Cinematic storytelling has the power to captivate and inspire audiences, and that’s what Grove City College’s Department of Communication & Visual Arts plans on bringing to the campus community again this year. The third annual Lux Mea Film Festival will make its anticipated return to the college at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 29 in Crawford Auditorium. 

The film festival, hosted by students in an advanced Communication Arts course, has featured over a dozen student-produced, short films each year since its debut in spring 2021. The event is entirely created and organized by students enrolled in Professor Gregory Bandy’s Special Events and Promotions class. 

Attendees who purchased festival passes are encouraged to attend the red-carpet reception, a new opportunity this year in which the public in attendance can meet the student filmmakers following the two-hour premiere. The after-party will be held at 9:30 p.m. in Carnegie Alumni Center. 

Bandy, whose previous event planning experience includes Asbury University’s own Highbridge Film Festival, decided to arrange a similar event at Grove City College to bring together the student body and local community every spring for years to come. 

“It’s just a great community event to experience a campus audience reacting to original student stories,” he said. 

Lux Mea Film Festival is named for the motto of the college, meaning “My Light.” The festival exists to illuminate truth through films by featuring the work of student narratives. 

Bandy stressed the importance of filmmaking and how more students should use their natural gifts to start becoming involved in the craft. 

“Learning to tell stories that matter is increasingly important in our culture and society. The skill is needed at all levels and in all areas,” Bandy said. “And in my humble opinion, I think it’s the quintessential liberal arts experience — it involves, writing, drama, art, music, technology, math, psychology and problem-solving skills at a major level.” 

With each new year comes new student talent to the festival. 

Junior Luke Owen said he “fell in love with filmmaking” when one of his friends approached him for working together on a short film after offering Owen the role of director of photography. 

“Since then, I have turned my newfound hobby into a business, acquiring all the necessary equipment and shooting professionally as a freelancer,” Owen said. 

Last year, Owen shared the award of Best Cinematography with junior Aaron Phillips for “The Things Above,” a thriller short film. 

Junior Elliot Eyre, who won Best Original Score also for “The Things Above” last April, said he is looking forward to attending the Lux Mea Film Festival once again. 

“This year’s film festival is going to be insane for student films, the increase in quality is about to go up exponentially yet again and I absolutely cannot wait to see what comes out this year.” 

All Grove City College students are welcome to submit their film projects from April 10 through April 17, the deadline being 12 p.m. The film submission form is available on the Lux Mea website. Further criteria for entries can be found at luxmeafilmfestival.com/submissions for students planning to participate. 

“Every artist was once an amateur. I would hope attendees see the value in supporting student filmmakers. I tell my students to remember, that all these tedious tasks of a visual storyteller can all come together to change someone’s life,” Bandy said. 

Tickets for the festival go on sale Monday, April 17 in the Breen Student Union. For more information about the Lux Mea Film Festival or how to submit films to the event, visit the festival website luxmeafilmfestival.com or contact us at luxmeafilmfest@gmail.com.