This past weekend, from Thursday evening through Saturday, the second annual Rumschpringe Short Film Festival ran in Downtown Lancaster at the Theater of the Seventh Sister (TSS). On opening night, the Stahr Armory (home of the TSS) was dressed up in picture-house fashion-the lights were low, the popcorn was rattling, and a makeshift box office fronted the old auditorium. The festival began with a video introduction by Master of Ceremonies Allen Clements. What followed was a collection of short films that provided a broad showcase of local cinematic talent.
The selection varied dramatically, not just on a stylistic level but, unfortunately, on a qualitative level as well. The submissions ranged from an intricately edited documentary about hardcore Eagles fans to an awkwardly profane skit about a talking bowl of mixed nuts. All of these local films were made with limited resources. The difference between the good ones and the bad ones was that the good ones made the viewer ask, “how could they make this with such limited resources?” while the bad ones made the viewer ask, “why would they make this with such limited resources?”
Local blogger Daniel Klotz made a helpful observation in his review of the event: “All in all, I think this year’s Rumschpringe festival encapsulates Lancaster’s arts scene: it is still emerging.” Given this fact, it should be no surprise that some of the best submissions came from a younger generation of filmmakers. My two personal favorites were both produced by high school students:
- “Going Bananas” was directed by Brendan Krick, a junior at Manheim Township High School. The film is an absurdist comedy that hilariously handles a level of irony, parody, and self awareness that is uncommon in even most Hollywood productions-Woody Allen aside. Although the festival is over, the film can still be viewed online at Krick’s Vimeo channel.
- Another high school student’s submission was “Mature for His Age,” directed by 17-year-old Nik Korablin. “Mature for His Age” is about a 12-year-old boy who in convinced that he has found true love with a former camp counselor because she had told him in passing that he was-well, hence the title. The film seems clearly influenced by director Wes Anderson, which is fine, since Korablin carries the Anderson technique quite naturally.
Overall, the Rumschpringe Short Film Festival presented some impressive work, even if there were a few bumps along the way. However, one cannot help but wonder if Lancaster County carries a bank of talent superior to what was displayed this weekend. Hopefully, next year’s festival will be more thoroughly promoted, not only to draw visitors but to draw contributors as well. It would be great to see an aesthetically tight lineup of creative films, each competitively vying for the festival’s awards.
