Ovation Press Release (For Immediate Release)

Matthew Blankley
Ovation Film Fest Producer
Ovation Film Fest 
mblankley99@gmail.com
848-218-8115


Ovation Film Fest Shines a Spotlight on the Next Generation of Filmmakers.


(Pittsburgh, PA) April 9, 2024 –– On April 24 at 7 p.m., Ovation Film Fest invites audiences to a free night of short films created by Carnegie Mellon University students. Ovation Film Fest’s program celebrates short films about human connection and what it means to be part of a community. The one-night film festival is being held at Simmon B Auditorium at the Tepper School of Business. 




A still from “Dreams” (2023) by Sarah Wille. 


“Student filmmakers create fantastic work; Ovation’s program is a unique lineup of short films that students did independently, for a class, or with a team. However, these short films rarely get seen by the public. I believe these films and the voices of these young filmmakers deserve to be celebrated.” – Matthew Blankley, the festival’s producer. 


Ovation Film Fest includes horror short films, conversations between angels and computers, walks through spaceships, claymation, and arguments over video games. Through the film fest, the creative team hopes the audience will support Carnegie Mellon University's filmmaking community and co-create a new community of artistic supporters. 


“This event is more than just a bunch of short films. We’ve curated this lineup of short films to celebrate the struggles of being a student filmmaker and despite it all, creating fantastic art. It’s an experience we all know too well, but don’t applaud enough.” – Emma Martin, the Artistic Curator of Ovation Film Fest. 


Ovation Film Fest will also include a come-as-you-are networking and community building reception after the short films with complimentary food and drinks. The creators of Ovation Film Fest hope that all audiences will feel welcome to this short film celebration and join in amplifying the next generation of Pittsburgh filmmakers. 


Ovation Film Fest will be Wednesday, April 24th at 7 p.m.. Tickets are free and served first come, first serve. 




A still from “Frequencies” by Carlos E. Martinez (2022). 


The Ovation Film Fest production team includes Matthew Blankley (Festival Producer), Eliot Herron (Creative Director), and Emma Martin (Artistic Curator). Ovation Film Fest will feature the following short films: Dream (Sarah Wille), Found Connections (Caroline Holmes), Frequencies (Carlos E. Martinez), Real Tree Lesbians (Suanna Zhong), The Walk Home (Sofia “Ozzy” Osbourne), Just a Game (Harrison Marks), Computer Angel Podcast (Peggy Shen), Fuckass Door (Vignesh Reddy), Parasitosis (Myers), The Holy Land through a Lens (Nicholas Jun). 


The short film festival will run for 1 hour. 

Content Disclosure: discussions of sexual assault, death, and war. 

Follow @ovationfilmfest on Instagram
https://ovationfilmfest.cargo.site


Contact Matthew Blankley, festival producer
Matthew Blankley
Ovation Film Fest Producer
Ovation Film Fest 
mblankley99@gmail.com
848-218-8115