Western’s Film and Video Festival lacks the glamour of Hollywood, but that’s how the film makers want it. Instead of focusing on money and the bottom line, they can focus on the art of film making.

The festival kicked off last night by featuring seven short films from independent Nashville filmmakers.

The festival will showcase films by Louisville filmmakers and Western students.

“It’s just like a photo or an art show, except we’re showing films and videos,” said Cory Lash, director of the festival and associate professor of journalism and broadcasting.

The festival is an opportunity for people to see films they wouldn’t see on commercial television or cable, Lash said.

Lash started the festival nine years ago as an opportunity for students to display their work, and it’s been growing ever since.

About 15 Western students have entered work in the festival this year. Some have entered their work in the competition, but others just want their work to be screened.

“It’s good for them to see their work on the big screen,” Lash said. “Things look a little different than they do on the small screen.”

Independent filmmakers from Louisville will be showing their work tonight. There will also be two workshops on independent film making and producing at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday in fine arts center room 146.

Student films and projects will be shown on Wednesday and Thursday night, and awards for the competition will be presented Thursday night.

Many of the students are looking forward to displaying their work on the big screen.

“It gives me a chance to show off my work and see how it’s perceived by other people,” said Georgetown senior Joshua Niedwick, who submitted a fiction piece that runs almost 12 minutes – one of the longer pieces of the festival.

Niedwick said movies shown at film festivals are different than movies seen at theaters.

“You go to a movie theater and it’s Hollywood pumping out movies in order to make money,” he said. “At a film festival, you throw away the whole money making thing and focus on storytelling.”

Erlanger senior Stephen Kertis submitted three pieces to the festival this year, including a music video and a short film.

“This is always a real fun week,” Kertis said. “It’s important to see what other people on campus are doing in whatever it is they’re studying.”

All films are shown at 7 p.m. today through Thursday in DUC Theater. Admission is free.

BEGINITAL Reach Jocelyn Robinson at [email protected].