Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) is thrilled to present the thirteenth annual Maine Mayhem Film Festival. Created 13 years ago by Communications & New Media Studies Professor Corey Norman and student Jimmy Crocco, the festival is designed to spotlight the fantastic work done by CNMS students at SMCC.
Students get the unique, real-world experience of handling the creation of the films, as well as the running of the festival and the event promotion, all part of a year-end capstone project. “Many schools put an emphasis on video projects within the classroom, but by taking the films out of the classroom and into the public eye, it provides students with an even more equitable experience that helps propel their professional career,” CNMS Professor Corey Norman said. “This is a unique experience that is unlike any other educational opportunity for filmmakers in New England.”
The festival also affords students a fantastic opportunity to showcase their talent and hard work to the public. “Maine Mayhem helps prepare students for the next level of their professional careers. Mayhem alumni have gone on to work for Academy Award-winning films like CODA and Knives Out, reality television programming like Deadliest Catch, North Woods Law and Naked and Afraid, and have used their Mayhem films to get into prestigious films programs at USC, Emerson and SCAD,” Norman said.
This year’s festival promises to be as exciting as the previous festivals. Mayhem returns to multiple locations this year: Nickelodeon in Portland, Magic Lantern in Bridgton and the Bangor Art Exchange.
- May 11 – Nickelodeon Cinema (Portland) 6 (SOLD OUT) & 8:45 p.m. – BUY TICKETS
- May 12 – Magic Lantern (Bridgton) 6 p.m. – BUY TICKETS
- May 13 – Bangor Art Exchange (Bangor) 7 p.m. – BUY TICKETS
Secondly, all six films in the festival are directed by female filmmakers for the first time—some fantastic storytelling from our students. “Watching students grow throughout their time here at SMCC is why I teach,” Norman said. “And see no greater growth than watching a student evolve through the Maine Mayhem process.”
You can follow Maine Mayhem Film Festival on the Facebook Page.
At each venue, this year’s event will begin with several short animations before moving on to the main event; five short films framed by an interstitial story. This year’s films are: The Vase, Shadow Nightmare, Go to Hell!, The City of Servers, The Antique and Pitch Fest.
The Vase
- Director: Michaella Tillo
- Producer: Christopher Carpenter, Michaella Tillo
- Synopsys: Walter is a boy prepared for the world to end. Warren is a girl prepared for her world to begin. On Thanksgiving, Walter has to right his wrong of forgetting to deliver a vase to his Mom’s friend before his family finishes dinner. When Walter ends up on Warren’s doorstep, this miscommunication for Walter becomes an opportunity for Warren to escape her home life.
Shadow Nightmare
- Director: Macie Beaudet
- Producer: John Comeau, Macie Beaudet
- Synopsys: Riley and George have been friends their whole lives. The problem is, George isn’t real. He’s Riley’s imaginary friend, and he’s not happy that she’s trying to move on.
Go to Hell!
- Director: Emma Jordan
- Producer: Griffin Cardale, Gabriel Hirst, Emma Jordan
- Synopsys: Lydia’s childhood best friend Brad has just been murdered and left by the side of the road, and it’s left her with overwhelming guilt concerning the rocky end of their friendship. When she makes her way to their childhood clubhouse, he is waiting there, incorporeal, and begging for her help. Now, he has nine days to remember who killed him and right his wrongs, or he’ll be sent to purgatory… forever.
The City of Servers
- Director: Elora Griswold
- Prodroducer: Elora Griswold
- Synopsys: Everyone knows Maine is the way life should be, and many people who come to visit Portland’s robust “foodie” scene tend to agree. Yet the working class of Portland– who feel constrained by low wages, limited housing, and gentrification –know the way Portland is marketed is not the way life really is.
The Antique
- Director: Hannah Perry Shepherd
- Producer: Hannah Perry Shepherd
- Synopsys: The Antique is a heartwarming story about twin sisters trying to save their family home from foreclosure after their mother dies. The only chance they have to afford the payments is if their mother’s treasured antique is worth anything. During their journey to get it appraised on a famous show, the sisters come to terms with their relationships with a complicated mother and each other.
Pitch Fest (Interstitials)
- Dir: Kira Laine Kennedy, Kayla Harding
- Prod: Kira Laine Kennedy, Kayla Harding
- Synopsys: Two producers, Carrie and Terry, spend their day listening to fellow dreamers pitch their idea for the next big film. But unbeknownst to them, they’ll hear the good, the questionable, and even the disturbing, all in the quest to green-light the perfect film.
“I couldn’t be more proud of all the hard work these students put in both on and off screen,” Norman said. “From an educational standpoint, there’s nothing quite like Mayhem. The learning transcends the classroom, and at the end of the day, it becomes far less about the grade and more about realizing your creative potential.”
We hope to see you there!