One of the most popular and most talked about events of the year returns to the Snite Museum of Art on Friday, Saturday and Monday as the 12th annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival rolls into action.

The event has more than tripled in popularity since its humble beginnings in 1989, according to Film, Television and Theatre professor Ted Mandell.

"Back when we started, we'd get crowds of 50 or 60 people," he said. "Now, the shows sell out. It's really a reward for the filmmakers' effort, because a film is a labor of love, with the shooting, casting, editing and re-editing that goes into it."

The production is also a great educational opportunity for the students. The festival gives the students the chance to gauge a large audience's reaction to their work.

"You could have 200-300 people laughing at one joke or scene, and have dead silence at another," Mandell said. "You never get to see what really works until a crowd watches it."

While close to 150 films are produced every year in the department's four production classes (taught by professor/head of production Jill Godmilow, assistant professional specialist Bill Donaruma and Mandell), time constraints play a large role in deciding which ones appear in the festival.

"There were many worthy films that didn't make it [into the festival] because of time constraints," Mandell said.

This weekend's show offers more lighthearted fare than in previous years. While last year's festival will probably be remembered for its heavily sociopolitical and provocative works, many of this year's films are documentaries or comedies. The program is not all humorous, though. The edgier, dramatic films offer moments of poignancy and reflection (and even confusion) which offset some of the more "easily digestible" works. Also, some of the films contain mature adult content. The end result is a fresh and entertaining variety of student achievement that is definitely worth seeing.

This popular event has found its niche in the last weekend in January, consistently selling out the past several years. With showings at 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. each night, the festival is expected to sell out again. Tickets are $4 and available in LaFortune.

Blind Date #42

Directed by Rick Silvestrini, a senior from Rockton, Ill., and Charlie Holden-Corbett, a senior from Traverse City, Mich., this comedy occurs during a blind date between two 20-somethings and is filmed entirely within an apartment.

The camera often holds the same shot for extended periods of time, drawing attention to the two actors and their dialogue. This establishes a voyeuristic feel of an observer, rather than an omnipresent view that several camera angles would establish. Also, it forces the viewer to focus on the dialogue of the actors, especially the fumbling, awkward attempts at conversation that reinforce how a blind date can go terribly wrong (or right).

The viewer actually feels the discomfort of the subjects on the screen. A bizarre yet entertaining twist makes this particular engagement very different from what anyone could ever anticipate.

Two in the Smoker

Sean Daily, a 2000 graduate from Los Gatos, Calif. directs this humorous slice-of-life documentary about the fishermen of the St. Joseph River in South Bend. Shot in high-end digital video, this technically skillful work features such testimonies as discourses from die-hard fishermen and a game warden's explanation of how to catch fishing violators while going undercover.

The film contains a lot of subtle humor, often due to the efforts of alum Andrew McDonnell, the "interviewer" of this documentary. The real treats, though, are the regular fishermen of the river who reveal their obsession with the sport and their views on life (which are often tied up in the same themes).

Subjects range from the sex of a fish, tying a fly and bleeding fish, to "expert opinions" from the fishermen concerning the authenticity of the fishing scenes in "A River Runs Through It." This film will get a few chuckles from any viewer.

Six Degrees of Chicks, Dicks, Dope, and Old Folk

This film, directed by Dan Nowak, a junior from Des Plaines, Ill., is reminiscent of Kevin Smith's independent movie Clerks, with raunchy dialogue and explicit sexual bantering between friends.

It concerns a single story (which nobody is really positive actually happened) told by four different people in four different conversations. The film rotates among four different private discussions (girls drinking coffee, adolescent males at a gas station, the middle of a drug deal and naïve mothers talking over a cup of tea…hence the title).

The verbal connections and scene editing are clever, with one particular bit that will be sure to get a reaction from the entire audience. Also, every character seems to be talking about another character in a different scene, which unifies the whole story. Watching how some scenes play off others provides another high point of the film.

Time and Temperature

This documentary, directed by Beth Leliaert, a senior from Osceola, Ind., and Andy Gregar, a senior from South Bend, tells about the feud between an insurance agent and the local government in the "sleepy bedroom community" of Osceola.

Essentially, successful insurance agent Randy has erected an expensive sign that flashes the time and temperature, unknowingly violating the town ordinance against blinking signs. Members of local government (and one of Randy's competitors) are none too pleased about this wanton disregard of town law.

The portrayal of real people's reactions to a minor dispute makes this film interesting, and the subtle innuendoes that surface reveal all the issues that a simple sign can raise. Polite opinions eventually become mild accusations of a "good ol' boy system" and "another Las Vegas."

The editing of the film is well done, with shots of other business signs "dangerously close" to violating city law and the declarations of each subject juxtaposed as if the speakers were debating each other. It's a very witty presentation of small-town politics and the people that get caught up in them.

Josephine

Kara Zuaro, a senior from Bethpage, NY, and Chris Jara, a 2000 graduate from South Bend, direct this narrative about the young life of an ambitious self-starter.

The film documents her Italian upbringing (Godfather movies and a quirky father), clashes with authority in high school and experiences at a highly conservative university (aka Notre Dame). Basically, it focuses on how the young woman overcomes a succession of obstacles.

The story itself isn't the main message, but how it serves to present the personality of the central character within it. The film is narrated by the character's mother who, in an affectionate yet truthful tone, interjects her personal opinions among the description of events transpiring in the film.

The running commentary helps the viewer to identify with the main character in the situations encountered during the story. Even if the description is brimming with a mother's love, it presents enough objectivity to effectively reveal much more about the protagonist than what can be observed from her visible actions.

The Death of Gwyneth Paltrow

Larice Woods, a 2000 graduate from Austin, Texas, and Joey Leniski, a 2000 graduate from Mishawaka, direct this edgy, scathing portrayal of society's devotion to entertainment and public figures. The film takes an absurd concept and uses it to mirror the none-too-absurd implications reflected in the real world.

When Hollywood's sweetheart is killed in a random car accident, her "guardian angel" is put on trial for criminal neglect. The public outrage and ensuing legal proceedings continue in an almost surreal manner, with a news reporter giving a running account of the prisoner's transfer with eerily objective comments such as "this is the first time a divine being has stood trial under human law."

Incredibly, the above events don't seem as improbable when placed in the context of this film, painting a very disturbing picture of how a society as a whole can so easily throw aside religion for the sake of a personality — someone whom they have never met. The resolution of this far-fetched situation is powerfully and uncompromisingly delivered.

Other films included (but not limited to) in the 13-film production are:

Hash Brown Blues

Directed by Tom Repetto, a senior from Norwood Park, Ill., and David Chamberlin, a 2000 graduate from Indianapolis, here is the story about a young blues musician and his travels "on the road."

The Paper

Directed by Scott Blaszak, this is the story of a modern-day Charlie Chaplin trying to turn in a final paper before the deadline, despite mishaps that occur along the way.

These eight films were made available for Scene to review. Five other student directed films will be shown during the 110 minute presentation.

• 2001 Notre Dame Student Film Festival