstanding acheivement for all students and staff.
“We are so proud, very proud," she said. "It’s a very close knit community of faculty scholars and filmmakers all just working together to tell really unique personal and socially impactful stories.”
For the students on Varela's film set, they are incredibly grateful for the experience they've received at the school.
“Across the board the faculty is really good at helping students find their voices," Varela said.
In the last year, the student films received over 30 invitations to film festivals across the world including London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival and the Urbanworld Film Festival in New York. And many students land internships and jobs with prominent directors and production companies.
The student films like Varela's involved collaboration from the theatre program. One of the actors in Varela's film, Michael Laverde has the chance to act on screen and on camera.
“It creates this group experience that everyone can share, laugh and cry to," Laverde said. And I think it’s something we all desperately need so it’s exciting to be on set.”
For students like Varela and Laverde, the film school is more than just a major.
“The films that we make, especially now are going to be records of what the world was like," Varela said. "It’s important to me because I feel like I was always meant to be a storyteller.“
The films made by the students throughout the year will be shown at the Fox Tucson Theater in May. For more information head to the schools website.
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