OCC Festival Will Be Long on Shorts

The award-winning short “Nostalgic” will be among 13 works showcased Friday night at Orange Coast College’s 26th annual Student Film and Video Festival.

The 2 1/2-minute film was made by OCC student Lam Nguyen and focuses on a young Vietnamese man whose nightmare puts him in the center of a war in modern-day Vietnam.

“Nostalgic” won the gold medal at this year’s International Communication Film and Video Festival in Chicago.

“It’s a very powerful and poignant work,” said William Hall, the chair of the OCC film-video department.

“The images Lam uses are striking, and the musical drumbeat that accompanies the footage is very effective. I think our audience will be impressed.”

The annual program “is a valuable showcase for OCC students pursuing film careers,” he said.

The festival reflects the work of more than 150 people who participated in either the technical or creative ends of various projects this year.

About 100 hours of film and video were evaluated for the 2 1/2-hour program, which includes short dramas, comedies, animation, public-service announcements and experimental pieces.

They range in length from two to 20 minutes and, if they were commercial films, would be rated PG-13 or less, Hall said.

“The students have worked diligently for the past eight to 12 months for this evening,” he noted. “It’s the highlight of their academic year.”

* What: Orange Coast College’s 26th annual Student Film and Video Festival.

* When: 7 p.m. Friday.

* Where: OCC’s Fine Arts Hall 119, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa.

* Whereabouts: Exit the San Diego (405) Freeway at Fairview Road; go south. The college is on the right.

* Wherewithal: $3.

* Where to call: (714) 432-5922.