A sold-out Fremont Theater showcased seven short films created by Cal Poly students Monday night, part of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival’s student program. The screening highlighted hands-on learning and offered a public platform for young filmmakers to turn classroom projects into festival-ready work.
Most entries came from teams enrolled in interdisciplinary and art courses taught by Randi Barros and James Werner. Students from ISLA 340 (Storytelling), ISLA 341 (Cinematic Process) and ART 483 (Narrative Video) developed concepts, handled production duties and delivered the final cuts themselves—writing, casting, designing promotional artwork and mixing sound.
The seventh piece, produced by the Mustang Film Society, closed the evening. Before the lights dimmed, Barros and Werner addressed the crowd, underscoring the educational value of seeing work screened in a community setting.
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The program drew a lively audience: attendees cheered during opening and closing credits and filled the theater to capacity. After the films, cast and crew from each project took the stage for a candid Q&A, discussing creative choices and the practical challenges of student filmmaking.
Across the lineup, recurring themes included connection, grief, friendship and the small, awkward moments of college life. Technical approaches varied—some films leaned on intimate performances, others on editorial construction or visual comedy—offering a compact survey of emerging student voices.
- Pen Pals — A tender portrait of an intergenerational relationship told through letters between a young girl and her grandmother.
- Squares — A conversational piece set at a café, unfolding through shared journal entries that build toward a first meeting.
- Teddy — A bittersweet drama about siblings navigating split custody and the small rituals that keep family bonds alive.
- Flatline — A grief-driven story of a boy coping with his father’s death, notable for its fluid editing and tonal shifts.
- Career Fair — Set against a Pilipino Club event, this film explores friendship and rivalry as two students vie for club leadership.
- Girl Neighbors — A light-hearted campus comedy about new neighbors, game night and awkward hospitality that earned laughs from the crowd.
- You Jump, I Jump — A Mustang Film Society piece tracing a high school friend group through the misadventures of a game night.
Student reactions reflected the variety on screen. Environmental science senior Ioan Street praised Flatline for its seamless narrative flow, describing it as pieces of a puzzle coming together. Psychology senior CJ Taylor commended the cinematography and storytelling across several films and singled out Girl Neighbors for its humor.
Several viewers pointed to the relatability of films set in college environments. Public health junior Katelyn Crossman highlighted the witty character moments in Girl Neighbors, while marine science student Lina Massa said she connected with both Girl Neighbors and Career Fair because they reflected familiar campus dynamics.
For classmates who appear on screen, the premiere was emotional. Biology sophomore Mio Khuyag said seeing friends act “who she hadn’t expected to” was a surprising highlight. Business administration junior Allayah Phan described Teddy as particularly moving, and forest and fire sciences student Meghan O’Malley said she was brought to tears by both Teddy and Pen Pals.
Architecture freshman Kaui Delossantos found the Mustang Film Society’s closing film nostalgic, noting how it evoked memories of high school friendships and the small rituals that tie people together.
Faculty and students framed the screening as more than a one-night event: it’s a practical extension of coursework where failure and experimentation are visible and instructive. For the campus and local community, the evening demonstrated how student-driven projects can contribute to the region’s cultural calendar and provide a gateway for emerging storytellers.
Organizers said they hope the festival exposure will help participating students build reels, connect with peers and industry mentors, and pursue future projects with greater confidence. The evening’s packed house and vocal response suggest the work resonated beyond the classroom—and that Cal Poly’s film initiatives continue to draw attention from both campus and community audiences.
