The 15 Best Student Films I’ve Ever Watched (2024)

While going to school for cinema, it was commonplace for my peers and I to cite which films and directors inspired us. From “The Big Lebowski” to Quentin Tarantino. This is the mindset most of us tend take as student filmmakers, only finding influence from high profile directors and iconic films rendering anyone and anything not of that criteria inferior. Learning from the best is not a bad mindset by any means, but it can prevent us from acknowledging the great works of art being made by outside sources. Inspiration doesn’t always have to stem from an Academy Award-winning director or film, sometimes it can come from the person sitting right next to you in a college course; “As iron sharpens iron, so another person”.

I’d guesstimate that I had seen close to 600 student films, not only at SUNY Oswego, but all throughout the SUNY schools in New York State. In many cases, the work of my peers had a greater influence on my own work than the vast array of features we often become so enthralled with. Now, with my college career over and my indie career beginning, I’d like to share some of the incredible pieces that captivated, inspired and resonated with me during my time at SUNY Oswego.

Here are the 15 films that I hold in the highest regards as some of the best student films I’ve ever watched.

* It is worth noting that there isn’t much of a criteria for the ranking of these films, nor are a good few of them in any particular order, these are simply the ones that stood out the most whether for an addictive story, breathtaking production or a significant message.*

15. “Football Season is Over” (Director: Peter Myers — SUNY Oswego)

There are animated films and then there are animated films by Peter Myers.

Peter was one of the quietest filmmakers at Oswego which seemingly added to the aura surrounding his films because when he spoke, he did so through an ultra-expressive film that somehow always found a way to be both complex and simple. “Football Season is Over” is one of the most intriguing experimental films I’ve watched because the poem the film is centered around, is not a poem, it’s a suicide note.

That theme of suicide is accentuated by Peter’s artistic talents, through images like the words of the depressingly poetic death note raining from the clouds, bringing death to the plants below and life to the roses. There is almost something strangely romantic to the eerie narration, as if the slow disintegration of the narrator’s sanity is a pleasure to watch. This a major credit to Peter’s unique ability as a filmmaker to make the unusual feel welcome.

14. “Exposure” (Director: Michael Calobrisi — SUNY Oswego)

There is perhaps no one person more memorable in Oswego’s cinema and screen studies program than Michael Calobrisi. He is the walking definition of eccentric. But quirks and outlandish personality aside, Michael is an incredibly hard worker and a creative genius, like a mad scientist only in the realm of filmmaking. Michael is truly, one of a kind and one of the best collaborators I had the pleasure of working with (my first three college short films were in collaboration with him and Amber Kent). At the college level, “Exposure” was quite possibly his opus.

Made in 48-hours for the horror-themed 2016 Panic Film Festival, “Exposure” was an incredibly introspective film. The film continued a theme Michael had established in a previous film which dwelled on a painful breakup but artistically analyzed such a mundane occurrence. For “Exposure”, Michael exploits the horror that can come to surface during a breakup, channeling his inner Stanley Kubrick. This isn’t only from him taking a well-known, yet under- utilized location on Oswego’s campus and turning it into his own version of the Overlook Hotel in “The Shining” but also through quietly manipulating his audience’s emotions.

“Exposure” is a beautiful film, thanks largely in part to the gorgeous cinematography by the young Ben Nemec (his older brother will come up later), and discovering the horror in human nature. The film opens very frantic, its main character is running from something we can’t see but he isn’t panicked. Once he arrives at a room, “Exposure” reveals to have a second film, in which the ghosts of the relationship are exposed and said horror is revealed to be self-made. It is only looking back on the film when one realizes that Michael had exercised his demons on screen and finally found closure in his gut-wrenching breakup, reminding us just how therapeutic art can be.

13. “Waiting at the Door” (Director: Akram Shibly — University of Buffalo)

I had the pleasure of meeting Akram Shibly at the SUNYWide Film Festival in 2015 where his experimental film “Heal the World” had been selected to. Akram is very passionate about his Syrian heritage and has identified deeply with the ongoing conflict within the country and in turn, his films became a platform to highlight the destruction and the hell the Syrian people have been forced to endure. “Heal the World” was a great introduction. “Waiting at the Door” was masterpiece.

What makes this film so great is not only its production quality or its direction. It is the relevancy of its topic; the Syrian Civil War. Akram visited refugee camps in Turkey, sat down with these victims of inhumanity and allowed them to share what are some horrific and heartbreaking stories of their experiences during the ongoing Syrian Civil War. There is no need for narration as the visuals capture just how devastating the environment and conditions these people have been subjected to are.

“Waiting at the Door” doesn’t answer any questions, it doesn’t present a resolution, it doesn’t even promote any political agenda or stance. This film simply takes the often demonized, misconstrued and vilified refugees and makes them human again. All while showcasing the viciousness and disgusting result of nihilism and holding a vivid, brutally honest portrait of the casualties of war to the face of terrorists and warmongers alike.

This was by far the most relevant and important student film I had ever seen.

12. “ Astro” (Director: Alexx Yates Mason — Alfred State)

Maybe it’s because I have a weak spot for animated films but seriously,how could you not love this film!?! Is it the simple yet absurd plot? The lovable astronauts ? Or is it the kazoos? Whatever it may be, these are just some of the many reasons why “Astro” is such a simple comedy that is an adorable joy to watch. It’s such an achievement in animation at the student level that Alexx Yates Mason crafted something that feels more than a student film, as if it could rival some of the magnificent animated short films that play before each Pixar movie.

And don’t forget the kazoos! They took the iconic opening of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” and generated laughter from the very beginning, setting the tone for the film. It was no wonder why Alexx’s film won audience choice at the 2015 SUNYWide Film Festival.

11. “1 in 4” (Director: Victoria de la Concha — SUNY Oswego)

Victoria de la Concha is one of the best unofficial film students I’ve ever met. Although she debates me on it often, I find her to be one of the most talented and creative individuals that I have ever met and has an obscene amount of potential to be a successful filmmaker. “1 in 4” is a prime example of that potential.

One thing about Victoria is that she has quite a bit to say about the world around her and is unapologetic when calling out the bullsh*t that she spots. Some of that bullsh*t involves misogyny and the objectification of women. But rather than simply complain to nobody in particular, she uses her talents as a writer and a visual artist to convey messages that quite frankly haven’t been spread enough. “1 in 4” is what happens when her writing influences her vision, for what started out as an impassioned poem became a film that took on a topic that is severely overlooked and dismissed; sexual assault on college campuses.

When she first showed me this film, I cried. It was so eye-opening and honest that it was hard not to feel for the victims of such a horrendous experience and advocate for women’s rights. Like “Waiting at the Door” it doesn’t push a feminist agenda down one’s throats. It simply places the viewer in the perspective of a young woman in college, living with the realization that 1 in 4 women at college will report sexual assault. The tragedy lies within the most exciting years of many young women’s lives being clouded, and sometimes deprived, by the constant fear of having to endure one of the worst crimes against humanity. What’s possibly much worse is then having to live in a culture where it is celebrated and justice is often denied. However, Victoria’s narration exists to break the silence while the intimate, portrait-style cinematography forces the discussion to begin.

Through her vivid and direct words, Victoria single-handedly fires away at rape culture and kicks misogyny in the dick. This is not a film about feminism, this is a film about humanity.

10. “Eyeing” (Director: Max Bayarski — SUNY Purchase)

This cut from the batch of 2016 SUNYWide Film Festival submissions stands as a prime case of incredible visual storytelling. The film takes one of the busiest cities in the world, New York City, and absolutely slows it the f*ck down. I get so much anxiety watching “Eyeing” from the minute its slow-motion near two-minute-long opening shot of the train arriving at the Times Square Station opens this experience. Everything just generates more anxiety; the constant staring by commuters, the countless long takes, the ambient, distorted suspenseful score that rumbles like the world is bound to collapse at any second.

“Eyeing” places a twist on voyeurism in film the likes of which has rarely been seen. The viewer is the voyeur, the center of attention, the black sheep of the herd. The mundane task of taking the subway is exploited and made to feel abnormal and since has effected the way I ride the subway anywhere. The concept to this film is further hammered home by some of the best cinematography I’ve seen in a film utilizing a GoPro-style film. I’ve yet to see a film like this.

9. “REDD” (Director: Vaal English — SUNY Oswego)

In late-2015, I made a Facebook post detailing the films I was most excited about seeing, they included “The Force Awakens”, “The Hateful Eight” and
“REDD”. And I wasn’t exaggerating, I was damn-near willing to chop off my leg to catch a trailer for this film. I never could have imagined just what Vaal English had in store for his final act at SUNY Oswego.

“REDD” is the product of dedication and the correct amount of preparation on the behalf of Vaal. First off, process the backdrop for the film: an underground fight club set in the 1920s. Vaal was swinging for the fences and ultimately hit a moonshot home run that hasn’t landed yet. The film is damn near flawless, with legendary cinematography from the older Nemec brother, Calvin (great cinematography must be in their blood), breathtaking production design and gritty performances, “REDD” lived up to the hype and transcended being a student film. It was Hollywood quality, deserving of making it into festivals like Sundance and Cannes.

Ultimately, “REDD” set the bar higher for student films in terms of what could be achieved with enough time and effort. What could easily have been disregarded as another school project was turned into a true achievement in student filmmaking. For me as a filmmaker, if it wasn’t for the impact of “REDD” I would have never made my capstone film “Eddie, Milo and The Box”.

“REDD” is the holy grail of student films.

8. “Orchestrate” (Director: Peter Myers — SUNY Oswego)

Out of all the wonderful films he’s made, “Orchestrate” is my favorite Peter Myers film and it just so happens to be his final film at SUNY Oswego.

Stop motion had long been a technique Peter utilized in his works which makes one appreciate the time and effort he dedicated to his films from constructing the set and characters, to bringing them to life. “Orchestrate” is possibly the only time I’ve ever watched one of Peter’s stop motion films have a human subject and the performance by Evan Maroun is a perfect fit for the theme of this film.

Technically I felt that this film possesses some beautiful lighting, the shadows in which the puppet master works within details the character’s isolation and dedication to his craft. “Orchestrate” is a film about art and it’s influence on our worlds. The puppet created, brings instant joy to his master through his music, but upon discovering how there is an entire world outside of their dwelling place has aspirations of life on the other side. Along with isolation, there are also themes of oppression and liberation. While the master momentarily locks away the puppet, demanding he play for his enjoyment, the error of his oppressive ways are realized and he sets his great creation free.

What comes across is the message that art can be, and should be, spread for the good of mankind, for its influence brings life; something Peter Myers’ work has done.

7. “Bloom” (Director: Amanda McKnight — SUNY Oswego)

It is my belief that the graduating class I was a part of had some gifted student filmmakers and screenwriters. Amanda McKnight was one of them. We shared the same senior thesis course where we watched the beginning stages of “Bloom”. Admittedly, the earlier stages weren’t that amazing as its narrative was yet to be tightened. But Amanda chipped away at it, passionate about making this film just perfect not only for its story, but for its subject, her mom. The final version of this film brought tears to my eyes.

Bringing personal experience to the screen, Amanda’s senior capstone film highlighted her mother’s battle with breast cancer in an experimental manner. “Bloom” juxtaposes the battle with the changing of the seasons, through being diagnosed in the fall to through the cruel winter of treatment and recovery. Ultimately reaching spring brings about the flowers that bloom, marking the start of a new chapter in both nature and Mrs. McKnight’s life. Having the pleasure of getting to know Amanda’s mom who is absolutely warm-hearted and a genuine sweetheart further drives home the sentimental value.

There are many elements that contribute to the emotion of this film, the drastic shift in the color pallet from fall to winter, the real life phone calls detailing the battle, the juxtaposition of the death of flowers with the surgery during the winter segment. But the greatest aspect of the film comes in Amanda’s incredible performance as she takes the genetic qualities that she shares with her mother and masterfully uses them to tell her mother’s story. “Bloom” is as heart-warming as it is heartbreaking but serves to showcases a daughter’s love for her mother and the strength of survivors who refuse to let cancer get the best of them.

Michelle McKnight is a real life superhero.

6. “Creature” (Director: Morgan Rae Noone — SUNY Oswego)

Beautiful. Weird. Brutal. Thematic as f*ck.

Those are just some of the thoughts that come to mind when watching “Creature”, a bizzare yet engaging film.

The obvious element of Morgan Rae Noone’s film that jumps out is the gorgeous production design, more specifically the enchanting costume for the creature done by Morgan herself. From the colors of the creatures feathers to the scales that make up its skin, the transformation made to Kelly Kearns is remarkable and should be noted as an achievement in student filmmaking. Kelly was unrecognizable and genuinely felt like an exotic creature, a testament to Morgan’s otherworldly talent.

The theme of this film is powerful, with the torturous operating table scene in which the creature literally having her image peeled off comes across as dissecting the objectification of the female body. It says something very profound about our male dominated society where there can be a perceived image of what makes women beautiful. Although she is animalistic in her nature, the creature is still beautiful before she is ever captured. It becomes very painful to watch when she has this beauty ripped away from her and forced to embrace her vanity. Part of this comes from Kelly Kearns performance, the final form of her transformation into the creature which is just f*cking phenomenal.

“Creature” is a film about vanity, society’s perceptions of beauty and, like “Orchestrate”, oppression and liberation. It’s almost “Black Mirror”-like in how it forces society to watch an aspect of how it came into existence making it an unforgettable film.

5. “Fallout” (Director: Ethan Alexis Scarduzio — SUNY Binghamton)

Ah the Binghamton Boys!

It was tough to pick through the vault of amazing films made by the talented people at the Binghamton Film Initiative. There have been so many that have stood out from “ANNA” to “Dead Meat” to “Cul de Sac”. But “Fallout” is the one I identify as my favorite. However, before diving into why I love this film, it is important to explain the mind-blowing story behind BFI’s formation.

At SUNY Binghamton, the school’s film program does not have film production courses at the magnitude of fellow SUNY schools like Purchase, Oswego or Fredonia. A group of friends, including Ethan Scarduzio, Jared Biunno and Oliver Lau were so passionate about filmmaking, they had pushed for their program to provide them with more inclusive production courses. When their requests were repeatedly denied, they took action and formed the Binghamton Film Initiative, solely to inspire filmmaking at their school. Not enough words can accurately describe the sacrifices and effort these friends put into putting BFI on the map. By the time the 2015 SUNYWide Film Festival rolled around, BFI had submitted 10 films to the festival, with three of them, “Dead Meat”, “Ember” and “Fallout”, being selected. The festival became their coming out party.

The thing that jumps out immediately about their films is their production quality, and more specifically the breathtaking cinematography by Oliver Lau. Every film felt professional, as if it was fresh out of Hollywood. “Fallout” was the epitome of this. It was an ambitious film that aims high and whole-heartedly delivers. With the film’s backdrop being the impending end of the word, a couple rushes to find a fallout shelter when they come to the realization about the world they live in. The performances feel natural, the tone of the film shifts and works to feel manipulate every emotion and the lasting image is one of the best technically sound student films ever produced.

4. “Luna and the Tide” (Director: Ben Davis — SUNY Purchase)

The more I think about “Luna and the Tide”, the more I remember how moving of a film it truly is. It is one of the few romance student films that actually feels genuine.

To start, the beautifully scenic cinematography and precise editing that alternates perfectly between longer takes and quick cuts, casts an “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” vibe. “Luna and the Tide” is a very heartbreaking story, a young man dealing with the loss of his significant other, but the heartbreak is produced largely due to two crucial filmmaking elements; direction and performance. The directing in this film impresses me as the film tells its story without any scripted exposition. All of what’s revealed comes through non-verbals, hence where the performances captivate.

There is a crucial moment in the middle of the film where Luna is introduced and receives bad news regarding her health. It is never clearly stated what is wrong, but her reaction to the news is as one might assume. The performance is so strong, her looking around, stunned, gasping for breath. Although she hasn’t shed a tear yet, you know she’s crying, at least on the inside. Through a plethora of scenes with great performances, this one stands out as well as her narration toward the end of the film. The pain and heartbreak in her voice is contrasted by images of her happiness, adding to the emotion. Truly, the performance and direction both propel this film.

3. “Morpheostasis” (Director: Vaal English — SUNY Oswego)

Amongst other reasons, this early cut from early in Vaal English’s student filmmaking career ranks highly for one significant reason: This is the film that introduced me to student filmmaking and inspired me to become a filmmaker.

“Morpheostasis” was made in 36-hours for the 2014 Mixed Emotions Film Festival. Given the theme of that year’s Mixed Emotions Film Festival being “nature”, quite a bit of the films in that batch focused on “human nature” with “Morpheostasis” being a deeper look on capitol punishment. At the time, I felt as if I had watched a shorter version of “Inception”. Audio glitches aside, the film features some of Calvin Nemec’s beautiful eye for cinematography. While both Vaal and Calvin have undoubtedly surpassed this project and have honed their craft (see “REDD”), “Morpheostasis” was a very impressive starting point.

As a freshman looking for a new direction, “Morpheostasis” became essential. It was so mind blowing at the time and from that moment on, I’ve looked up to Vaal as a director. I’ve since had the good fortune of getting to know Vaal and working with both him and Calvin on a film this summer, their mind for filmmaking is honestly insane.

2. “Virginia” (Director: Seoyoung Hong — Westchester Community College)

When we did the pre-screening for the 2016 SUNYWide Film Festival, there were rare instances in which we watched films all the way through (given that we had been pressed for time). “Virginia” was the one of those films and for good reason. The most accurate reaction to the film came from Amy Shore who said of the film, “I have goosebumps”.

Fast forward a couple of months and “Virginia” ended up being the second to last film screened at that year’s festival. Once the end credits began to roll a hush had come over the crowd. Then a thunderous applause. Seoyoung Hong, a descendent of South Korea and student at Westchester Community College, had stolen the show.

What amazes me about “Virginia” is the manner in which it tackles its topic, the Virginia Tech Massacre of 2007. Seoyoung made the film relevant to the political climate of America but did so in an artistic way. Although “Virginia” is attributed to being a film on gun control, it also happens to be a love story. Seoyoung himself masterfully plays the role of the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, bringing humanity to a murderer through his love for a girl, Virginia. When the love becomes obsessive, the main character resorts to drastic measures. It it the culmination of failures and the slowly deteriorating mental state, coupled with easy access to destructive outlets that lead to the tragedy.

The film is filled to the brim with metaphors from something complex; the shattering of his light bulb representing his both his dreams and mental state being destroyed, to something simple; Noah R. Acker representing the NRA, to something just haunting; the janitor mopping pools of blood. The lasting image is Seoyoung at SUNYWide as the talk of the festival; his message being heard.

1. “Midnight Girl” (Director: Nicholas co*cks — SUNY Oswego)

Holy. f*cking. sh*t.

With the distressed, haunting backdrop of “The Blair Witch Project”, the graphic conjuring elements of “The Exorcist” and the slow-burning suspense of “Halloween” all in five-minutes, “Midnight Girl” is the perfect student film. High praise? I know. Allow to me to elaborate.

Often times, student films attempt to accomplish too much, especially in the horror genre. The students place pressure on themselves to make an “original idea” that is often too convoluted, outlandish/absurd and ultimately falls flat. I speak from committing all of these crimes. Rather than predictably centering its horror on the death of its characters, “Midnight Girl” wisely drops the viewer in the terrifying, anxiety inducing moments leading up to the character’s deaths through the panicked eyes of Brian Potter, the frantic performances by Nicholas co*cks and David Fuenzalida, the petrifying presence of Erin Geraghty and an unsettling warping score crafted by Victoria Jayne. “Midnight Girl” doesn’t try to be anything other than itself and is just brilliant execution on all fronts, embracing the “less is more” approach.

Aside from this approach, part of the film’s brilliance is how it willingly takes on numerous negative aspects that often are associated with student films. A basic plotline surrounding death and the supernatural, a black & white filter and a campy (or in Oswego’s case, feral) production quality. “Midnight Girl” not only reclaims these elements, but completely owns them. This film takes its viewers on a memorable ride, having been made in 48 hours on a zero dollar budget and a GoPro. The fact that this film placed second at the 2016 Panic Film Festival, almost feels criminal, but hey, even “Citizen Kane” lost Best Picture (just a metaphor).

It’s worth noting that Nicholas co*cks, the film’s director, wasn’t a film student, but an accomplished and talented theatre student. This factored greatly into the blocking of the actors, as they rehearsed for over eight hours, before they filmed the end result. The long take seen in the film is also the lone take. Please process and appreciate how f*cking insane that feat is.

Simply put, “Midnight Girl” is five minutes of anxiety, creativity and perfection. If “REDD” is the Holy Grail of student films, “Midnight Girl” is the bible.