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The University of Tampa will screen a selection of its students’ best short films, including experimental, narrative, documentary and animated films, on Friday, April 27, at the Black Box Film Festival. The festival begins at 7 p.m. in Reeves Theater, located on the second floor of the Vaughn Center, and is free and open to the public.

The event, hosted by UT’s Department of Film, Animation and New Media, mirrors the department’s curriculum, which includes a full range of film production courses ranging from narrative, documentary and experimental production, to advanced post-production, producing, webisodes and senior seminar.

Also included in the program will be “WolfPack Squad,” a public service announcement to deter distracted driving directed by Dana Plays, professor of film, animation and new media, and filmed and edited by her students in Documentary and Advanced Post Production classes, made at the request of the Tampa Police Department.

The Black Box Film Festival occurs once per semester, and students’ submitted work is selected by UT faculty through a competitive process. To be eligible for submission, the films must have been made at UT for course credit, with priority given to works made during the semester of the show.

A special award ceremony will honor students in a variety of categories, modeled after the Oscars, with awards such as best director, best editor, best performance in a lead acting role and others.

UT has held a film showcase in the communication department for the past 30 years, but in 2008 it was renamed the Black Box Film Festival to recognize the sound stage located in the Cass Building on UT’s campus.

For more information, contact Plays at dplays@ut.edu.

The Department of Film, Animation and New Media offers BFA degrees in film and media arts, animation and new media.