Film still from “Homegoing” (2019)
Light Work’s (UVP) will host , Sept. 3-5. In partnership with , the two-day showcase highlights films by 2020 CNY Short Film Competition winners, including Issack Cintrón, Carlton Daniel, Kathryn Ferentchak and Charles Stulck. The exhibition will be on view at UVP’s outdoor architectural projection site on the facade of the at 401 Harrison St., Thursday through Saturday, from dusk until 11 p.m.
Exhibition patrons visiting the plaza must maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet between individuals at all times, except for groups visiting from the same household. We encourage everyone to wear face masks to safeguard the public health and as an extension of our commitment to help flatten the COVID curve.
“Exhibiting these works is an extension of our commitment to supporting emerging artists,” says Urban Video Project director Anneka Herre. “We are excited to offer this unique public platform to graduates of film programs from area universities, including ϲ and SUNY Oswego. We extend our congratulations to this year’s award recipients and wish them success with their future projects and careers.”
is an annual contest open to recent graduates of local colleges and universities and permanent area residents with a background in film or media production. The competition seeks to provide aspiring filmmakers with the resources and training necessary to develop and produce a professional short film in Central New York, which they can submit to festivals for critical and commercial consideration.
By drawing upon the unique cultural and geographic characteristics of the Central New York region, winning filmmakers explore a variety of storytelling perspectives. The Innovation Group of CNY Arts administers the competition, now in its second year of operation. A grant from Empire State Development and the CNY Regional Economic Development Council supports the competition. The CNY Arts in the Windows Program supports the screenings, in turn funded, in part, by the County of Onondaga and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
About the Works
“dz…NǷ?”
2019 | 15 min | HD Video
Director: Charles Stulck
Alma Mater: SUNY Oswego
Follow a blossoming romance between two individuals with opposing perspectives on the topic of the end of the world as the filmmaker examines independence, self-preservation, co-existence, identity and fear of humanity.
Filmmaker Charles Stulck graduated from SUNY Oswego with a B.A. in film and creative writing. Shortly thereafter, he ran away from the snowy tundras of Upstate New York to sunny Los Angeles to further his career in the entertainment industry. In LA, Stulck worked as a staff writer for Apelles Entertainment and was mastering coordinator at Deluxe Technicolor and an operations manager at VER. His script was a finalist at Script Pipeline. With his literary manager, Andrew Kersey, Stulck is currently shopping feature scripts around to numerous production companies.
“Homegoing”
2019 | 13 min | HD Video
Director: Carlton Daniel Jr.
Alma Mater: ϲ
Carlton Daniel Jr.
Junior balances the expectations of working at his father’s funeral home and a night out with friends. When grief intrudes on his closest relationships, Junior must face the full circle of life, forcing him to see the world as it truly is.
Indie filmmaker Carlton Daniel Jr., is a writer, director and producer in Los Angeles, CA. Reimagining a reality free from injustice and oppression, Daniel seeks to correct misconceptions of contemporary Black life as a queer Black artist. In 2016, he earned an M.F.A. in film and dramatic writing from ϲ. Daniel’s work explores themes of surrealism, sexuality, class and Afro-diasporic identity. His award-winning short, “Monogamish” (2017), screened at more than 20 film festivals including Atlanta, Outfest and Palm Springs. Daniel is currently developing his first feature film.
“Early Bird”
2019 | 14 min | HD Video
Director: Issack Cintrón
Alma Mater: SUNY Oswego
Issack Cintrón
In 1976, Elliot, a stoic cleaner, must tie up a nuisance of a loose end for Ben. However, when Ben reveals this involves some highly sought-after money, a high-stakes treasure hunt ensues.
Issack Cintrón is a filmmaker, musician and founder of You So Stupid Productions. His filmography explores various genres, including romantic-comedy (“Hotline”), social-thriller (“Fruta Extraña”), neo-Western (“Early Bird”), and adventure (“Eddie, Milo, and The Box”). As a proud Afro-Latino who specializes in screenwriting and directing, Cintrón decries the long-standing absence of people of color in film and television. He works to combat this lack of representation by creating unique, enlightening and riveting stories in which resonant and fully realized characters exist in narratives beyond race, inequality and injustice even as they remain conscious of those issues. Ultimately, Issack is eager to create art regardless of the medium. His latest project is “The Gallery,” a series of short documentaries that profile rising, independent artists.
“I Wish”
2019 | 11 min | HD Video
Director: Kathryn Ferentchak
Alma Mater: ϲ
Kathryn Ferentchak
Adapted from the 1973 short story by novelist Bill Pronzini, “I Wish” is a tale about David, a curious teenager with Down Syndrome, who escapes his mother’s watchful eye for a few hours to explore a lonely stretch of the Lake Ontario shoreline.
Raised in Colorado, Kathryn Ferentchak will always carry the dynamic scenery of the Rocky Mountains with her. She began working on independent films at 16, and from there, her passion led her to a B.F.A. in film from ϲ and an exciting career in the entertainment industry. Her directorial debut, “Osiris” (2017), did very well on the festival circuit, taking several awards.
