HURRICANE RESIDENT'S SHORT FILM TO BE SCREENED AT FILM FESTIVAL
Publication: THE HERALD DISPATCH
Published: 4/16/2009
Page: --
Headline: HURRICANE RESIDENT'S SHORT FILM TO BE SCREENED AT FILM FESTIVAL
Byline: CYNTHIA SOTO
HURRICANE, W.Va. -- A short film by Hurricane, W.Va., resident and Winfield High School graduate Sam Holdren will be screened as part of the upcoming Appalachian Film Festival.
Written and produced by Holdren and directed by Jon Barr, the film "The Paradigm Shift" is about an activist history professor who assigns his class to design a plan to assassinate the president.
The film has won the following awards: Audience Award at the Main Line Film Festival in Wayne, Pa.; Best Student Narrative at the Peace On Earth Film Festival in Chicago; Best Student Film (college/university) from the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival in Des Moines, Iowa; and Best Actor for H. Michael Walls, also at the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival.
Holdren, 30, is a graduate of West Virginia State College and Temple University, where he received his master's degree in film and media arts in May 2008. Following graduation last fall, Holdren returned to Putnam County and has since expanded his professional services to include production management, script consultation and general production consulting.
"I've been very fortunate to be able to have things I've written, directed or produced viewed around the country and have people actually enjoy them," he said. Holdren also serves on the board of directors of the West Virginia Filmmakers Guild, whose efforts include bringing more filmmaking opportunities to the state.
With various upcoming projects on the horizon, Holdren says he wears many hats from month to month. Traditionally, Holdren said many young filmmakers make the move to Los Angeles right out of school to try to get their start in film.
"If there's a way that I can stay in West Virginia and work, whether it's on things outside or inside West Virginia, that would be wonderful," Holdren said.
The screening event will take place at 10 p.m. Friday, April 24, in Huntington at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, 925 4th Ave. This will be the film's eighth festival screening.
