Media Arts and Studies students, alum and faculty up front and behind the scenes at 2017 Freep Film Festival

FROM DETROIT WITH LOVE: SHORTS PROGRAM #1 (Showcased at the Detroit Film Theatre, Friday, March 31, 2017)

Detroit filmmaker Ryan Clancy (M.A. Candidate, Media Studies) explores the largest collection of Mies van der Rohe-designed homes in the world, Detroit's Lafayette Park in his film, A Poem of Glass and Steel.

American Prophet, directed by Jasmine Rivera (MAS part-time faculty member and Kresge Arts Fellow), is a docudrama set in 1968 tells the story of real-life Detroit Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, who as a young man is suddenly appointed to a position of great authority - and whose leadership must guide a community in a time of great upheaval and social change. MAS alumni who worked on the production crew of this film include Greg Meyering (Film, 2016), James Wright (Film, 2014), Hayward Crawford (MAS, 2012), Litong Zhen (MAS, 2013), Samuel Kim (Film, 2013) and Robert Monarch (Film, 2016). Media Arts and Studies Area Head, Juanita Anderson is credited as an executive producer on the film.

(Showcased at Emagine Novi, Saturday, April 1)

Panelists included:

Jasmine Rivera was a panelist on the Michigan Film and Digital Media Office's session, "Creativity Matters: Careers in the Film and Creative Industries," at the Marvin and Betty Danto Lecture Hall at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Juanita Anderson moderated a discussion with African American labor activists following the screening of the 1970 documentary Finally Got the News, at the Detroit Historical Museum. (Anderson also moderated a panel discussion with 12th and Clairmount filmmakers on Sunday April 2.)

Behind the Scenes:

Working behind the scenes of the FREEP Film Festival's headliner documentary 12th and Clairmount were two of our current students, Samantha Mannino (MAS, 2017) and Mason Holdwick (Film, 2017). They along with English major Monica Serwinek, helped manage the archiving of home movie footage included in the film, under a directed study led by MAS faculty member, Dr. Karen McDevitt. McDevitt has a screen credit for her coordinating efforts.

For more information about the films and the festival, visit http://freepfilmfestival.com/2017-films/